Ultimate Christmas to do list thread

[livingfortoday]

Hi all. Halloween done, meh..... bonfire nights not as much to do.....so I'm in full Christmas prep mode.

In the past I have always been organised with Christmas presents and putting tree up but never seem to get trimmings done like hand making cards and other crafty bits. I have been inconsistent with the Xmas baking too .

This is our first Christmas with our family finished and my dd's first, she will be 11 months. It's the first Christmas where we have been in a good all round place and for me not pregnant. So I'm making a bit of an effort, I've even picked a theme for decor (a loose one!)

So I thought we could use a thread to post our lists and tick off as done mine so far includes:

Bake a Christmas cake
Soak cherries to make homemade sweets
Order Christmas Lunch done
Order new year food
Do family activity calendar (dates costs etc eg school disco)
Make handmade Christmas cards
Post cards 1st Dec
Wrap gifts for family
Send large parcel for family 1st Dec
DS gifts 3/4 done
DD gifts
DH gifts
DM gifts
Family gifts half done
Tree and Decorations (really want to buy a huge massive giant new one from John Lewis)
Do Christmas Eve Hamper (loved this idea for other thread)
Book tickets for Father Christmas
Order letter from Father Christmas
Wrap presents for under tree and for Santa
Bake mince pies and Xmas biscuits.

Hope to get some reminders from other people lists, update them as we move through season. Tidings.

Oh wow, you are very organised.

My list..

Do stuff.

Hmmm knickers don't forget to five yourself a big fat tick now!

I've bought trees for kids rooms and Xmas pjs. D t know where this fits but I have so there.

I've done nothing today in regards to Christmas, so no tick for me

Seriously though, I should actually start one, I'm doing dinner for the first time, not dreading it one bit.

There is no way I could post my listS (of lists of lists of lists) on here.

I have started shopping and prep etc already.

I have this year bought a notebook specially for my list-s-. It's small enough to fit into my bag, so no matter where I go, I have my List, and can tick things off as and when.

I'd be lost without it. But post on here ? Noooooooooooooooooooooo !

I love this time of year. Hence the nc. I don't care if people say I'm early. I know I am. Can't wait for the coca-cola ad though, that's when you truly know it's nearly Christmas !

Wash all the good glasses and plates etc that you hardly ever use but will use for Christmas. I've hosted Christmas for approximately five hundred years but yet still I forget this. You do not want to be washing a years' worth of dust and grease off those nice glasses you got for a wedding present on Christmas morning.

You all need to google organised christmas! Its a count down that started last week (you can catch up very quickly) which will have you ready by 1st december then you have all the time for christmas baking and crafts!

usual you have my list, although mine reads wait until 23rd December then panic [grin

I'm with you MrsChristmas!

I did the waiting til mid December and panicking last year again and I swore it would be the last time. I've started early this year.

Admittedly, my list is Buy Stuff. There will be no handmade cards.

I too have a Christmas notebook that I have run for years . It has notes of what presents I bought each year and also recipes for cake and pudding so I know what ingredients to buy .
A word of warning ...... Put your address or phone number clearly on the front as I put mine down in a shop one year and was in a complete panic . Luckily a lovely person rang me and I was able to get it back .

Inneedof, is it this? christmas.organizedhome.com/

ChristmasKate That's the spirit !

trumpton I am guarding my notebook, I am very protective about it. I was most chuffed to go through my collection of lists and find the Christmas Food List I made last year. Well, it saves me racking my brains and forgetting something this year.

I'm now buying presents for the DC (stocking gifts and DS birthday)
DH and I put wishlists on Amazon and QVC.

We don't buy for other adults (but usually send flowers/table displays to parents)

I do a list of all the meals for 24/25/26 and buy what I need.
This year will be no Christmas cake but maybe a fruit cake to eat with cheese (and it will keep better, I can wrap it up, whereas I like the iced cake out on display)

No cards, I don't hang them up and I always leave it too late to send them. (But will send to family)

My No. 1 Christmas Rule this year : Buy it when you see it. Then I won't be cursing like last year.

