Christmas: Things to do ,not leave until the last minute

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You know when you see things in the shop and think "I'll come back in December and get that". And you can't find it

So my list (so far) I'm sure it will grow:

Thorntons Chocolate Santa tree decorations
Mini Candy Canes (they had in John Lewis) to go on the tree.

Something festive and functional for my tree to stand in. I bought a faux tree last year and my heavy cast iron tree stand won't fit it.So I need a container that the stand will go in and I can weigh down

Golden lights for my tree.
Lights in general that need replacing

The DC PJs for the Christmas Eve Hamper

A xmas eve hamper! What a lovely idea!

Must find xmas decorations and not realise week before that they cannot be found and then have a really naff tree made up of anything we could find!!

Buy wrapping paper, tags, bows, sellotape etc all together so that I can keep it together!
Buy those 3M things that you can put your cards up with on tape with velcro - they always have them by the tills in WHSmith, and I always think I'll come back for them, and then I forget and they aren't at home when I want to put the cards up
Write the Christmas cards
Send presents and cards overseas early so that they can go surface mail (cheaper)
Make the cake, pudding, micemeat and cranberry sauce (and by the cranberries the first time I see them in the supermarket regardless of whether I think they might be on offer next week)
Get the decorations down from the loft and decide what we actually really need on top of what we have. I always forget what I've bought the previous year

There will be loads more!

i always keep back pressies for surprise gift givers
my dc tend to have friends turn up xmas eve with something small,(very random every year)so make sure ive got age related things on stand by like.
football annuals
selection boxs
fluffy socks
lynx sets
body shop smellies

I've decided to start writing my cards today - I like to do it slowly and make them personal and as I am home alone with the builder - it's a good use of my time rather than housework.

I also agree about buying foodie bits each week, bought my Heston pud from Waitrose (a small one as I'm the only one who likes it) nice cheese biscuits, posh crisps (except I ate them already), and ordered my cake.

Actually found I had bought some presents already but forgotton about them so that's a bonus !

Excellent idea about using surface mail for overseas cards, thanks for the tip.

We do Amazon tokens for overseas relatives, seems to work well.

I've started focusing on one relative or set of relatives per week.
I've got lists coming out my ears I know what everyone is getting/where from and how much so it's just a case of being paid each Monday and purchasing 1 thing at a time.

Xmas eve pjs are in order with the wrapping paper and tags, I keep all the wrapping gumpf in a box together otherwise the Sellotape goes walkies.

I've been hounding people to finalise plans. yes, they all hate me now

Christmas cards definitely and buy stamps too or they will lie in the kitchen until December 23rd when I decide it's too late to send them.

Christmas eve hamper - buy pjs, and DVD (also put in popcorn, sweets and nice socks)

When buy a toy present make a note of what batteries it needs - keep list on fridge And buy one pack with weekly shop and cross off list. Put all batteries in box together and stick a label on back saying which toy it for --or if v anal put sellotaped to present until wrapping and put them in)

The PJs are important!! I started with new ones for DD a few years ago (she usually needed a new set by Christmas anyway), and it has now grown to all 3 of us for PJs, and the 2 girls (DD and I ) for bath bombs from Lush (DD uses hers Christmas Eve, I get mine whenever I find a chance). Must hunt out a nice pair for DH... I also have "Twas the night before Christmas" as the Christmas Eve story, and sometimes throw in some hot chocolate or a snowman soup as a treat to drink before bed. (They always just go in a Christmassy box I have, that stores decorations most of the year)

Nets of Chocolate treats for DD for the advent calendar (when I ran out last year midway - after DD found the stash!! - I couldn't get any little ones and had to get ridiculously expensive chocolate nutcrackers instead!).

Next year, I need to remember to book the Santa Train in July - I left it til august this year and it was sold out (all 16 trains!!).

And I am looking for a new fake tree this year (the one we have is 13 years old and has been used more than half those years, and was multo cheapo when we bought it). Especially as I think we will be travelling this year....

Crackers! I like naice ones with decent tat in so I keep thinking I'll see nicer ones than those I've spotted, forgetting completely, and end up buying whatever crap I can find on Christmas Eve.

Advent calendars! I have to buy 4 and last year I ended up spending 30 quid (count them, 30- three oh quid) because I forgot until Nov 30th and the only place that had any was our local I Saw You Coming shop.

I have calendars, I nearly had chocolates for everyone, but DD spilt drink in the shopping so one box is edible, but not giftable grrr!

DDs main present is bought and tested (Xbox).

DH wants hobby stuff. I want a smartphone sometime. DH probably needs a new watch.

Pre Xmas jobs, mainly declutter and clean in stages properly so we can enjoy the run up to Xmas.

Normally it's a horrible rush and I resent having to do it and therefore resent my parents coming. My parents are not in the best of health and I love them and I realise it is wrong to find them a chore.

They can already only come for the day as DM can't do the stairs

Which reminds me, sleeping arrangements for DSIS who does stay over.

Check that your Christmas lights are all working a good time before you put them up, so that you can replace them (this was me on 15th Dec one year, put them away working the Christmas before, not working when I got them out, nearly everywhere locally had sold out!)

Check that the foil you buy is actually big enough to cover the enormous turkey and roasting tin, and while you're at it, measure all the tins/ovenproof dishes you will be using to make sure they will all fit in your oven at the same time! Check you have enough glassware, crockery and cutlery, and chairs for the dining table, and also big pans, borrow if you can.

If you are having guests to stay, check the amount of bedding/pillows you have, and if not enough ask them to bring their own if possible. Make sure they know this is the case and remind before they come. Or borrow from more local family.

Book Pantomime. We like to go the day before Christmas Eve and I only managed to book it by the skin of my teeth last week.

We are having an easy Christmas this year as everyone else is doing Other Stuff. Just me, DH, the oldest and the youngest of my sprogs.

DS2 was very upset that no one else was coming so have promised him a day in his pajamas. He's ridiculously pleased about it

Wrap presents and tag them as you buy them so theres no having to stay awake until the early hours of christmas day then up a few hours later. Make a note of what presents you have wrapped so its not a guessing game when you can't remember what you've bought.

Don't buy ANYTHING until you've checked HUKD to see if you can get it cheaper somewhere else (online and instore)