i have a spangly new christmas planner........

[CherryMonster]

what do i put in it? its a big A4 spiral bound notebook which i have covered in christmas papers and sparkle. so far has christmas card list, cake recipe, ideas for decorations and stocking filler list. i want ti to be one that i add to every year, but i have no idea what else to put into it.

You have way too much time on your hands.

Present list, Christmas menus, Christmas recipes, countdown to Christmas planner, Christmas activity plans?

I have a new Christmas planner too

thanks chaos, yes i do tonight. my best friend has gone to be induced, and will be calling me at some point once things get going as i am one of her birth partners. i have a list of who i need to buy presents for, dont do menu's as its same every year just with a different meat. could do my shopping list, but i cant remember half of what i buy. dont really do countdowns or activities, would like to but am not really organised enough.

Make a note of the gifts you and your family recieve. Then you know to to write thank you notes to and who not to regift the items to

In mine I'm making a shopping section. Making a note of when things like the tesco/sainsburys toy sale are. Which shops did flash sales and if they dropped prices near to christmas etc. It won't be fool proof of course, but will give me an idea next year when I'm trying to decide to buy or wait for offers.

Am also having a gift wrap/decoration ideas. This year I'm doing ribbon and candy canes. Hopefully after a few years I will have a good selection to draw on.

Can you attach a wallet to cut out recipes from magazines and stash in. The ones that get used can then be glued/written into the file and the ones that don't make the grade can be binned over the years.

Also I'm making a note of things like nice rhymes and poems that could be used on tags/treasure hunts etc.

I'm also doing an accounts section, I intend to do a spread sheet on the computer and print it out and file when I'm finished shopping. But I also want to break down when I have bought what - so that next year I can budget properly. I have already done most of my shopping, and haven't used my put aside money yet - so next year I know to start using that earlier.

thank you. will certainly stick a wallet in the front for recipes or receipts. gift wrapping this year is red and white, with beaded decorations and ribbons. i guess i could keep a record of what i do each year.

Budget?

i dont really have a budget. i just sort of buy stuff as i go along. dont even really have budgets for the kids, its more what they are wanting. cant possibly spend the same amount on 7 and 6 year old girls as i will on 13 and 11 year old boys.

If you look at this blog from 5th November there's an organising Christmas series of blogs and ideas.