Pick my day to do the late night M&S shop and the late night Waitrose shop on my own. Dragging DC and DH round is not fun .

Once DS birthday is safely organised then it's all systems go .

Yes knickers if you disregard the American stuff it's really good. Well I've never done it before read about it on here, but I am determined no last minute Christmas eve panick buys this year!

I'm back, been off the old MN for a few weeks sorting new car, uni deadlines, family funeral. But I have done some stuff....so here is my update. Join in anytime of you want.

Bake a Christmas cake done
Soak cherries to make homemade sweets
Order Christmas Lunch done
Order new year food
Do family activity calendar (dates costs etc eg school disco) done
Make handmade Christmas cards
Post cards 1st Dec
Wrap gifts for family
Send large parcel for family 1st Dec
DS gifts 90% done just stocking fillers now.
DD gifts awwwww, I've only got her one present so far....
DH gifts meh
DM gifts
Family gifts half done
Tree and Decorations (really want to buy a huge massive giant new one from John Lewis)
Do Christmas Eve Hamper (loved this idea for other thread) yep nearly there.
Book tickets for Father Christmas done
Order letter from Father Christmas
Wrap presents for under tree and for Santa
Bake mince pies and Xmas biscuits.

DH gifts. meh

I have a spreadsheet with (if I remember rightly) 8 separate sheets

I'll have to load the laptop to see what they are, can't remember off the top of my head. This is the first year I've been so organised.

8! Do you have a massive family? pratting like that name v much btw!

Well I might do som cards this pm.

Not really, it's for things like presents, to do list, decluttering list, food to make for hampers, party food/things to do, a calendar with dates down the side to see what I should be doing on what day etc.

Thanks :) I keep singing my name now

I'm just loading the laptop, so will have a look at exactly what I've done :)

Right.

There's a 'present' sheet. This has everyone I need to buy gifts for, their names are in red. All the names are along the top, then the stuff I've already bought are in black, stuff that needs to be bought is in pink, things are to be made are in blue, things that have been wrapped are in green.

There's a 'cards' sheet. This is everyone I'm sending cards to. If I've written them, they are in pink, if not, they're in black. When I send them, they will change to blue.

Then there's a 'things to make' sheet. This is all the things I'll make for hampers. They turn from black to red when they have been made.

There's a 'party stuff' sheet. This has the food I need to make and when to make it.

There's a 'shopping list' sheet. This has three columns. Presents, party and hamper food.

The biggest one is 'Calender'. This has the dates from 15/11/12 (when I started the sheet) to 2nd January, all down in column A. Next to each date has what I need to do on that day. Once it's done it turns blue.

I did have a 'to do' and a 'declutter' sheet, but when I made the calender, I no longer needed it.

I know it's daft, but I love to be organised. I get a sad thrill from it . If I can see what needs to be done, or what has been done, I can relax. With there being so much to do, I need to be organised so I don't forget stuff.

I love lists:) but this is mine so far

No Christmas talk in house til December unless threatening Santa won't come.
Secretly sort Christmas cupboard and work out what we need for decorations

Otherwise I have done nothing apart from marvel at the cost of decorations in debenhams.

On the first day of December, get little notebook out and make lists! Can't wait:)

Ooh pratting I could spend a whole afternoon with you, oooing and arghing over lists, drinking mulled wine, sampling mince pies for approval!

I love the spreadsheet idea, I'm on mac now and don't know how to do all that on here. I very much like the colours turning when done!

I think I might rejig my list on here and turn into a working calendar. Need to put dates to stuff. I do have a Christmas planner book thing some where too.

I need to do a big spring clean next weekend, including outside garden tidy up, shampoo carpets, etc and windows.

lavender I have a Christmas cupboard and a skylander cupboard my ds(6) would wet his pants if he knew what was behind the Hoover under stairs, that's in the living room, that he sees me get out every day!

....yes thinking I can't decide whether to do it in categories or chronological now?

Must feed christmas cake, must feed Christmas cake, must feed Christmas cake......