To be panicking about Christmas already!

[MySordidCakeSecret]

I'm really panicking, keep making and re-making lists, trying to price it up etc and doing daily checks on my bank account in the hope that my saving have got amorous and made money babies - to no avail.

Seriously though, I mentioned it a another mum in the playground today, and they replied why?

Is anyone else panicking?! A month or so ago i was thinking it's not a big deal, I know how to do this, just a fancy roast dinner and some presents for the kids.. then now I've started to have a look around and work out the finer details, and it's hundreds! the kids aren't too bad but partner and family, foodcombined is getting me worried big time about finances. My savings plans seemed good until i saw how many pay days there actually are til crimbo, and it doesn't help my dp is hopeless!

I need help please if possible, or if i'm BU tell me, but how do you lot prepare and plan?

I don't panic about it, we buy what we can afford neare the time. I am relatively lucky in that wedon't have any wider family to buy for. I just buy for my own 4 kids and dh, although if money is tight we buy something very small for each other. We just buy food for christmas dinner and perhaps a couple of tins of chocolate. We don't go mad on food and drink, but then again we don't have any entertaining of wider family to do.
I bought tickets for the theatre months ago so they are already paid for, and the only resonably expensive nights out will be mine and dh's work Christmas meals.

I don't think about Christmas in September.

I think lots of people are in the same situation as you OP. And some of those who aren't will end up doing Xmas on credit card and feeling the same anxiety you feel now at paying the bill afterwards. Only those who can afford it won't be worrying.

When I was struggling, I used to have to start thinking about Xmas very early in the year or it simply wouldn't happen.

In a way though we're all our own worst enemies. We buy far too much and for far too many people. Although Christmas isn't an issue now, it actually costs me less as I no longer send Xmas cards and have seriously cut back on who I buy for.

Good luck. I'm sure that this year, like every other year, you'll somehow manage to pull something out of the hat.

I'm panicking. Majority of the shopping will have to be done on Xmas eve!

I've been adding on non perishables to my weekly shop. Monday I added a bottle of Asti that was on offer at half price, some crackers for cheese and a tin of biscuits. Next week I will add on some Buck's Fizz, chocolate tub and a couple of bottles of fizzy drink. Hopefully by the time I shop for Xmas food it will only be fresh items.

Christmas is at ours this year and I have a large family so there is a lot to buy. We also have to buy all trees and decorations, stockings and baubles etc as we left them in the loft when we moved a few months ago!!

In a way though we're all our own worst enemies. We buy far too much and for far too many people.

THIS. If it's stressing you out, scale it the fuck back. The world won't end and your family won't hate you because they got 10 presents instead of 20, or you bought a cheaper Merlot.

And stop buying presents for your great-great-aunt twice removed on your distant cousins side, she doesn't appreciate them anyway

I know what you mean OP.

Last year i was doing well - 99% of presents all bought and wrapped by the beginning of Dec. Food planned. Family was forewarned there was going to be a fancy dinner and a few chocs (9 adults for dinner) but not vast amounts of (expensive) food in the house. Thought i had it all in hand.

Then somehow a few days before xmas the stress kicked in, everything seemed underwhelming and i felt i needed to do more/buy more. I second guessed everything i'd done, and by the day it's self i was sick of xmas. Got tearful on the day and DH wondered what on earth was wrong (in a nice way).

I'm kind of dreading this year. 3 presents are bought and i can feel the panic rising!

not panicking but I am buying and making sure I spend carefully

but that's because I have dd1's 13th birthday on the 7th Oct and DD3's birthday on the 5th of Dec and 3 kids to buy Christmas tat for

Sorry i just realised my post wasn't helpful at all!

I used to get in a panic the same as you do every year and its a form of madness! I don't know what changed in me but I stopped trying to make it perfect and went for simple. Only presents for immediate family and the dinner is just roast turkey dinner without all the crap that tv and magazines tell you is vital for a wonderful time.
If you need to borrow money then you are spending too much.
What matters is that you spend time with people you love, not what you buy.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas

Lots of threads in there where you'll find posts and chat about just about every aspect of Christmas.

