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.
Amanda
I wrapped all of my christmas gifts yesterday! Other then the plants I will be giving...of course those have to be last minute. Next week I will be doing all the decorating, and then from there I just sit and enjoy! Oh and of course, the baking!! I will be doing that on Dec 1st!! I am 155% on board with this pledge!! I do this every year and I don't even have to go to the mall or in stores the month of Dec. I'm not stressed ever about Christmas shopping and I love that!!
Nancy
I will seriously try for this goal Karen..although I will have to battle daily with my nasty evil procrastination gene...Good Luck to everyone!!!
Julia
I have so much Christmas cheer that it irritates the people around me... I started in on the music BEFORE HALLOWEEN. It's sick, wrong, and I love it. In fact... I MAY have already made four homemade brownie mixes to give people, as well as ten frozen mini pies, and am infusing vodka for two handles' worth of limoncello. All for Christmas gifts.
I either need a slap on the head, or for all you other twisted, addicted elves to help me get lights on the porch ASAP...
corporate interior design
Sounds like a great plan:)
Brandi
I totally with you Karen!...especially the idea of possibly takin on a new and exciting lover after the 5th!!!
Kate
What an AWESOME pledge. I'm in. Guess that means I have to start getting things together...like now.
Karen
Kate - If you're a member of The Art of Doing Stuff Facebook Fanpage, I'm giving lists of what to get done. This weekend for instance, your mission is to write out a list of everyone you have to give a present to and what you're going to give them. Also, browse Etsy and Pinterest for gift ideas to make or buy. :) Go! ~ karen
Ahnnie
Karen, you crack me up.
(You do realize though, that you just transferred "Dismember December to "Nasty November?")
Kate M
I'm with Christina on this one. It sounds like a good way to get everything done, but I just cannot even think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving (except starting the occasional present-making venture). Looks like it's the same ol' cramming it into a month for me!
Sara
I'm due to have a baby November 27th, so all my gifts, but my hubby's, are purchased and half are wrapped. Yippee! I also plan (hope) pre-baby to make freezer pumpkin butter to have to pull out for teachers and other random people who might like a gift. The decorating...I may just let my mom, hubby and son do it while I sit on the couch feeding a newborn. My mother-in-law already offered to do the baking and cooking. So all that's left is to fill the Netflix queue with Christmas movies. this year I'm saying cards-shmards. If I know you and you aren't getting a gift, read your holiday greeting on my FB status update. Yay!
Christina
Can't even begin to process Christmas although some stores already have decorations up. It makes me insane and I refuse to join in. No Christmas until after Thanksgiving! This post made me come up with my own pledge:
The Christmas season begins on black Friday and I'm not doing a d*%& thing before then.
Best of luck to the rest of you!
Kirsten
I Kirsten, being of sound mind and body,hereby declare I am going to be completely and totally organized for Christmas by December 4th. Dear God, what have I just committed myself too?! Going to give it a shot.
Karen
Heh heh. You fell right into my web. ~ karen
Cheap Chick
Okay, I'm in but this is seriously going to interfere with my procrastination, which is a skill I've been honing for many years. lol I've been saying every year since the dawn of time that I will be done Christmas shopping by December and yet that's normally when I start. Sigh.
Marissa
Count me in!! I love the holidays and I love to relax, so this sounds perfect!
Abbiw
Count me in, with the exception of baking cookies; I will continue doing that until Christmas day as I'm sure they would taste pretty craptastic if I baked them a month ahead.
However, with that said, a Done by December tip that you probably already know: make the various holiday cookie doughs now, portion them into cookie sized pieces and freeze it in bags. Helllloooo effortless holiday baking all the way until christmas!
Karen
Abbiw - Great idea! I host Christmas Eve at my house and often make and freeze a lot of the appetizers ahead of time. Rarely do it w/ cookies though. Part of the reason I want to get everything done is so I CAN spend part of December making cookies and gingerbread houses etc. To me, *that's* the fun part. :) ~ karen
AmieM
I like. I am with you! I already have in mind what I'm getting the niece, dad, brother-in-law, and can let the BF fend for his family himself! The hard one every year is mom. But I've already made 12 dozen pierogies, so that no potluck will leave me unprepared! And I am making up a bunch of sugar cookies to be iced and mailed to far-away family. Then it's just the apartment decorating. But the BF and I have yet to spend Christmas together, so we don't usually go all out for decorations for this holiday, and live up Hallowe'en instead. Dec 4, you are my deadline!
Bart
Karen,
Is this invite open to men? Well, couples? My wife and I are hopelessly addicted to your site. It was the the Spaghetti blaster pkg opening techique for her and the Boob cam for me. We're empty nesters now and this plan sounds doable. As for the jackets, Lori likes purple and I look good in red. December 5th - yeeehaw.
Karen
Bart - Men, couples and pet iguanas are all welcome. All you need is a holiday to prepare for and a desire for some actual relaxation during that time. ~ karen!
Norma
OK, I actually printed out the schedule and it's on the bulletin board. Let's enjoy Christmas.
Lisa
I admire your enthusiasm, but how bout we skip to the Dec. 5-31 agenda, and forget the rest of it? I'd be so freaking full of cheer, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.
Karen Boreham
Pffft! As the line states, "Peace on Earth, goodwill to MEN, 'cause they got nothing to do but eat during the holidays." ... or something like that. But I will accept your challenge, because every year I aim for less stress, more fun. Who knows maybe this will be the Christmas of Karen (or should I say, Karens).
Leena
On the subject of getting ready for holidays, there is also a web workshop that you can take to learn how to get organized for the holidays. http://shop.simplify101.com/get-organized-for-the-holidays-p/s101ws0006.htm
I actually took that last year and I enjoyed it a lot (and no, I'm not payed to write about it)