By Bernie Becker, with help from Elena Chiriboga and Toby Eckert, Politico.

MOST WONDERFUL TIME: Ah, mid-November — when people start complaining that the holiday season is starting way too early again, and that the U.S. tax code should give businesses and individuals more certainty by ending the stop-and-start extenders cycle.

Lawmakers are still discussing what this year’s extenders package will look like, and they’re starting to get bombarded by various interest groups wanting to make sure they’re taken care of.

Charitable groups, for instance, have made their priority for the extenders package expanding the provision allowing tax-free donations from IRAs and flattening the excise tax on foundations, according to people with knowledge of the pitch. (The latter measure isn’t actually an expiring provision but was included in a set of charitable extenders passed by the House.