To do a Christmas food shop in person on 23rd?

[LostittoBostik]

I'm hosting Xmas for 6 this year but this is the first time I've hosted without having a food delivery slot booked. This is because we've dropped deliveries in favour of doing a shop ourselves this year as part of drive to save money on our food costs as a family, so I missed things like the Ocado booking slot reminder.
I've never done a Xmas the old fashioned way - going around the shop with a giant trolley.
I'm only doing a large chicken rather than turkey as only 4 of 6 eat meat. Will there be a chicken left to buy on the 23rd in a large superstore? And will things like mince pies be left?
Sorry if I sound quite stupid! The mental load overwhelm is out of control and I'm suddenly having a massive panic attack about it all.

Put it this way: one year we had a second Christmas dinner with friends and I got everything I needed on 27 Dec

You can certainly get all the mince pies / chocs / crackers etc now though. Do you have a garage or shed? Veg will keep well in a sealed box outside.

There’s only 3 of us on Xmas Eve/Xmas Day. I’ve been buying bits like sauces, Elmleigh cream etc over the past few days. I’ve got a slot at Sainsbury’s on 23rd to pick up my veg pack and will collect turkey etc from our butcher on Xmas Eve. We’ve got an 11-12 collection slot on the 23rd but planning get there earlier for any last minute bits. A few years ago I ordered everything to pick up on the 23rd and had to pop out on the 24th for some more beers. The supermarket was stacked, I could have left all my food shopping until then!

Before online shopping was a thing, my DH and I went to a huge super Tesco and had to wait 45 minutes in line to check out. Then one hour and a half to get out of the parking lot! We got the food but never ever again. I imagine things are different now with online but I want to be spending the days around Christmas with my family and not stressing out about getting the specific Christmas cake or turkey etc. I booked my slot late September for Dec 23. Still enough time if there's something missing/forgotten, but much less stress.
I don't understand how not having a delivery has saved you money? Surely the, what, £5 delivery is on par with the cost of petrol used? Not to mention the time involved.

I hate online food shopping.

I'm going for opening on 23rd to my local supermarket. I buy bits along the way throughout nov/Dec and get the last minute fresh things and household things on the 23rd.

It's always been fine. I don't really need to go early either but I like the excitement of it!

You'll have to go as early as possible, like 5am

I'd say crowds are the bigger issue. It seems like the supermarkets have got loads of mince pies this year, whenever I'm in Asda or Tesco, there are stacks of them, and they've been discounted too

You should be able to get a chicken tbh, but obviously I wouldn't risk the turkey, but not an issue for you

Have a lovely one x

@LostittoBostik believe it or not I always do my food shopping on christmas eve and have never had any bother getting what I want!! go for it! I also find it quieter!!

Much better to go early on 23rd than to rely on an online delivery which may have missing items or substitutions! At least in person if something is out of stock, you have control over a plan b.
Couple of years ago I had a disaster on
Christmas Eve with a failed Waitrose Deliver order which was going to be my main course for 14 people! It just didn't turn up and they said the supplier had staffing issues. Real nightmare and never again will I rely on an online order for a big event unless it's days in advance I can make a plan b!

It saves money generally across the year as I'm a massive impulse spender online whereas in person I go with a list and buy just what we need for the meals we're having that week. It's saved us over £150 a month on average. I was in some v bad and expensive habits after the shopping "treats" all crept in during lockdown.

You will be OK OP. I have done it myself, middle size town, with no knoen supply chain issues, and I always got my dinner items.
I would suggest you to go early morning, just to avoid the crowds and massive queues at the tills.

Good point!

Christmas Eve is the best time to go as there is always so much food reduced in price.

I think you’ll be fine. Go earlier in the day? Then you can always go to other shops. Shelves are full on 23rd in my experience. Although people are grabbing the turkeys!

I go to M&S on 23rd every year at 6am and it's fine. Everything is fully stocked and the shop is always fairly quiet. I'm done and driving away by 6.30am.

23rd is the busiest day for shopping. Everything will be in stock.

The panic merchants on this thread are hilarious! We'll be going to a big supermarket on the 23rd at some point. We live in a city. It will be fine. We've all had flu, there's literally not a thing in the house, it will be totally fine.

I shopped for Christmas at the weekend, I will pick up more milk but will get that locally on Friday when I pop to my butchers.
Won't catch me in a shop that close to Christmas. All the veg is fine if kept somewhere cool (I stash it in our shed).

I think it will be fine, the times I’ve popped into supermarkets on 23/24 I have always been surprised at the amount of turkeys etc and always make a note to myself that all the pre-ordering is OTT!

What do people think about going to a 24 hour supermarket in the early hours of the morning. Say 3 or 4 am? I hate big crowds they really stress me out. Everytime I go to our big Asda I think I've picked a quiet time and it's heaving, always come out traumatised 😂

My pay date is the 24th, so every single year I get our xmas dinner stuff on the 24th, I've never had a problem getting the things I need

My DM will be buying the last minute stuff, which is all fresh stuff - cream, some veg on Monday. Then on XE, pick up turkey crown ordered at butchers.

She bought the long life foods - cranberry sauce, mixers weeks ago. Already made the stuffings, pigs in blankets, mince pies, hm brandy butter, cake etc. All in the freezers. Anyone who cooks these from scratch on CD are mad!

Booze is bought all year round, taking advantage of buy 6 get 25% and offers around the time of the Euros. I will be bringing my own drinks as parents aren’t much of spirits drinkers.

From working 17 Christmases in a supermarket, some customers shop like they have absolutely nothing - food and drink wise, at home.

Plan what you need per meal over the 3-4 days. You then realise that you don’t need 15 loaves of bread and 36 pints of milk. No idea what this obsession is about. Think over 3 days, milk consumption for me and my parents is the lowest over the year. That’s just for 5-6 cups of tea and coffee.

I always go about 6am on the 23rd. Never been able to not get anything, it’s quiet(ish) and you can still be a bit impulsive on your shop

that is what i plan

7am Christmas Eve - always dead and always well stocked

You’ll be absolutely fine, don’t stress! I cater for 12-14 for 2-3 days and although I get all the booze and non-perishables ahead of time, I always do my big food shop very early on the 23rd.

It’s generally very civilised - the shops aren’t crowded & everything has been restocked overnight. It might be worth checking with the supermarket that they’re planning to put out more turkeys that morning (I’ve noticed a lot of shops are not pre-stocking them this year which may mean they’re carrying fewer).