The holidays are upon us, and everywhere there are signs of the season. Some are obvious, like lights, decorations and music. Others are less obvious and you have to look for them.

One of our favorite signs of the season appears on Page A2 of today’s Enterprise. It’s the little “Shopping Days left until Christmas” illustration, featuring the characters from the “Peanuts” comic strip.

Every day between now and Christmas, Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder and the Peanuts gang will provide us with a gentle, humorous reminder that shopping days are dwindling in number, and that if we are going to make those important holiday purchases, we had better get cracking.

It’s a grand tradition, going back decades. It’s as much a part of the holidays as holly, eggnog and Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song” playing on a tavern jukebox while snow swirls around outside.

Snoopy and company bring a message from a simple time, before our smart phones, apps and virtual assistants began tracking and chronicling every aspect of our lives in real time.

Pick up the paper –and what a glorious, connective experience that still is, not only during the holidays, but all throughout the year — flip open the page and there’s the little nudge you need to remember to pick up that pair of woolen socks for Uncle Mike, or stocking stuffers for the kids.

We’ll throw in a separate reminder: to make as many of your holiday purchases right here in the Tri-Lakes area, where the money will do the most good for your friends and neighbors. Let the online behemoths make their money somewhere else. Shop local and support local businesses.

That reminds us, we have to start making our list.

Only 16 days left.

Lucy and Linus say so.