Too early to start thinking of christmas??!!

[Nat38]

I`ve started to plan for christmas already!!! Starting to buy little stocking filler pressies already for everyone!! Has any one else even thought about christmas yet??
Also, have booked myself a 1 night stay at a hotel in Birmingham with a trip to Cadbury World, the German Christmas Market & the Bullring shopping Centre the 1st weekend of December with my friend just so we can do some xmas shopping & drink hot mulled wine!!!!

[Allboxedin]

Oh goodness, no way! Mind you your plans sound fab - rather jealous!!
We have a baby arriving before christmas though so I guess my mind just isn't there yet!

[Nat38]

Oooh a new baby for christmas!! wow

[WhatWouldLeoDo]

thought about it? I've done at least 50% of my Christmas shopping already

[Allboxedin]

More christmas presents to buy! :(

[cjbartlett]

there are loads of threads around at the moment 'can't stand the inlaws coming round every fecking xmas ' for example
you're definitely not the first

[Sirzy]

I have already done about half of my shopping. I much prefer doing it gradually when things are in the sale than getting it at the last minute and paying full price!

[BiscuitNibbler]

I've got all my DD's Christmas presents - bought things while they were on offer in the summer. I've also started to collect bits for the table stockings I do for everybody.

In the freezer I have mash for Christmas day that I made with home grown potatoes a couple of weeks ago.

I have started to pick up the non-perishable food with each weekly shop too. It makes me feel better getting it in little by little and not leaving it to one huge last-minute expensive shop, when a lot of the stuff is selling out and I have to scour the shelves in panic.

So no, OP, it is not too early to start thinking of Christmas. In fact you better get a wriggle on, time is marching on!

[olibeansmummy]

Ermmmm I've nearly finished my Xmas shopping lol!

[harrietlichman]

Jealous! Have bought a few stocking fillers, and one main present, pickled some cabbage and made some chutney, collected some pine cones (loads! Not even sure why?? They just seemed christmassy, and I'm sure I can do something with them!) Love planning for it more than the event itself!

[BiscuitNibbler]

Oh yes, the planning is the best bit, Harriet, totally agree.

I've got some lovely pine cones from last year that I piled into a big glass vase with some battery operated fairy lights. Looked really Christmassy in our dining room window last year.

[Nat38]

Love the fact that Im not the first!!  Think Ill steal that idea from you BiscuitNibbler-about the vase/cones/fairy lights-sounds lovely & festive!!

[Awomancalledhorse]

Doing most of the presents shopping this week, as we've got our first LO due on the 22nd Dec! DH is getting lots of toys/gadgets as this is his last christmas where he won't be a Dad (which he's already getting a bit emotional about)!
Biscuit, we've started our 'storecupboard' shopping too, do you think it's too late to make a Christmas Pudding? We normally have ours done by mid-August!

[girlywhirly]

Another early planner here. I think even DH will get a move on this year, after the Amazon order (books for my present) delayed due to snow last Christmas! It did arrive, on Christmas eve. Just in time for DH to wrap them in addition to the other things he had bought instead, feeling guiltily embarrassed for not getting the order in sooner!

I also stock up on non-perishables each week, we can store excess in the garage which is very dry and vermin free.

AAAAH new babies for Christmas, you lucky things!

[onehellofaride]

I have made a good start although not even nearly there! Might take DD for a walk in the woods this weekend to look for pine cones. I think I will spray paint them and put them in a glass fishbowl with something else in with them and put the bowl on a mirrored plate. I have been stupidly excited since August and I am not usually a Christmas person. The DC are 4 and 2 now so it feels really magical

[25goingon95]

Ooohh im so excited! Ive made a good start on the presents. Going to start picking up food that can be stored now with my weekly shop.

I too love the planning :)

[BiscuitNibbler]

Congratulations Horse , how lovely to have a new baby at Christmas! I think you will be fine making your pudding now. I only did mine last week!

Thanks Nat! I'll now be thinking of you as I put them out this year, imagining someone else doing the same thing!

Girly - last year's snow made me even more determined to get things sorted early this year. I can't help myself starting early, but after last year people are less judgy about it!

One of my best ideas last year was changing the time I did my last minute veg / perishables / things I've forgotten before shop. I always used to go about 7am on Christmas Eve, but last year I went at midnight. It was so much better, there was still stuff on the shelves, people were relaxed and happy, and I didn't end up panic buying rubbish surrounded by people fighting over the last bag of sprouts. I then was able to go to bed knowing it was all sorted, not mulling over what I mustn't forget the next day, and could enjoy Christmas Eve drinking sherry and humming carols!