WASHINGTON — What kind of shopper are you?

Do you run marathons around the mall, then catch a movie there when you're done? Or do you shop online until you get carpal tunnel syndrome? Maybe you avoid the stores altogether, letting a personal shopper do the work for you.

For many people, holiday shopping is as much about the journey as the destination. It ends with a perfectly wrapped present, but everyone has a different method for getting there.

Take Angela Ashworth, a 38-year-old mom from Alexandria, Va. She started her Christmas shopping in February, when last year's holiday merchandise was still being cleared out of stores. She picks up presents one by one, all year long. She has already hit several categories of retailers: Target, J.C. Penney, Macy's and Costco. She plans to be finished shopping before December.

"I have a big family, so I have to start early," she said. "I don't like a lot of stress."

About 20 percent of all retail purchases are made during the holiday season. That's why stores start hanging garlands and lighting Christmas trees before Halloween — all to get you in the shopping spirit.

If that sounds vaguely threatening, don't worry. There is help.

With a little savvy and a few insider tricks, you can work the system to find the lowest prices, shortest lines and sure-to-please products no matter what your shopping style.

The National Retail Federation predicts that the average consumer will spend $791.10 during the holidays. Most of that will go toward presents, with $451.34 spent on family and $85.60 on friends. Shoppers are also expected to spend $91.20 on candy and food and $46.49 on decorations.

Those numbers are all increases over last year — good news for retailers, but not so cheery for consumers' checkbooks. Greg McBride, senior financial analyst at Bankrate.com, said the only way not to overspend during the holidays is to create a budget and stick to it.

He acknowledges that this is easier said than done.

"It all comes down to discipline," he said.

Michelle Logan, 33, of Springfield, Va., has the list down, and that's about it.

She usually doesn't start her holiday shopping until after Thanksgiving. On a recent afternoon at Springfield Mall, Logan was concentrating on feeding her 18-month-old son, Patrick, while keeping an eye on his rowdy older brother, Connor, 3.

Her sister-in-law, Rhonda Raspberry, laughed.

"I would like to start now, but I don't think that's going to happen," she said.

Logan and her husband have worked out a budget for the holidays. She needs to buy gifts for about two dozen people, and they designated the amount of money they would spend on each one — so far, so good.

But history tells a different story. When asked if she has ever stuck to her budget, Logan shook her head: "Never."

Logan family, this guide is for you.