Unless your family has been holed up in a cave for the past several months, you probably already know that Zhu Zhu Pets are predicted to be one of the must-have toys of the season. And if you have a child who's been asking for the fuzzy little critters and their myriad of accessories for the holidays, you probably already know that many stores are already out of stock of these popular toys.

One reason retailers are out of Zhu Zhu Pets and other predicted-to-be-popular items is that most have not placed big orders this year. Burned by last year's dismal sales, many stores simply have not taken any chances.

But aside from the issue of availability, there's another reason to shop early. Industry analysts are also predicting that those unheard-of major discounts we saw last year are highly unlikely, again because retailers won't be facing overstock of inventory. So the message seems to be: Don't wait until the last minute to shop, hoping for a discount. If you see an item on sale right now that seems to be a good price, grab it.

More Thrifty Thursdays Blogs:

Check Grocery Coupons for Savings on Gifts

Check Out Clearance Racks with Your Teens

Save Money on Baby by Decluttering

American Girl Offers Budget-Conscious Gifts

Take Advantage of Free Shipping This Holiday Season

Free Shipping from Online Vendors

Plan Now, Black Friday Deals Already Circulating

A friend of mine reminded me yesterday that we are seven weeks away from Christmas. Yikes.

My friend is the kind of woman who has already ordered Christmas gifts (yup, she's one of those super-organized people whom the rest of us can only feebly attempt to emulate before we realize it's like trying to become a concert pianist -- you either have it or you don't). So while I'm not gonna turn into Rebecca, I am at least determined not to be that crazed lady running through the mall on Christmas Eve again this year, making a mad dash from store to store, frantically searching for gifts.

That's why I'm taking a page from another friend's family and getting an early start on Christmas this year. I recently visited my friend John's mom, who had a terrific calendar of family photos displayed at her house. It turns out that last year, one of her other sons, Peter, had compiled family photos and used the iPhoto application on his Mac to create a calendar for members of his family for Christmas. It was flat-out one of the most beautiful calendars I'd ever seen -- a testament not only to Peter's artistic eye but also to the ease of use of the iPhoto program.

If you don't have a Mac, you can use a site like Rocket Life, which lets you create t-shirts, photo books, and even mugs as well as calendars from your PC. And if you have a good quality printer and the time, you can make your own calendar, cards, photobooks, and more with Hewlett-Packard's free Creative Studios for Home site.

I'm thinking of some more do-ahead holiday gifts for friends and family. In the meantime, I'm gonna spend a few minutes this week and gather up some photos to unleash my inner artist and create a great calendar for my family to use all next year.

Other Gift Ideas from About.com's Parenting & Family Channel Guides:

10 Great Stocking Stuffers for College Kids

Holiday Gifts Under $30 for College Kids & Young Adults

Active Toys for the Whole Family

Active Toys for School-Aged Kids

Active Toys for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Affordable Parent-Child Gifts

Board Games That Are Fun for Parents, Too

Best Boyfriend/Girlfriend Gifts

Inexpensive Baby Clothes Gifts

Christmas Gift Ideas for Teens

Christmas Gift Ideas for Teen Boys

Christmas Gift Ideas for Teen Girls

Top Gifts for Crafty Kids

Gifts for Grandpa

Grandmother Gifts From Around the World

Gifts for Grandbaby's First Year

Commemorative Gifts for Baby's First Christmas

Top Preschool Board Games

Educational Toys for Preschoolers

Top Inexpensive Gifts for Teachers, Coaches and Parent Volunteers

Video Games for the Whole Family

Electronic Gifts and Games for Kids

Electronic Gifts and Games for Preschoolers

Gift Ideas for Tweens

10 Ideas for Grandparents Gifts

10 Ways to Give Mom Gifts She Deserves

Classic Toys for Today's Kids

Books That Keep Kids Busy

Educational Kids Games for Grade Schoolers

Recently, New York City banned bake sales in schools. Sixteen states, including California, have imposed similar limitations on foods high in calories, fat and sugar in schools.

I can understand the sentiment and the motivation -- however misguided -- behind the new rules. Childhood obesity is a major concern, and we should be doing all we can to curb sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks in schools. But does anyone really think banning bake sales will somehow counter sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, and other unhealthy lifestyle habits that are increasing kids-- and adults' -- waistlines?

Just as banning baked goods from school grounds is no magic bullet for our nation's obesity problem, fighting obesity has to take a multi-pronged, reasonable approach. Parents and schools can work together to teach kids how to eat right and make sure they get enough physical activity. Once they have the real tools make healthy choices, a cookie or a muffin here and there will be a once-in-a-while treat, hardly worthy of a ban much less a second thought.

If you ever find yourself having a bad day or feeling stressed as I did today, think about stories like this: The family of a little girl named Elena Desserich, who died of brain cancer at the age of 6, discovered after her death that she'd hidden hundreds of little notes for her family to find after she'd gone. She'd tucked them into backpacks, drawers, and between books.

In a new book called Notes Left Behind, Elena's parents, Brooke and Keith, share the journal entries they'd written during their daughter's battle with cancer as well as what Elena wrote in her notes to her family.

Why do unbearable things like this happen in our world? Why do little children get sick and suffer? We can only make our feeble attempts at guessing the answers. But we can be certain that beauty exists when we think about children like Elena and the love that she and her family felt for each other. And when we think about stories like Elena's, it certainly puts something as trivial as a bad day into perspective. I'm going to go and hug my child now and be grateful for the fact that I get to tuck him into bed tonight and kiss him, which I think I may do a hundred times.

Thank you Brooke and Keith, for sharing your story and the spirit of your lovely daughter with the world.