Christmas Planning across the year

[AmyAmoeba]

Anyone else have a "Christmas calendar"? Mine is something like this:

JAN:
stock up on wrapping paper, gift boxes, cards, non perishable gifts in sales
Update Christmas notes and card list
Wash, iron and store table linens
Pack away decorations
FEB-JUL
hibernate
AUG
Eye out for Argos 3-4-2 sale
Watch mumsnet bargain thread
Start on craft gifts if making
SEP
Smyths 20% sale mid sept
Stock up on crayons and stationery for stockings
Argos 3-4-2
Start on Christmas cakes, puddings
Crafting
Nag family to commit to Christmas plans
OCT
buy stamps
Write cards
Forage for pine cones etc with kids
Begin buying store cupboard and non-perishables
NOV
Black Friday sales
Begin Christmas crafting with kids
Eat from freezer to make space
Batch cook and freeze
Make and pot onion marmalade
Buy non perishables
DEC
Monster shop early in month to avoid shopping as much as possible
Decorate
Activities with kids
Christmas baking

My kids are still quite young so toy sales are high on my priorities. Curious to know how others organise or what key dates matter.

[73kittycat73]

No I don't but yours is awesome! Very organised too. I have a Christmas planner but that's as far as it goes. Great idea though!

[ilovetea14]

That's such a great list! I started Xmas shoppping got a good few presents. I just keep a list of what I bought who for and how much. Have a few rolls of wrapping paper and tags. I don't do Christmas dinner but buy a few bits for the house for people calling but not too much as one year left with so much sweets.

[cookiefiend]

I am not as formally organised, but I do like to do loads in advance quite similar to your list. On another thread someone linked the other day to the rudolf club who do one thing a month on the 25th to get organised. You might like it

rudolf

[Mrsmadevans]

Very good idea
I also eat from the freezer to free up room lol

[wobblywonderwoman]

This is a very organised year for me.

I have stocked up on wrapping paper and cards in the sale. Decluttered and sorted decorations.

I have bought and wrapped (with the fresh wrapping paper) three toys each for DC and spent spotted a balance bike in the sale

[Star2015]

First pay day today so that's the first of 11 payments in the bank ready for Christmas... only another 10 to go!!

[singlesoul85]

Thanks Amy! Ive screen shot your to-do list to start working my way through, hopefully not in december.

[elQuintoConyo]

I do something every Rudolph Day.

I don't used wrapping paper but I have made fabric drawstring bags and hemmed rectangles of fabric to wrap around presents and tie with a bow. So I have been doing them the last few days. (I also make birthday ones while the sewing machine is out). Once the present it opened, I take the bag back DS loves recognising the bags from previous years.

In February I usually go through my Previous Christmas Notebook (cheapy exercise book kept in my handbag to list what i've bought, ideas, lists etc) and update my Main Christmas Folder. It includes successes, what to do differently next time, xmas card lists, other reflections.

September when DS goes back to school I make the Christmas cards, then they are out of the way (all of 15 of them!). And they have 3x2 on toys in our local supermarket, so we stock up then.