please
DH confessed last night that he's dreading Christmas, the stress, the presents, the decorating all of it - he just wants to be able to skip it all and jump to January .
I have managed to reduce his panic levels slightly this morning by having mananged to do a decent sized shop with Ocado for under our weekly budget.
But I know he's stressed out about it.
We've done christmas on a MUCH lower budget before (not actually sure "what" the budget is this year but want to keep costs down regardless) but he just sees debts and doom and gloom (yes we have debts but it's really not doom and gloom any more).
So keys things I need advice on
- I promised the DS's we'd have a "real" Christmas tree this year - we don't have a car, can you buy them online anywhere for delivery???
- Recommendations for Christmas dinner, we usually have a roast of some description, but never Turkey (neither of us like it) and want to order in advance and stick in the freezer so it's not a shock to the finances when I order. Past Christmases have included Ostrich, Beef, Pork, Duck and a game bird whose name escapes me .
- DH isn't keen on buying 2nd hand presents for the DS's, fair enough, he was brought up his whole life with very few presents/toys, but ALWAYS new (although low value). What are you going to buy your 2, 6 or 9yr old DS that's cheap but "looks" good (my boys are easily decieved into thinking that something that was as cheap as chips was actually very expensive ).
- We both come from "Christmas isn't Christmas without a cupboard full of crap food" house holds. DH is particularly fond of the Mr Kiplings type stuff........can any of that sort of stuff be bought in advance and put in the freezer??? (please don't suggest I bake my own as I'm a decent cook but a HOPELESS baker).
- Any other ideas to reduce the stress/cost of Christmas.
Money is tight - but not ridiculously so (if we I start getting organised now it won't be a push), and although I know that Christmas doesn't have to be "big" it's our first Christmas together since we got back together, and I know that making Christmas "special" for us/the DS's is a huge thing for him - I really don't want him to take a knock because he feels it wasn't "good enough".