It's a week before Christmas and I have committed the ultimate no-no; I waited until the last minute to do all of my shopping.

We have exactly seven days left and I have not bought one gift. Now I must power through the crowds of disgruntled shoppers, agonize over not being able to find all of my gifts I needed and maneuver through holiday traffic.

Now that Christmas is breathing down my neck I am really starting to regret this decision and let me tell you why; holiday procrastination is the absolute WORST!

For starters, you miss out on all the good sales. Yes, we all know that Black Friday is the biggest day of the year for shopping, but usually, during the month of December, most stores have sales going on so that you can continue saving before the big day. Waiting until the last minute puts you at risk for paying those last minute price markups.

Then there's the fact that you probably won't find exactly everything on your list. Either you'll run out of time to properly look for that perfect gift or as it is in my case, it will be sold out. Now you've got to settle for second best.

Not to mention the fact that the closer to Christmas it gets, the more agitated fellow consumers tend to get. People seem to be a little bit more testy while out doing last minute shopping. My guess is that it is probably because they are scouring for that last minute perfect gift as well before it is too late. Getting your shopping done early is the best way to avoid grumpy, rude shoppers like this. Besides it's the holiday season and no one wants to have to smack a b*tch or two.

Lastly, waiting until the last minute to get your shopping done is a terrible idea because it is beyond stressful. I can honestly tell you that all week I have been freaking out and pulling out my weave trying to figure out how I'm going to get all of this done in time.

Christmas is supposed to be about giving, joy, family, and cheerfulness. It isn't supposed to make you feel panicky or anxious, it's supposed to make you happy. Why put this type of stress and anxiety on yourself. It's best to just get it done early and that way for the rest of the month you can just chill and binge watch Christmas movies on Netflix or Hulu.

Last minute Christmas shopping is no bueno. It is an unnecessary evil that could easily be avoided with a little planning and organization. Take it from me, don't procrastinate; you'll thank yourself in the long run and have a merrier Christmas.