Shit, I am in a complete panic....

[AnonEnormousStuffedBird]

Christmas is seriously half cocked so far. Been very busy with a house renovation/move etc so only really kind of started to think about this at the weekend.

Cards are written and sent (but not my overseas ones!). A few presents for the kids have luckily arrived very quickly after being ordered online.

My food order consists of.... one beef wellington and one whole salmon and THAT IS IT.

I am in such a muddle that I cannot think straight and coherently think about what we need in for food/drink/meals for the 4/5 day period immediately over christmas.

I have no presents for anyone other than the children.

i am busy all day Thursday, the kids break up Friday morning, so I have tomorrow plus one hour on Friday (assuming I am not snowed in) to sort this.

I have Ocado booked for tomorrow so I can do some stocking up with non perishables, but I cannot get my head around it, nada, zilch!

Sorry, I know this is down to me to sort, but I needed to let off the steam, as part of the "calming" process.

Thanks for listening, and if you have any seriously top tips to get me out of this mess, then I am all ears!!!

OK, first of all Calm Down. Then write a rough menu plan for the days you need, so you can write a shopping list. Rope in help (DH/P, DCs if old enoug) and give everyone a job to do. It's not all down to you, you know!

Break it down.

What meals you will have and ingredients needed.

Then think about snacks and peripherals.

Then alcohol and other drinks.

List of Christmas presents to buy. Nowt wrong with book tokens/vouchers etc.

Lists will help you order your mind.

It's easy. A roast and some other nice meals. Lots of snacks, drinks and stick a good film/music on.

Priority is get your cards sent tomorrow though I think you may have missed the last posting date for some foreign countries.

You will only need the same amount of food and drink for the week as usual plus extra treats and anything to feed any visitors. IMO people buy far too much food at Christmas.

Write lists:

List days and what you are doing each day. If you are in that day write out some meal plans.

List everyone you have to buy gifts for.

Tomorrow's order - get all the non perishables.:
crackers
napkins
alcohol
gift wrap and tags
any toiletries you are low on
food items - baking stuff, tins, frozen items

Don't forget kitchen foil, mayonaise, cream (though not in tomorrows order) candles, matches and cranberry sauce (if having turkey)

Bless you, bless each one of you!

DH is out tonight so once DC are in bed, I am going to come here, sit, right said lists, get as much as I can into tomorrow's order.

I am, by nature, a lists person, but for some reason my Christmas lists so far are rather lacking.

I CAN do this.

Cheers for the support.

Remember that the shops are only closed for one day !

Get in what you need for Christmas Day and Boxing Day and worry about the rest once you've got those out of the way.

Take deep breaths, it'll be fine .

eCards for overseas - that moves the deadline significantly. Jacquie Lawson ones are nice.

Lists, lists and more lists. Non-perishabales and household supplies you could (funds allowing) get more or less everything - after all, it will get used sooner or later.

You are one beef wellington and one salmon ahead of me on the food ordering . It is below presents for teachers and presents that need to be posted on my (mental, yet to be written down) list.

As others have said, the shops are really only shut for one day - two at the most - no-one is going to starve.

If you have gifts to buy take time this evening to look online for ideas. Try to have a fair idea of what you are going to buy for each person, there is nothing that wastes time as wandering aimlessly looking for inspiration in the shops!

My SIL buys all adults the same thing, this could save you time. A few years back she bought us all one of [[http://www.johnlewis.com/160065/Style.aspx
these]] - I love it. Huge time saving.

Older children buy gift vouchers or give money, younger ones make a visit to your toy store and choose in one hit. Get gift receipts so they can swap if duplicates. If you do stockings, then visit a pound shop, WHSmith for football cards/GoGos/shaped rubber bands/misx stationery and order some chocolate coins or santas in nets and/or some little treat cereal boxes on your Ocado order

re the food - as funtime says, shops only shut 2 days tops. but here's a few things to think about:

• fresh fruit and veg inc potatoes, herbs
• milk
• bread
• butter
• salad stuff
• nibbles
• chocolates/biscuits/treats
• wine/beer/soft drinks
• cling film/foil/binbags/gift wrap and tags/loo roll/kitchen roll
• cream/ice cream/custard/creme fraiche
• eggs
• cheese
• crackers

Put a loaf, some milk and a readymade pie/lasagne/whatever in the freezer if you've space.

Don't forget sellotape!

NL - that is one I do have, bought 4 enormous rolls at the market today!!!!!! Oh, and party poppers, same, huge bag.

These are all great ideas, putting DC to bed in ten, then I'm back here to steal use all your absolutely wonderful tips and ideas.

And yes, I know the shops reopen on 27th, but would just love to avoid a trapse there - we live miles from the supermarket...

Our Asda is open on Boxing Day

Well, well, you lot are great. I haven't done it all by any means, but I have got a half decent food order together for tomorrow AND 23rd. Will work on the 23rd one again in the next couple of days, but broken the back of it. Just need to do Tesco Wine order and I have things largely under control on the food/wine front!

And as for the gifts, DH has said he will cover his family (phew!) so I just have our god children and my folks to do...

What a relief. I'll be back to look at your tips again tomorrow when I do part 2, but big thanks ladies, this really helped me a lot.

Am going to be doing that freezer thing funtimefairy - doubling up on next 3 nights suppers to have ready to go filling for sheps pie/stew and a spare mac cheese.

Oh, thank god. And I have a clear day tomorrow, I know I can do this! Luckily I did the housework today....

With Tesco, you can book a grocery delivery slot and amend it up to 4am on the same day. So for after Boxing Day you can just book a slot now and only order 1 pint of milk just to get the slot, then you can go back in to the order the night before to choose what you want. Might take the pressure off feelig you ahve to sort post-Xmas when you haven't got pre-Xmas out of the way yet!

You can do this!!