Write a book in a month?

I first heard of NaNoWriMo a few years ago from a friend. It is an intriguing idea and one that I would love to have a go at one day. However it couldn't be held in a worse month for me. I always find that most of my spare time time in November is taken up with the planning of the festive season, not to mention shopping for three family birthdays falling before the end of the year, and of course all the other things that I normally do still have to be done. I am also starting my next OU course next week.

Quite a few people from the OU writing course have signed up this year, but I know I wouldn't have time to do it justice. Perhaps I will have to do my own private version in a quieter month one day. It would certainly be a good way of testing whether there is a novel in me somewhere!