Today is the first day of The Christmas Pledge! Yes, indeed the time has come around again for you to proclaim it WAY too early to start getting ready for Christmas before you slam your head into a wall, shake your fist at me and then relent to take part.
I don't want to make a big deal of this but Christmas is happening again and there are only 2 ways forward. You can calmly start getting ready now with The Christmas Pledge - or you can wait.
If you calmly start now you will have a calm December.
If you wait, you will panic 3 days before Christmas, have an asthma attack, develop hysterical blindness, bump your shin and admit yourself to an insane asylum. That wouldn't be so bad, but your psychiatrist will be unsympathetic (she took the Christmas Pledge) and have an irritating case of post nasal drip.
What is the Christmas Pledge?
For those of you who don't know, The Christmas Pledge has been my gift to you every year since 2011. A month long calendar filled with reminders from your cheery little Christmas dictator, Karen.
Each day in the month of November has a different holiday related task assigned to it. Follow the instructions on the calendar and ...
You'll be completely ready for Christmas by DECEMBER 1st.
That leaves the entire month of December for:
- Relaxing with wine.
- Watching television with wine.
- Braiding hair.
- Joining a book club.
- Learning more about the forgotten Brady Bunch kid, cousin Oliver.
- Making cookies.
- Eating cookies.
- Eating cookies with wine.
- Making marshmallow snowmen.
- Kartwheels.
- Managing an all girl punk band.
- Naming your elbows.
Alright. Having said all that - I DO NOT feel like getting ready for Christmas this year. I want Christmas to just appear without effort like it does in movies and soap operas.
It's *possible* I've taken on too much this year with my regular blog work, The Fun Stuff work, buying a rental property and ... getting a puppy.
I'm not complaining, I'm just saying I hate this, this is stupid, why do I do so much, my arm is itchy, I'm so tired, why isn't there a pill you can take to make your toenails stop growing, I don't want to do laundry but I'm all out of underwear and WHO ATE ALL THE FUDGESICLES???
I'm so sorry. I had a little toot and feel much better about everything. I think I was just gassy.
Great! Now I'm ready jump out of a box with a Christmas tree tied to my head wearing a sequinned elf costume.
I present this year's Christmas Pledge.
TO PRINT THE CHRISTMAS PLEDGE, DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
RED blocks mean you have those days to catch up on whatever you're behind on. If you're on track use the red days to help others get ready. Just kidding. Those suckers should have taken the pledge. Do whatever you want on those days.
On days 2 and 4 there are notations. They wouldn't fit onto the calendar so here they are ...
* Want to feel really good? Get a list of names from your local retirement/care home and
ask for the first name of residents who don’t have family. Come back in the middle
of December with a stack of cards for them.
** If you do your own nails or rarely do them, book a night on your calendar to do them yourself. It really will make you feel better the same way taking your casual sweatpants off to put your dress sweatpants on does.
If you think/know you're the sort that needs to be held accountable and watched and maybe even pushed around a bit, you can join The Christmas Pledge Facebook Group here. Any one of the 1,000 members or I will be happy to set you straight.
Also it's a great place to show off your decorating, wrapping, baking, and superiority over all other Christmas celebrators.
I understand you do not like me right now. You've never mailed me potato chips so I do not like you right now either. However, once you finally submit and agree to take The Christmas Pledge your feelings toward me will change. I on the other hand, will still not have any chips.
On your mark. Get set. Ho.
Kathy
Thank you! I'll take the Christmas pledge! What a wonderful idea!
Mary W
The first year the only thing I got done was putting cookie dough in the freezer - that was enough of a 'good thing' to do it all again the next year. I did part but enough to realize the value of this thing - again. Last year was a fizzle - didn't even get the tree up or care. This year, I'm making sourdough, feeding it, planting my outside containers in red, white, and green annuals - cause well, Florida. The pledge is something I looked forward to this year. I woke up wondering if it would be in my email and YES, Karen came through, as if she ever wouldn't! Love the be-witching pencil so much! Right on time to make my lists. Wish I could just twitch my nose like Samantha but I have special powers - Karen power! Her pledge is a thing of beauty. and peace.
Vanessa D
I LOVE the Pledge!!! I think this is my 5th year using it. The looks I get around the office when I tell people I'm already done while they're scrambling is priceless!!! I have some girlfriend's using it this year too.
Vaneska
I'm ready!! : ) I'm that person that loves to take everything down November 1st from Halloween and ready to decorate for the holidays! The only problem is "ITS ALL OF WORK"! But this is awesome!
Kat - the other 1
Now we need a Thanksgiving pledge.
Doing the Christmas baking just before Thanksgiving would drive mum batty. (& we already had Halloween. ;)
I like this idea of emailing and downloading chips....
Once I figure it out I'll send some. We need chips for all that wine. And just because. :D
Kat - the other 1
Ps. I've already bought all but one persons presents.
Woot!
I have nowhere to hide them once wrapped though so that'll have to wait. Grrr...
No cards, I can check that off...
I might mix the dry ingredients for mom's cookies ahead.
As I developed an egg allergy this year to go along with the dairy and gluten ones and she's afraid to alter the recipes, I might leave it to her. Since now I can't eat any of her/our Christmas goodies it's just depressing. Ugh.
But, I'm nearly finished with the pledge, lol!
