A Guide to Getting all Your Holiday Preparations DONE before December.

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Yooooo hooooo. I'm just tucked over here in between the couch and the sofa table in my safe place. You of course can't see it, but I'm wearing a hockey mask, 14 dinner rolls as a hat, mittens and steel toed boots. Why the get up? Well #1, it's super-cute. And #2, it's the most adequate protection I could scrounge up last minute.

Today, you see, is the day I broach the most controversial of all subjects on The Art of Doing Stuff. Today I announce it's time to take The Christmas Pledge.

WHAPPP!!

Ha! See? Those dinner rolls came in handy. That shoe one of you threw bounced right off my forehead. No damage at all.

I realize that October might seem a tiny bit early to start preparing for a holiday that isn't until the end of December. And I couldn't agree more. It's ludicrous and I would never suggest you do such a thing. That's why the pledge doesn't start for another 2 days. Which is November. Which is an entirely different thing altogether. Once we hit November, Christmas is just around the corner basically and if you don't pledge to start getting ready for it now your December is going to be miserable. It'll be filled with baking and sloshing and looking for parking spots at the mall, which inevitably leads to high blood pressure, fist fights and more often than not incarceration. You know it's true.

On November 10th, 2011, I introduced the very first Christmas Pledge on The Art of Doing Stuff. It was originally called The Christmas Challenge and it was a bit loosey goosey compared to how it is now, but the sentiment was there. Get shit done. Now.

Every year I hear the same thing from Americans. BUT NOVEMBER IS WHEN WE HAVE THANKSGIVING.

I know. Buck up. Take it like a champ. I've given you a few hours of free time so you can eat your turkey and show off your stretch marks.

The rest of the month is devoted to accomplishing one or two small holiday related things every day. Make cookie dough, decide on presents, drink wine. You can handle that can't you? I knew you could. I will walk you through step by step, every single day. I have compiled all the things the average person has to get done and tends to put off every holiday season into one handy calendar. Actually it's more of a dated list this year. All you have to do is follow along with it. It could not be any easier.

For the rest of you, who aren't ready, willing and able to take the Christmas Pledge, for those of you sneering and laughing and pointing a finger know THIS; you can do what you want, but the rest of us, the pledge takers will be spending December carelessly floating around, suspended by gold thread from flying angels. We will have so few worries in December that we will be weightless. We will be made of powdered sugar and kisses. YOU? You on the other hand will be posting bail.

Ready to do it?

Would you like to save this stuff?

We'll email you this post, so you can refer to it later.

Here's this year's Christmas Pledge calendar. Memorize it.

Click here for a 2 page printout of The Christmas Pledge.

Do you think you can handle it? Is everyone calmed down now? Can I take the buns off?

If you're ready to commit to a calm December and a slightly harried but not completely insane November ... take the pledge. There are no legal obligations (that I'm bound to reveal to you), no payments, no nothin'.

There is a private Christmas Pledge Facebook Group you can join to help motivate you. It's great for sharing ideas and looking for inspiration. Ready to take the pledge?

To show you've taken the pledge, just comment below with a simple "I'm taking the pledge!". Don't forget to join the private Art of Doing Stuff Christmas Pledge Facebook group if you think that'll be helpful for you and print out the pledge.

O.K. Give your virtual signature NOW.