It’s almost time to start making your list and checking it twice, and maybe start nixing the frivolous purchases of the past. (Does every relative require a Hallmark limited edition ormanent? Come on now.)

Besides, experience gifts are all the rage. Haven’t you heard? Presents that will have the recipient asking, “Why did I never do this before?” Like smelling a Colorado Aspen for the first time, and maybe even cutting down his first Christmas tree.

Or heck, why not skip the iPod stocking stuffers and go on vacation together? Let me count the reasons for spending the yule in a Colorado cabin rental.

1. Because cabins mean fireplaces, roasting marshmallows, wearing obnoxious snowmen and reindeer sweaters, and perhaps catching a glimpse of reindeer in real life.

2. Because you’ll likely be skiing, too. You’ll need to after the green bean casserole, sage sausage stuffing and fudge log cakes.

3. Because if you’re going to be stuck with your relatives–all 20 of them–it may as well be in an eight-bedroom house complete with a pool table, hot tub, bar and multiple flatscreens. Just think of all the joy you’ll have when battling over who gets the last Wii control.

4. Because it will most likely be a White Christmas. (Stranger things have happened, but I’d wager my third born that there will be snow somewhere in Colorado in December.)

5. Does a Christmas tree get any more beautiful when lit inside a log cabin?

The Obamas–Bo included–will be vacationing in a Martha’s Vineyard rental at the end of August. The 28-acre farm rents for $50,000 a week and sports a pool, beach, underground movie theater, golf practice tee and–good thing for Barack–a basketball court.

Am just a wee bit jealous, but aren’t we all?

The president made a good point, though. Just because these are trying times for Americans doesn’t mean he shouldn’t take out quality time to spend with his daughters. In fact, we should all be doing that if we can–slowing down, getting back to each other–and it doesn’t have to involve a $20-million estate.

My vote goes to New York vacation rentals in the Adirondacks. A dip in the database surfaced this  Chateaugay Lake vacation home, which sits right on the water and spoils guests with glimpses of eagles, heron, osprey and moose, lists for a manageable $650 a week through the end of September.

In quiet moments, you’ll sizzle steaks on the grill, drink beer on the deck or fish. Hate sitting down? Get your heart rate going while kayaking or hiking one of the many trails nearby. Another plus: For an additional fee, you’ll be able to take your own pooch on vacation, too.

Just like the Obamas.

See, you’re more like them after all.

Once a year my office building hosts a guess-how-many-gumballs-are-in-the-jar contest. Everyone enters because the grand prize is season opener tickets to Wrigley.

I lose everytime.

While I can’t dangle Cubs tickets as a reward (I can only offer a nod on this blog–doh!), how many people do you reckon that the Maine vacation rental above can host? And no cheating, please. I see you jumping ahead to the listing.

If you answered 25, you nailed it.

Kossow Lodge, an eight-bedroom home on Crescent Lake, has seen its share of reunions, weddings, fishing trips and snowmobiling outings. It’s a true all-season house, thanks to its access to water, state parks and the Appalachian Trail. Park your 20-foot boat in the dock during summer, then hit the slopes in winter at Shawnee Peak.

If you are brave enough to vacation with 24 of your closest friends or family (And why the heck not? It’s a way to pinch pennies.), don’t worry: Indoor activities abound. There’s a gazebo for card or board games, plus a basement with a slate pool table, ping-pong table, Foosball and air hockey.

Brides and grooms, is your budget holding you back from throwing the splashy reception of your dreams? Full-scale hotel shows are precisely that, and so predictable and passe. This is 2009. Have your ceremony and reception here. The property owner encourages couples to call for rates and limits the guest list to 90 people.

That could be a godsend, though, because after a week with your nearest and dearest, you may be ready to jump in the lake.

Just kidding, mom.

I know I just went on vacation, but is it greedy to already be thinking about next summer’s lake house?

Friends who just booked their Michigan vacation rental say no. They found a lovely lake house with a private beach for their whole family–13 total–for the first week of August. But, and this is a big but, they said they were late in the game. They almost did get it. The owner said that all the best, biggest lakefront properties book a year in advance and suggested that we do the same.

Really?

Wondering if any of you regular renters out there follow the early bird rule of thumb or if it’s possible to wait until next spring.

Talk to me.

It doesn’t surprise me one bit that this week the terms “Chicago vacation rentals” came up high in search results. The city pumped its collective fist since the mercury broke 80 degrees, which wasn’t that long ago. We have a lot of partying to catch up on.

Earlier this month, I saw folks in outerwear. (Trench coats and the like, but it was too chilly to bust out the sundresses.)

But the weather heated up just in time for Grant Park–home to that other ginormous celebration in August, Lollapalooza–to host the Taste of Chicago (June 26-July 5), an annual buffet of the city’s best eats, from giant turkey legs to Eli’s Cheesecake.

