As I've stated before, our February reach will be our 10th consecutive year in Negril. As it is now January we are in Negril mode and continuing our preparations. As we have been preparing, I started wondering how others prepare for their trips. Our prep starts during our current stay:

February - Make reservations for our same room at our hotel for the dates we want to be there (always 10 days between our birthdays)
March - Start checking airfare the day that it becomes available (330 days)
April - December - keep checking airfare until something reasonable is available. This year it was $550 pp from MSP.
July - Jamaican bar-b-que with our friends. Jerk Chicken, Rice & Peas, Red Stripe, Ting and Appleton...
August - At least one visit to the Seastar webcast just to get a fix.
November - the snow and cold start to arrive... but the though that Negril is out there and half paid for gets us through.
December - Trips to Barnes and Nobel to start buying the books that we are going to read. We've thought about bringing the iPads but, at least once a year, as we are lounging on our rock by the cliffs edge, we get hit by a wave.
December/January - Visits to the sunset webcasts while making Hummingbirds or drinking Mud Slides that we purchased the year before. You have to picture the snow building up outside and the warmth of a fire.
January - Contact Rocky for our airport transfer, finish buying the books we will be bringing, 8 for her, 5 for me. Although I'm a slower reader I also like to read educational stuff. Last year it was Team of Rivals, Beasts in the Garden, A Biography of Thomas Jefferson, The Greater Journey and I always throw in Vince Flynns latest (candy stuff).
January Continued - Make sure that we have travel sizes of all the essentials. Start thinking about where our meals might be in Negril. We have our favorites but always looking to try the most talked about/new places that we have never tried. Check webcasts and the board for suggestions. Buy chocolates and other essentials for the housekeeping staff. They and their kids love it.
February - Start watching the weather reports to make sure that there are no snowstorms on the horizon for travel day. Re-confirm with Rocky. Board the plane!!!!

To me, Negril is really a a value vacation because I enjoy the anticipation! A state of mind that lasts the whole year long.

How do you prepare????