Deja View
😅😂 thanks for the laughs this morning! It’s really what I needed. I guess I’ll try your crazy pledge, except I’m not buying any gifts for anyone this year. Excuse: supply chain 🤷🏼♀️🤫
Bob Wilson
Good morning Karen:
Interesting calendar. Unfortunately it did not print upright, so I have to lie down to read it. Maybe that's a good excuse for a nap :-)
Thanks, eh
Karen
Ha! Well, you can only nap once you've watched a Christmas movie so keep that in mind. ~ karen!
Emily
The Christmas Pledge is my favorite part of the season. Some activities match my level of commitment to the holiday, some don't, and there's always at least one thing that I'd never have thought of doing on my own that may or may not make it into my personal festivities.
Thank you for a decade of holiday cheer and reminders to prep early so we can relax for the holidays!
Karen
You're welcome Emily! ~ karen
Suzie Durigon
I found you from this list last year!!! I loooove this Karen!!
Totally printing and sharing with everyone I know - also because you are my comic relief and I want everyone else to get belly laughs like me when I read your posts!!
Karen
I'm always surprised when someone says I make them laugh. I'm obviously a very serious and introspective individual who spends much of her time being appropriately somber. ~ karen
Brenda Near
Great idea! I particularly like scheduling time for Christmas movies. This is something I always mean to do and never get to. And this year because the internet finally made it out to Zephyr, I CAN watch movies! Although, not Hallmark, that makes my teeth rot.
I will have to customize the calendar though. There is nothing on there about meal planning. That is a huge one for me. And baking moves to December because I like everything very fresh and if made ahead of time it just gets eaten, even when the tins are duct taped shaped shut with death threats taped to the lid. An aunt of mine used to wrap her Christmas baking in foil and label it fish and no one ever found it.
My daughter requested Plum pudding this year. We haven't made it in years but we used to do it every year doing 'Stir up Sunday' on the first weekend of November. Everyone in the family, dogs and cats included, would give the batter a stir and send a good wish for the coming new year. Well, the cats always looked like they were adding a curse not a well wish, but the kid's laughter negated it I think.
Any way, time to get Merry!
Brenda
Karen
Hallmark movies aren't nearly as sweet as plum pudding! ;) ~ karen!
Joyce
Ha! I have bought all my presents! Granted, ones for my daughters seem to be held up SOMEWHERE.. I cannot check on them because the company has computer ISSUES. Well, I have issues, too.
Full disclaimer, I will be buying stocking stuffers from now till…whenever.
Karen
If you're done shopping, then the rest is just fun! ~ karen
Karen Ann Bourdon
I am so in! Finished buying fabric and making Christmas theme covers for my toss cushions this weekend. Man things have gotten so expensive. Maybe I should have bought that Fabricland membership :-)
Karen
Always buy the Fabricland membership! ~ karen
Connie Bridgham
YOU MADE MY MONDAY. (virtual potato chips to you.....)
Karen
How do I download these virtual chips?? ~ karen!
Gail
Hilarious
Juliana B
What a great idea!! Being a procastinator about most anything, I need all the help I can get!
Also, a reminder of the grinch, DeJoy (ofjoy, NOT) who is making sure our cards and gifts are received after Christmas.
Helen
Hurray! Love it ! In Texas this means we get to look forward to some cooler weather so the Sleigh, Mr. Fatsuit and the reindeer can be more comfy ;). Today it was 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Excellent calendar !
Karen
82 degrees. Wow! It has cooled off there. ;) ~ karen!
Meg
I can hardly believe it's been a decade of pledges! Once again, I shall solemnly take the pledge.
I, Meg, being of sound mind and slightly jiggly body, agree to take the Christmas Pledge. I pledge to get all the crap done I need to, by December 1st. And then I will lounge and eat chips. (2nd pledge year pledge)
I bought some gifts this evening (Oct. 31) because I want to be ahead of any of those supply chain issues. I feel like this is starting off on a good foot. However since we moved I have absolutely zero idea where anything ELSE is, so I'm sure the extra time will come out in the wash this year.
Also THANK YOU AGAIN because honestly I feel the Christmas Pledge has literally changed how I approach not only Christmas but everything else in my life. Getting to airports on time, managing projects at work, making sure I have ingredients for recipes BEFORE I start making them, basically anything with a time component. So thank you. And HERE WE GOOO!!!!!
Karen
That's fantastic! Honestly just planning in advance is so much easier than worrying about it for the month of November, which is what most people would normally do. I do the same thing with my taxes EVERY year. I put the off and the stress of that is much worse than the actual doing of the stupid, stupid, taxes! ~ karen!
Randy P
Some Jewish kid I've never even met has a birthday and I'M stuck with a bunch of chores?????? I don' thin' so Lucy.
My Christmas pledge is reduced to a scant few days. Order everyone's annual gifts of meat from Omaha Steaks by Thanksgiving. That 2' tall plastic shabby tree that's been on the mantle for some 10 years now? See if any lights still work right after Thanksgiving. If a few bulbs still do? Plug the dopey thing in. If none do buy a string the next time I'm at the grocery store. throw them on the tree and then plug it in.
Xmas prep is done. NO, I don't mess around with cards and such. The week of I will bake some nut cups to take to my son's place.
Laura
I’m in.
Karen
Excellent! ~ karen
Robert
But HOW?!!!!!
July was just last week?
How can it be time for the Christmas pledge already?
Karen
Trust me. Nobody is more perturbed about it than me, lol. ~ karen!