Tourists will be struck by how clean Chi-Town is, how friendly its people are and how good it feels here in the summertime. Chicago in June is like that first beer you crack open at a ballgame or the first time you fire up that grill. You can’t be help but smile. After surviving subzero temps, we “earn” the chance to lay out at Oak Street Beach, drink alfresco at numerous neighborhood festivals, have mimosas on the patio of the Kerryman and ride our bikes down to Promontory Point. We suggest you out-of-towners do, too, and quick.

Who knows how long these balmy days will last?

So hurry up and find your vacation home already.

If there’s an upside to the recession, it’s the bargain pricing for Maine vacation homes.

Property owners normally slammed with bookings are slashing rates to snag travelers in search of that quintessential New England holiday spent eating lobster, combing private beaches or jumping into pristine lakes. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be doing that still, especially with prices for rentals like the one above set at an affordable $875 a week.

Divvy up the cost with two other couples or one other family with two kids, and you’ll likely have money left over from your trip.

Because where else will you spend your dollars?

People who frequent these parts tend to appreciate the simpler things in life anyway: barbecues under the stars, lounging on inner tubes, watching closely for local wildlife.

And I don’t mean your Uncle Jared’s hairy back.

When you’ve walked a jillion miles from Cinderella Castle to Frontierland, the last thing you need is another jillion miles to walk on a sprawling resort. You’ve just pushed a stroller and stood in lines in 90-degree heat for eight hours straight. You’re sore, hungry and in dire need of a shower.

Suddenly those five-minute highs from spinning yourselves silly on the tea cups have turned you into a cranky, stinky you-know what.

In preparation for that literal crash–sugar and otherwise–you’ll want to find a nice place to stay. But not that standard, identity-free hotel room, but a real cozy, intimate retreat.

Disney Area vacation homes at Tropical Palms Resort will feel like home. The Kissimmee vacation rental above is a real-life dollhouse, perfectly sized for families with small children. Brimming with the charm of a Key West cottage, the house sports a loft, tiny kitchen, bathroom, TV and wireless access. For the tykes: a kiddie pool and game room.

And there’s something else miniature about the spot, too: the price.

Just $59 a night.

Yes way.

Maybe you bought your Lake Norman vacation home as an investment, hoping to flip it after a few years for big bucks. Maybe your Charlotte vacation rental won’t get used this year because you’re worried about taking too much time off. Smart–we’re all nervous about losing our jobs.

Whatever the reason, it would pay off now to list your property with VacationHomeRentals.com, because according to the Charlotte Observer, the area is seeing a lot of traction. Only 12 miles from Mooresville, aka Race City USA, Lake Norman is a bastion for NASCAR fans and families seeking the peaceful 520 miles of shoreline, jet skiing, fishing, sailing and canoeing.

One of the reasons travelers might favor a lakeside home is the access to boat docks to park that spankin’ new watercraft. I mean, that’s probably why you bought the property, right?

Share the spoils with other folks. Don’t let your vacation home sit stagnant when there’s $ to be made.

We hope that Florida vacation home you booked for July is still in the works, but a new poll suggests that folks have canceled at least one of their planned trips.

A survey by AP-Gfk claims that 42 percent of Americans will be going on summer vacation, compared with 49 percent who said in a 2005 AP-Ipsos poll that they would be taking one. And most notable: While 43 percent of 30-49-year-olds will be vacationing, only 39 percent of 65 and older Americans plan to do so.

Can’t say I’m surprised.

The entitlement generation is used to Starbucks, Louis Vuitton purses and high-end denim. Personally, those are luxuries I can live without, but a vacation? No way.

If your company is teetering on the edge of layoffs or you’re living paycheck to paycheck, I can understand why you’d want to bypass the holiday in a Maui vacation rental, but an abbreviated excursion, even an extended weekend, can do wonders. Just choose carefully and don’t be stupid. If a road trip to Colorado is more feasible than a splashy European adventure, more power to you. And don’t rule out the savings and space benefits of renting a vacation home.

What’s the truth, though, America? We want to hear from you. Are you sticking by or scrapping your summer vacation? Leave a comment here or follow us (and speak to us) on Twitter @checkincheckout.

Just like it wasn’t fair to count the Michigan State Spartans out of the NCAA title, It wasn’t fair to write off Michigan vacation homes as worthy escapes. Just look at the log cabin beauty above. Wouldn’t you rather be there than in a padded cubicle?

And Michigan needs us right now. The collapse of the auto industry has pummeled the state economically, leaving locals without jobs and homes. Thank goodness for the championship game and all the millions of dollars it will pump back into Detroit.

Beyond the college hoops showdown, however, the state will need our help … so before you default to the Jersey Shore or Florida for the umpteenth time, consider your neighbors in the Midwest. From quiet Upper Peninsula vacation rentals to Lake Michigan vacation homes, your haven can come in many forms: cabins, cottages, chalets, whatever your getaway style.

Grab your six pack of Old-Style and don’t forget to download Kid Rock’s love letter to the state–”All Summer Long”–to put you in the Michigan mood. But please, leave your Budweiser bikini at home.