It's that time of year again... You know - jingle bells, Christmas carols, Frosty the Snowman. Unfortunately, with the good comes the bad. This time of year always brings an increase in things such as aggressive drivers, defective products, and identity theft.

Entire books could be written on each of these subjects individually as well as other things to look out for during the Holiday season. However, the most important thing is that you never get so wrapped up in shopping for gifts that you put safety on the back-burner.

Here are 3 great tips to help make this Holiday shopping season a more enjoyable one.

Aggressive Drivers -

No, aggressive drivers don't hide for 10 months out of the year and then suddenly hit the roads in November and December to wreak havoc on folks like me and you. People just become more aggressive during the holidays because of the stress and the hurried-up pace involved with Christmas shopping.

The problem just compounds itself when you put more people on the road at the same time and they all have a list of "must have" gifts. While you're out and about this Christmas season, be sure that you watch out for these aggressive drivers (as well as aggressive shoppers). They are the leading

cause of accidents this time of year and you don't want to become a statistic with them.

if you tend to be a little more aggressive this time a year, take a second to clear your mind, cut back on the caffeine, or let someone else drive you around. You'll save yourself and others a lot of trouble.

Defective Products -

There's nothing more enjoyable than watching someone open your gift with a smile on their face early Christmas morning. But all too often this time of year, those smiles turn to frowns when they realize that the product is defective.

Manufacturers are in such a rush this time of year that quality sometimes takes a back seat to quantity. to prevent those upside down smiles this year, be sure that you inspect the gift item before you buy it.

Make sure that the box hasn't been opened and that there are no signs of the package being dropped or damaged in any way. if you are able to try the gift out - take the time to do so.

If there is any question about the quality of a particular item, you may want to look at another one. if you find a product misplaced, you may want to take a closer look before purchasing it. After all, some one put it down for a reason, right? If possible, find where it goes and see if there are any more.

On the flip-side, if you want to open a box to see what it feels like or just to get a better look at it - ask an employee to open it for you. if it's not what you want, then let them put it back on the shelf for you so that others will know that it's ok to purchase.

Before you buy any product from any store, be sure you check out their gift return policy. Some stores are extremely difficult to deal with and others aren't so difficult.

Identity Theft -

If you haven't been a victim of identity theft yet, the chances of it happening this year are greater than ever. It's no secret that the number of identity theft victims grow each and every year. The worst time of all is during the Christmas shopping season.

Make sure you keep your credit card, checks, and other personal information by your side at all times. With so many shoppers in the isles this time of year, it still amazes me how many women walk away from their purse inside the buggy. Easy pickings for a would-be identity thief.

When your at the register, be sure no one is watching you punch your pin number in the keypad. Sometimes a clerk will need your driver's license number or even your social security number. Always have these cards ready to show them and never tell her out loud. You never know who's in line behind you.