I told you earlier this week that I'd have a Christmas Pledge Calendar for you and I always keep my promises. Unless it interferes with something I'd rather do.
Here is your Christmas Pledge calendar.
Now, I'm using the term Christmas loosely. This calendar can be applied to any time sucking holiday that requires decorating, gift buying, card sending and cookie making. So ... Channukah, Kwanza, the day Spandex was invented. You get the idea.
Feel free to move things around, change it up a bit ... this is just a guideline to the things you should be doing and keeping in mind.
Some fun places to shop online ...
Abe's Market - A mindful living marketplace. Everything from food to fashion.
Sephora - Every makeup product you could imagine. This orgasm is my personal recommendation.
Etsy - Duh. Kay .. sorry. I'm sure there are a few of you who don't know what Etsy is. Etsy is a marketplace specializing in hand-made items.
The Museum of Modern Art - Unique and beautiful gifts.
A couple of stocking stuffer ideas and places
Get custom M&Ms made with words and photos!
Etsy - I've had great success with fun little smalls from Etsy for stockings.
American Science & Surplus Fun stuff. Just PLAIN FUN STUFF!
Custom made iPhone case! Just upload logo or picture!
You may have noticed that you already have homework for tonight. Scouring Pinterest and Etsy for wrapping ideas. I'm quite strict with this first assignment. If I find out ANY of you that signed the pledge haven't been lounging on the couch browsing Pinterest I *will* find out and there *will* be repercussions.
Santa's not the only one with with a God complex out there.
Have a good weekend and good luck with The Christmas Pledge!
Andrea Meyers
my gift wrapping order arrived from the school kid last week. I already feel AHEAD.
Order gift online. Choke. Ok, gonna start that.
Margaret
This calendar is the best thing that's happened in a long time (or at least since Rob Ford went on tv and talked about smoking crack in a drunken stupor - that was pretty awesome too). For the first time in my life I have started Christmas shopping in November. I'm almost finished! The stores are empty of shoppers and the sales staff are falling all over themselves to help. It's great. Karen, your show on Rogers tv in the 90s was really good but this calendar tops it. You are my hero forever now. THANK YOU!!!!
Karen
LOL. Yeah. Rob Ford is pretty entertaining at the moment. ~ karen! p.s. never been on Rogers! You were probably thinking of CFMT.
Margaret
Oh yes it was CFMT! Back then I never would have predicted the internet nevermind the chicken cam. Thanks again for all the entertainment over the years and the life changing Christmas calendar.
Kathy
Karen-
Having taken the pledge, I was so looking forward to getting the calendar, but I got pushed off course by some unexpected kerfuffles. I just now went back to find the calendar, but in looking at it, I don't think I'm gonna make it! You're forgetting those of us slaving over Thanksgiving preparations/entertaining! I was counting on you to have figured it all out. Waaaah. I'm doomed.
Karen
You're not doomed Kathy. The calendar is meant to act as a reminder. If you can't do things around the 28th, then just move things around. That's all. You can do it. Honestly you can. And if you have to put off something until the 1st week of December that's fine. Just get the majority of it done and your December will be a breeze. ~ karen!
Kathy
You are so right, Karen-
If you can juggle multiple major things like writing this blog, planning and creating the topics for the blog, negotiating an Etsy deal, spending countless hours doing your etsy research, remodeling a kitchen, learning how to make jewelry, and Lord knows what else....all while still managing to keep sane and not snap and growl at your dear mother....then I can certainly juggle my things.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Karen
LOL! As long as you see an end in site (in your case December 3rd or 4th for instance) you'll be able to get through it. :) ~ karen
Amy
I've had most of my shopping done for weeks. Only ones left are my husband and son and they're more difficult. They won't tell me till the last minute but its not that hard usually to get theirs. And we always buy wrapping paper after Christmas when it's on sale to store for the next year.
Also, we always decorate the week of Thanksgiving but this year my BIL is getting married the Saturday after so we will be out of town that whole week. He's messing with my whole decorating schedule! I will have to push my boys to get our 9.5 foot tree up pretty quick after we get home otherwise, it will take them forever.
