I Karen, being of sound mind and body, (except for an occasional dagger-like pain in my eyeball from a migraine) hereby declare I am going to be completely and totally organized for Christmas by December 4th.
That gives me exactly one month to get everything done.
By everything, I mean by December 4th I want all of my presents bought, the house decorated and all my Christmas cards completed and sent out. That leaves pretty much the entire month of December to actually enjoy the festive, holiday season as opposed to cursing it and everyone associated with it.
I should let you know, I have this thought in my head every year, but never actually commit to it.
So here and now, in front of blog and everyone, I am committing to attaining this goal.
Here's the schedule ...
November 5th - November 30th - Buy presents, put lights up outside, do outdoor Christmas planters.
December 1st - 2nd - Decorate inside of house.
December 3rd - 4th - Fill out Christmas cards.
December 5th - 31st - Enjoy festive holiday season. Maybe get drunk or take on a new and exciting lover. Who knows. There's a world of possibilities.
Every year by the time the middle of December comes around, I'm thinking .... I'll never get everything done, I hate this, this is stupid, I haven't even baked a gingerbread man, why did I buy my mother a set of boxing gloves, who knew a parking lot could actually cause my blood pressure to rise to the point of my ears bleeding? And then I'm officially overwhelmed, I pop a Gravol and crawl into a corner to nap.
I've been known to become violent throughout it all and once almost ripped a cashier's arm out of her socket when she told me after spending $350, I'd have to PAY for a box if I wanted one. Since then I've taken to calling the holiday season, Dismember December.
My hope is to make this the most relaxing, enjoyable Christmas season ever. I challenge you to do the same.
I, Karen, being of sound mind and body, challenge you the readers, to a Done by December duel. Are you up for it? You can totally apply this method to Hanukkah or Kwanza or whatever other holiday you celebrate that seems to last for a month.
We can do this if we encourage each other as opposed to trying to run over each other in the parking lots.
I will be keeping you updated as to my progress and I trust you will do the same. Come December 5th I plan to be full of Christmas cheer, standing smack dab in the middle of the mall handing out free boxes.
Petra
Same here, except that I always had an excuse to actally not do half of the stuff you listed. We live in Hungary, my parents live in Croatia, and we always spend Xmas there...so why bother to decorate. But this year, this year is different. We are having a baby sometimes before Xmas so we won't be able to trave...I will have to make Xmas at out own home...PLUS, the whole family is coming here! How the hell do I do all that?:)))
Perfecting Pru
I did this last year and I am doing it this year too. All presents, cards and things to be bought has to be completed by November 30th. And then I spend December enjoying everything Christmassy - it works so well.
Tracy
I'm in! Plus I want the gang jacket, which may make a great gift.
Julie shinnick
I'm just going to encourage you from the sidelines Karen and the gang..... Go for it!
Cripes, people are still waiting for their xmas cards from us from LAST year......
If I quit work, sold the children and sent my hubby packing I might be able to do it...... oh..... but then I would have no-one here to celebrate with....
Also if you have to work on Christmas day, like me, you should be given a 'leave' pass from the gang.... yes???
Kitt
Yeah, good luck with that.
Really. I mean it.
Liz
I love the idea of doing all of this early...I'm thinking about it so far :)
Alison
Count me in!
Melissa Haight
I'm in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yahoo! It's gonna be a verrrrry merrrrry christmas.
Caroline
I, being of sound mind and body, pledge to....not think about Christmas until December.
Seems our pledges are in direct conflict but why do we have to have Christmas in November?? I hate it!!!
Centsational Girl
Dismember December? I LOVE it!!! Sounds like you nailed the feeling of that week before Christmas! I embrace your 'get er done early' attitude and I shall sit back sipping my eggnog lattes cheering you on. And then I shall enjoy those drunken posts you're hinting at after December 5th. Eat, DRINK, and be Merry I say.
xo
Kate
Karen
Thank you Kate! Ahem. But I noticed you didn't *actually* take the pledge. You will be jealous when I'm perfectly relaxed, in a shortbread cookie haze, drunk blogging about the best way to remove wine from a pair of furry slippers. ~ karen
ashton@ayellowbicycle
I was worried you were going to make me take a "no xmas planning until after Thanksgiving pledge" which I would have already failed..so yeah I'm definitely in :)
Tricia Rose
Guess what Karen - I IGNORE IT. And I am still ALIVE and my family and friends still speak with me. NO tree. No presents. No stupid tinsel (I hate tinsel). Only food and booze, that I can handle.
My mental health is unbearable.
Sabrina
This is brilliant! I'll be juggling Christmas with my family and in-laws for the first time this year, so I need as much peace and serenity in the weeks leading up to it as possible.
Robyn
I'm with you on this! Since most of my Christmas shopping was done in July, I'm way ahead already. Also, I might need to change the date to earlier re: Christmas cards - have many to go overseas to need to get this done before end Nov. But I'll be all done by December 5th regardless. I think if I blog my progress too, this will force me to stick to it.
Amye
Can we make a slacker's version of this? I'm closing on a pretty house and moving over American Thanksgiving, so I assume that if I am still a person by December 5th, then I will be winning this game.
"Done by New Year's!" has a great ring to it.
T.B. Cook
Challenge accepted. Our holiday cards have already been addressed, signed and are waiting for holiday stamps!
magali
T.B. Cook is ballin'!
SK Farm Girl
K - patch-over ceremony at my house tomorrow night. BYOP/BYODC/BYOH/BYOC! LMAO! Should we pick gang colours? I know, I know!!! Red and green! This is going to be soooooo much fun - tee hee!
Adrienne Audrey
ok I'm joining the gang. However since I work at an international shipping company I pretty much hate life for the entire month of December regardless. I'm pretty sure I might actually go postal this year!
Karen
That makes 3. We're gonna need to get jackets. ~ k
Marti
Karen Martha Friggin' Stewart Bertelson... that's what we'll call you in the future. And it'll be A Good Thing.
Maybe...
Karen
Oh it's gettin' done, lady! Even if I have to run over someone in a parking lot in the month of November ... it's gettin' DONE. ~ karen
Claudine
You're on! I'm hosting my book group on the 14th and want to have everything done in time to enjoy AND have read the book. Also, being a hairstylist, it gets to be a pretty hectic time, so a game plan is a really great idea.
I, Claudine, being of (relatively) sound mind...accept your challenge.
Karen
YES! That makes 2 of us. We're officially a club. One more member and we're a gang! ~ karen