All this, and it's only 4:30 a.m.

Merry Christmas. The festivities have just begun.

You spent months --- along with more money than you possess --- preparing for this day. I cannot help you with your problems concerning the cat. Anything I have to say could result in a misdemeanor conviction.

But I can offer advice on how to deal with the new gadgets that came into your family's life this morning.

Let's start with batteries. It seems like half of what you found under the tree has a battery. But one type of battery is not the right choice for everything.

Some toys do best with the cheapest battery you can find. Generally toys with electric motors fit into this niche. Any toy that is power-hungry will do fine with these cheap batteries.

But it's not just a case of saving money. When it comes to some toys, plain old alkaline batteries offer the longest run time. To be honest, many of these toys won't last as long as their first set of batteries. But for those that do, I suggest picking up an economy pack at a discount store.

On the other hand, gadgets like your new digital camera or MP3 player are perfect candidates for rechargeable batteries. If your gadget uses a standard size battery like a AA or AAA, rechargeables will save you a lot of money over the long haul.

One of the usual downsides of rechargeables is the long recharge time. Some batteries require an overnight charge --- not a great thing on Christmas morning when your digital camera has just died from exhaustion.

To get around that problem, I use the Rayovac 15 Minute Charger. That way, exhausted batteries are up and going again in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee.

The next tip can help with that broken Xbox. It's a caution based on personal holiday tragedies here at Technology Ranch.

Typical Christmas morning clutter creates the perfect environment for throwing away stuff that should not be thrown away. A complete list of what I've mistakenly thrown away would require three legal pads and a lot of crying. But my own list of throwaways includes warranty cards, gift cards, a critical (and expensive) part for a digital camera and two pocketknives.

Cleaning the clutter is an admirable activity much encouraged by my wife. However, it should be done with the sort of clear head and steady hand that only comes after three cups of coffee and several hours of sunlight. Even then, double-check all boxes, envelopes and plastic pouches before throwing them away.

Computer manufacturers in particular are prone to using boxes that contain strange box-like cardboard assemblies inside that provide padding. Most of these cardboard assemblies are empty. But a few contain parts. So take a close look before throwing anything away.

You'll note that I included gift cards in my list of things that could get lost in the morning clutter. Once you've found any gift cards, do yourself a big favor. Put them in a drawer and avoid using them for at least a couple of weeks.

The temptation is to immediately put them to work --- either at a post-holiday sale or by logging onto an online site even before the Christmas cookies are gone. And if you got a new computer but no software to protect against viruses or hackers, you really may want to put that gift card to work right away.

Otherwise, stick the card in a drawer.

I'm going to tell you a painful truth about electronic gadgets such as computers, iPods, video game systems and digital cameras. Once the device is received as a gift or purchased, the cost has just begun. Within a week or so you'll see the urgent need for some new accessory, or a game for the Xbox360, or for a digital memory card for the camera.

This unwelcome discovery will come at the time when your finances are at their very worst. That gift card can become a tiny lifesaver, no batteries required.