Meg
Holy crap I've already purchased gifts!! I can't wait to check out your store list. The only one I've bought gifts from before is the MoMA store; and it is great. (When I lived in Boston, I'd shop at the MFA store - but their website isn't as easy to use as the MoMA's.) I will probably go through your advertisers too, since I've seen your posts and they've got some loooooooooovely things too! The only thing I find missing on your calendar (especially for a procrastinator like me) is writing a Christmas list! Can't quite do my online shopping yet, because I'm thinking crap, who do I even need to buy presents for!? So I'm assigning it to myself for this weekend. (If I don't I'll end up with 10 presents for two or three people and none for people I accidentally forgot because my brain is a seive.)
Kari
Yay! I love it!
Alison
I have no pertinent comment- only to tell you that I am a new reader and every time I read your blog I think to myself, “I so want to be her friend.” You are hilarious, and smart and witty…and FUN.
kiera
Still considering the pledge... but THANK YOU for the American Science and Surplus introduction! I just got my stocking stuffer shopping checked off the list. Maybe I can do this pledge thing after all! Guess I better pour a glass of wine and get on Pinterest. Such hard work!
Judy
I'm taking the challenge and just pinned it too! Thanks Karen for the schedule.
Karalee
I am in! The pledge made last Christmas the best one yet. You are brilliant Karen. Thanks for keeping us organized
christine
I'm doing things in such a strange order this year. Shopping is done and wrapped. Stocking stuffers are pretty much done (just have to do a "fit" test). And today, I found a glass deer at Superstore for $20 so it's up! I have been looking for one since I saw your gorgeous house last xmas.
Karen
LOL. Congratulations! Glad you found the deer. :) ~ karen!
Sammy
I just may take this pledge!
Deirdre Fowler
Wow, amazing how you just made my life more difficult and easier at the same time. Good job.
-D-
Nancy Blue Moon
YES SIR MA'AM!!!
sandra
Yeah! Thanks for the calendar. I am all over the world wide web as directed... perfect since I am still house- bound. Ordered stamps, cards, wrapping paper and ribbon this morning. So out of character for me to shop before Thanksgiving...
Karen
Good job! ~ karen
olequiltbat
Went Christmas shopping last weekend, & got about 80% of the gifts bought. Already have my Christmas cards ready to sign. Last year when I did up the address labels, I did double sheets, so that this year all I have to do is slap those on the outside of the envelopes. I'm 73 yrs. old now, so my hand writing is not that great. Plus I have Dystonia on my whole left side which makes writing jiggly & messy....so typing the labels is easier for me...& much faster. Hus band does messages inside the cards for us. When I buy Christmas wrap, I usually buy enough for 2 years...so I have enough for this year again. However, I may need help from daughters to wrap all the prezzies, 'cause I have a hard time putting scotch tape on the ends. Gifts look like a 2 year old did the wrapping. LOL
Good luck to everyone doing the Christmas Pledge.
Sandy
Jill
I'm shopping for hordes of kids--they really don't care so much about the wrapping, it's all about what's inside and how quickly they can get to it. May I please spend tonight online shopping for them instead? Pretty please? With a simple festive bow on top?
Rebecca
American Science and Surplus is awesome..great prices too! Except I just filled my cart only to find out they won't ship to Canada :( Boohoo.
Julie
Yes Rebecca...I just did the same thing.
Karen - have you actually shopped there? Cause we know you're Canadian too!
Karen
I completely forgot that last year I loaded up a whole cart and when I went to check out was told no Canadian shipping. Boo. ~ karen
Laura Bee
well crap...I was actually considering some online shopping for the 1st time. Oh well, trying to keep it mostly local & handmade anyways. :)
Bre
Waaaah! Me, too! I was really excited about some of the stuff and then, "No Surplus Italian Soup Ladle for you!" This was a setback. Can I have more time now?
NikiDee
Ok. Ok. I'll take the pledge BUT I will be out of town the 17th-24th. So, I guess I can double up on a few things. I can stamp my lights & hang my cards. Then stuff my gifts. Yup, gift cards for all this year! Phew that's done. Oh & sorry if this is a double post...I've been having trouble lately posting to your blog. Even open Explorer (yuck) just for you but today Explorer didn't like me & refused my first post.
Bobbi
The hardest thing for me will be the gifts because on American Thanksgiving everyone in the family hands out a gift list with ideas for items they desire. I prefer to buy things that folks want....what to do, what to do ....
Jodi T.
I just lost 30 minutes of my life while looking at the Science & Surplus website... I found so many cool things that son is going to LOVE. Thanks for the suggestion!