...To ask if anyone else is a month behind with Christmas prep?

[Bahbughum]

14 days.
The house isn't decorated.
The tree isn't up.
The house isn't even cleaned/tidied yet.
The presents are not bought.
We are hosting (last minute change of plans, bah humbug)
Work is very busy and it just all feels too much this year.

Any hacks/tips/Grinch style companionship welcome.

I used to love Christmas... 🙈

What I have done this evening is write two to-do lists, one of essential tasks, and one of ‘if possible’ tasks. Then create a time table for the next fortnight, with every day split into chunks of roughly 2-4 hours, eg early morning, morning, afternoon, late afternoon, evening.

First fill in your work hours and social commitments. Then fill in the essential tasks. If there is any space left, fill in the ‘if possible’ tasks. Any you can’t fit in could go on an ‘ask DH/kids’ list.

I feel much better now that I know what I need to get done every day between now and the 23rd, and that all the essentials will be covered. It has motivated me to get up early in the morning, which I usually struggle with, because I know it’s the only time I have to get certain jobs done.
Good luck! Don’t get stressed. My mum used to get so stressed about Christmas every year that it spoilt it. Just roll with it and enjoy however it all turns out, it doesn’t have to be perfect :-)

I haven't done any of that stuff either, its not a big deal. Might do the tree on Sunday. If not , the following weekend when I have finished work and will be feeling festive. Presents can be bought online in an evening. Cleaning the house is a fucker though. You are putting pressure on yourself!

Definitely delegate some jobs to your other half or kids if they’re old enough.

Work out what’s essential and what isn’t. Could you do presents in one go on Amazon? Order gift cards for those you haven’t decided what to buy yet, don’t overthink it.

The food can be done once you’ve finished work, even if you have to go in the evening (or get everyone to help write a list and send your other half). Ask your guests to bring something too (wine/desert etc).

Dont worry, it’s still completely do-able.

Im not feeling any great sense of Christmas urgency. Exhausted by work and would be quite happy to spend Xmas in PJ's on the sofa eating toast. So I'm not going to bother going shopping, just going to order everything online and buy some fabric gift bags, so no wrapping.

🙋‍♀️I've found my people!!

I wrote three cards last night.. no tree, no decorations 🤣 I've had various present delivered and put them in a cupboard but that's about it..!

We haven’t done most of that as we are hoping to move next week, date still tbc.
What we have done is thought about what is important for the day. So a tidy house doesn’t matter too much as long as you all have somewhere to sit.
Could you try ordering all the presents so that you know they are winging their way towards you?
A Christmas dinner is just a fancy roast so try not to feel too overwhelmed by it.

I am 'behind' too after a hospital stay but don't panic.

Tree up on Christmas Eve is traditional.

Gifts - lots of gift cards bought online this year.

Food - DH

We got the tree up (last weekend ...sat empty for two days then dd and I put a few decorations on) and put the light on the bush outside last night. Tbh we not that bothered about Christmas this year so feeling Abit relaxed about it. Dd is having a scooter so that was £20 off Amazon and done all my nieces and nephews...money is tight this year so it's £10 a child but I got in sale so got some amazing offers. Got my parents presents, mostly second hand from charity shops but it's what I know they like. Just need to get some mulled wine for my parents and I'm done. Dh does his parents so it be a couple of books for his father who will start reading them immediately then pass them onto my dh in Jan who pass it back to his brother and my bil. His mum more complicated but I know he got something in the summer for her in the sale. Food will be done nearer the time and not going over board this year. My mum has said no chocolates this year. Enjoying seeing the lights everyone has put up but forgotten how dark it gets in the evening and morning. Hope you have a lovely Christmas op.

Oh not done any cards so far but looked at stamps and can't afford it this year so think I might have to Whatsapp people

Bought stamps. They're on the table....

We were meant to be going abroad for a quiet family Christmas. So I have done presents for people here. But now we have critically ill family here so have cancelled our trip. But last night I heard that a family member in NZ is in hospital and things are bad so now I am thinking DH and the DCs will stay here and I am waiting to hear if I need to try and get a flight out and when.

So tbh I have no idea about anything and can't think about Christmas much at all.

I wouldn't have entertained the last minute change of plan for you to host.
Ask each attending person/couple/family to bring something prepped, so it just needs warming up?
Minimal decoration?
Get whole family involved in cleaning and tidying?

I’m well behind, been ill for last fortnight. I slowly decorated the house all Christmassy over a few days so that’s done - no cards sent, luckily over the years it’s dwindled from sending 50 to around 10 I only send cards to people that I know would be upset if I didn’t 🎄

Presents isn’t an issue, still loads of time to shop or get deliveries in. If you plan to online shop, do that in the evenings this week.

It took us 1hr to put our tree up so I would plan to do it this weekend. It’s never as bad as you think time wise. Ditch any other decorations. Bit of Xmas music in whilst you do it.

Get a click and collect order arranged for a few days before the big day.

Done! Bish, bash, bosh.

Not done anything about Christmas yet and don’t intend to till next week at the earliest.

I put the tree up 2 days ago, the bags of baubles and Dec's are stil sat next to it waiting to go on.
I hoped to blitz all my Xmas present shopping in one go yesterday, I managed a carrier bag full 😅 I really don't have the motivation for it this year!

My tree is up... the big clean didn't happen though 🙈 dc were insistent on decorating the house so I let them, they did the main tree so unevenly it fell on the puppy so she's scared of it. The cat has eaten and thrown up a shocking amount of tinsel.

I bought some gifts in Black Friday offers and hid them so expertly I can't find half of them. Also didn't write down what was bought or for who.

No motivation or desire to do any real prep.
The traditional Christmas wind-down has started at work though if that counts?

I advise taking as many shortcuts as possible - buy the Christmas dinner bits from Cook or M&S; buy a pre-lit tree and stick the baubles on in front of the TV; book a one off clean (appreciate these take money).
Sit down and order all pressies from Amazon. Can you book a day's leave to do the wrapping? I always book a couple of days off to get organised in the run up to Christmas! Make sure your DH is on board with doing half as well! If your kids are younger buy some craft kits to keep them busy in the run up

I'm also very behind, have the tree up as my 11 year old asked last week so I forced myself to, but won't be doing outside lights this year. Very behind with present buying and just not feeling it. After two immediate family members passing away last month and last November, I'm struggling to find any christmas spirit. Have also spoken to quite a few other people who are the same this year, so you're not alone.

Ecards are a thing might even be able to get some for free

I haven't bought any presents or cards yet! This is the first year I have left it so late. I will start at the weekend!

I am glad there are a few Christmas outliers!

Thank you - the tree is still in the garden, no decorations up, I only have half the required presents, my son has just come down with something... slightly, quietly, panicking now...

I was scowled at in Tesco for buying premade pigs in blankets yes they are easy to make but I'm gluten intolerant and finding small gluten free sausages can be a faff so I get premade! I've also bought easy to carve boneless turkey joint stuffing balls (not everyone likes stuffing) I'm personally taking every single damm shortcut I can between now and Christmas day

I bought gifts in January and some in July but that was only a few filler type ones I'm currently chronically behind I'm blaming my dad he won't mind 😂

You can just cut the sausages up? (Sorry do buy them made it really is nobodies business)