The holiday season is fast upon us.  Do you realize Thanksgiving is next week??  I will have twenty or so of my closest family members descending upon my house in one week's time and I have done nothing yet to even prepare.  Does sliced turkey from the deli and instant potatoes from a box count as a Thanksgiving dinner?



Plus, you know who comes out on Thanksgiving night don't you?  Yup.  The Elf on the Shelf.  Are you ready for that little bastard?  Do you have your game plan ready?  If he's lucky this year I MIGHT dust off his shelf before I put him out, but otherwise there will be nothing special or fancy shenanigans planned for him in this house.



Once the Thanksgiving turkey is made into soup and the Elf starts his journey from the top shelf to the bottom shelf and back again, that can only mean one thing:  Christmas is coming.  



Just thinking about the decorating that still needs to be done, the cookies that won't bake themselves and the presents that I've already bought and hidden (and that I'd better be able to find again when the time comes) makes my palms clammy and my stomach flip flop.  



Rather than letting myself get stressed out with all of the holiday planning, I'd rather take a break and laugh.  A.  Lot.  That's why I wrote a book about the holidays.





You do know that I have a book, right?  Spending the Holidays with People I Want to Punch in the Throat.  Do you have your copy yet?  No?  What are you waiting for?  A chance to win a free one?  












Well, I've got good news for you then.  Nineteen of my fellow bloggers banded together for their own giveaway.  They are giving away NINETEEN signed copies of my book to nineteen lucky winners PLUS a Kindle Fire for one incredibly lucky person.






Why would I want this book, Jen? you ask.  Well, aren't you dying to know why I hate cookie exchanges?  Maybe you are like me and you have no idea what to do with Christmas carolers at your door and you're hoping I can give you some advice.  How about hilarious stories of my childhood where I demanded toys and had a Madonna-inspired makeover?  What about the decorating?  Oh the decorating!  I feel like I've already put in days upon days of decorating.  Oh, wait, that's because I did.  About two weeks worth of days of decorating!  Back in August I convinced my mother to put up her Christmas decorations so I could photograph the madness for the book.  Here are just a few of the outtakes:





Shelves that are literally groaning under the weight of all of the Christmas crap. 






Yeah, that's a guest bathroom full of snowmen.  Oh, did you want to wash your hands?  Be careful, make sure Frosty doesn't fall in the toilet.






Even the dog gets his own stocking.


And the pictures of the decorations aren't even the best ones.  There are horribly embarrassing pictures of me as a child in there too.  



If you want a chance to win the book and the Kindle Fire there are some hoops to jump through.  (If you're not a hoop jumper and you just want to buy a copy of the book click here.)  




If you're feeling lucky and you want to WIN, then get started at any one of these blogs:




My Life and Kids




Four Plus an Angel




Divine Secrets of a Domestic Diva




Kelley's Break Room 




Motherhood, WTF?




The Mom of the Year




Binkies and Briefcases




There's More Where That Came From




Ninja Mom


Naps Happen




Hollow Tree Ventures




Honest Mom




Our Small Moments




Toulouse and Tonic




Mom's New Stage




HouseTalkN




Wendy Nielsen:  Writing a New Story




Bad Parenting Moments




FrugalistaBlog




Good luck and be sure to share this with your friends so they have a chance to win too!!