Scribble things in the margins in December (but that's messy).
Sometimes I scribble on the back side of the calendar (but there's a danger I'll forget to look there).
Other years I've gone online found plain calendar sheets for the year in question and printed out a few blank sheets and stored my dates on those until I can find what I want, but that's kind of boring and I have to fool with loose sheets.
More often I buy an inexpensive calendar I don't like from the local dollar store and hang it up until I find the calendar I really want. I'm not fond of the cheaper ones because the corners flop over sometimes and the pages tear, but if I"m going to spend a decent amount of money for a calendar, I want it to be something I'll enjoy looking at all year. The trick is in finding the right one. It has to have boxes big enough to write a lot of things on one date, it has to have the major holidays and special days on it, and it has to have interesting (or pretty or fun) images.
I kind of like this one, but I'm not sure. I've had a lot of country calendars over the years and I like them, but maybe I should go for something different next year.
Maybe a Chihuly calendar...
Edward Gorey...
The Reading Woman (I really like this one)...
Or Star Trek
