5 pounds of work stuffed in a 3 pound week

This time of year seems to always get a bit crazy.  As the holiday approach more and more tasks appear on the "to-do-list".  Here is the beginning of mine:

1. You have to get all the grocery shopping done so you can plan and prepare the massive family meal that will stuff us full and make us all fall asleep on the sofa watching football.
2. You will need to begin the holiday decorations by first digging out of the attic the mountain of boxes that have been stuff in there since last year. (except for those few items that were mistakenly left out that set out on the coffee table all year long because you couldn't get enough energy together to venture to the attic just yet)
3. Begin the Christmas shopping list (only if you are organized) oh yes, we need to get this and that and oh yeah maybe this too.....where is the best price, who has the most selections and Heavens to Betsy do we even dare venture out on BLACK FRIDAY? Talk about a potential wasted day standing in line.
4. Start the Christmas card design.  Our family has always designed our own cards for the holidays and of course I am a crazy man when it comes to over doing something.  Christmas cards are no exception.....maybe this year we actually try to organize that list that is pasted together and crammed in a box from last year.  Imagine, actually getting them out in the mail before Christmas.
5. (Note to self about item #2 above: we need more decorations or new colors or just something else.....go to Home Depot and buy some more.....oh yeah and buy some more storage bins while you are at it.)
6. Don't forget about work too. Remember! That thing you do all year round that pays for all of this stuff.....Guess what? The boss just said we cannot miss the deadline on the project this week and since there are only three days and you don't really want to come in on Black Friday......you got it....early to work and late to leave.
7. (Note to self about Item #1 above: Plan for moderation....oops.....plan for exercise to work off all those calories and don't forget to ACCURATELY plug in your weight watcher points in to the counter......No cheating!)
8. Plan for travel time to see all the family members back home.....scratch that....work on Item #6 more and pay for them to come see you to make better use of your time.....scratch that......just send pictures in the the cards made during Item #4.
9. Begin shopping for all of those items planned out in Item #3......(wont happen) you know what does happen is that at 10:30 on December 24th you realize that you don't have even number of presents for all of the kids.....not enough stuff to stuff the stockings....immediately run out on the lawn (with such a clatter) and climb into the car rushing off to the Walmart to equalize the pile that remains unwrapped on and under the bed.....by the way pick up some more tape....we forgot that earlier too...duct tape isn't so fashionable.
10. Plan, Prepare and Perform........yeah right! January 1st 7:30PM.  Begin the dismantling, cleaning, packing, piling, boxing, returning and ......better yet....go back to the office and leave it to the wife to figure out.

Have a happy holidays my friends!