It's a very active topic.

because threads about Christmas in other topics before the start of Advent are Just Not On

Scale back and organise? Get a list going so when you think of a gift, put it on there then buy it online.

OP - have you thought about drawing names from a hat, so everyone in your family just buys for one adult?

Christmas is not about piles of presents or a Christmas decorated show house. It's about spending time together with those you love. No-one will judge you because you didn't serve three different types of sprouts :) My Christmas dinner is just an extra special Sunday lunch.

I had a nightmare the other night that it was christmas morning and I hadn't bought presents for my family or put up the tree.

The OP and I need to take a festive chill pill!

We just get what we can at the time. I buy for immediate family, everyone else gets cards. No one has ever expected otherwise. That said, this year I will probably be resorting to homemade gifts to save money a bit.

Have a look on the bargain threads, they save you lots.

Post in Christmas for help planning

Tell people you are cutting back this year and stick to it.

Oh, and some of us have family scattered around the world, low incomes and many reasons for planning early. Bell, some of us just love Christmas. If you don't want to read threads about them don't click on them!

It is so easy to get carried away with Christmas and get sucked into... You must have this... You must have this... But step back and just plan sensibley and try to stick to lists... Ahhh! If only I could take my own advice!...

I had a nightmare the other night that it was christmas morning and I hadn't bought presents for my family or put up the tree

If that happened, no one would die.. because of it.
That dream is a sign of stress.
I used to have dreams like that but they stopped when I got a grip and scaled Christmas down...a lot!
When you are caught up in the madness that is Christmas it's difficult to see it any other way. Once you step out of it, it's hard to believe how you ever got like that.
I

We have a huge family - at least 42 'immediate' ones!

All of us stopped buying presents years ago because the ones who couldn't afford it felt under pressure. It hasn't harmed our relationships at all and now we rarely send cards either.

We each buy for our own family unit, we each buy something for mum, and mum sends something (usually cash) to each house because she wants to and can afford it.

It's silly to get into debt for Christmas or be so panicky because "thats the way we do it"

Op go over to the dedicated christmas topic here! which is for all things christmas.

Many of us save all year and buy presents in the January sales!

Many have also decided NOT to buy for family or just buy very token gifts.

We certainly cannot afford anything beyond a bottle of wine and token gift.

There are bargin threads on there and also it was from there I discovered argos two for three is on again.

If you ask how to do a bargin xmas you will get lots of ideas.

most are in same position, we get through it, have a great xmas, have no fear.

a brilliant tip someone on there did give, which I took up which has been AMAZINGLY helpful was to start a savings tin for xmas... I put a few pounds per week into it, and a tenner each month, and any other spare pennies...it really does add up! because of it i have been able to book expensive grotto and panto this year. and I will have more ££ before xmas. things will still be tight but less tight. last year couldnt afford anything.,

DH and I buy for our DC on a set budget each, and I trawl the bargain thread on the Christmas topic for most of those gifts. We had some extra cash last year for each other but this year I'm on mat leave so we have a £30 budget for each other.

For our parents we put together hampers of homemade goodies (jam, chutney, small Christmas cake, Christmas pudding vodka, fudge etc) in 80p jars from IKEA, and a picture of the DC. They love this.

We don't buy for other adults in the family but do buy for nephews and nieces (mostly gift vouchers now). They have the same amount spent on them.

For Christmas food - we put a few pounds by each week from Sept onwards so we have a little extra for the 'big shop' during Christnas week. We also get the odd box of chocolates/bottle on offer during usual food shops if we can afford it, but we really don't need a lot of extra.

Seriously, don't panic about it. You can afford what you can afford. It is not worth getting into debt for.

You.Are.Mad.
hth

thanks for the replies guys, i know i'm mad (and unreasonable for bringing up the c word!)

Thank you for your kind words pounding and everyone else. I think it stems from bad years when i've scraped through or just been down to the penny, and the pressure of it being "good enough" for my kids. I know it's silly but like last yr my dp lost his job just before and i can just not relax until everything's bought.

I only buy for immediate family trust me i'm not aiming for a showhome just a normal happy christmas will do.

Will head to the christmas topic thanks for your advice

Sounds utterly ridiculous to me but then we don't do xmas.