what's the secret to getting a supermarket delivery for early christmas eve, please?

[Beenspotted]

I'm on a mission this year! We're going to a Christmas Market for the last weekend before Christmas but want to be set up with a delivery when we get back. What do I have to do?

Also, anyone know what the most-wanted phone for a teenage girl is likely to be, and it's release date?

Thanks for sharing your expertise, I don't usually do organised, but this year I'll have to!

probably the iphone 6

Hmmmn

I've never indulged in an iPhone, think she can keep dreaming on that front...

Which supermarket?

As long as you're not putting a 'must have' on the supermarket delivery (they have a habit of not being on it/substituted and you have to go out anyway), if you sign up to whichever supermarket you want to deliver they tend to email customers when the times go up for online shopping delivery close to christmas.

And if you keep an eye on this forum, there are always knowledgeable folk that will post when the bookable slots go up - iirc it's normally around October (but don't take my word for it).

Then it's a case of having a basket ready to get a slot at midnight when the slots become available...

I usually use Tesco but shop in store. I'm open to suggestions as to which is more reliable, though.

Speaking from experience I would advise a late delivery on 23rd. Then when they - inevitably - make a substitution or dont have something you can easily go out xmas eve morning to get it. Also doesnt waste part of the morning waiting in or packing away

Sign up for delivery saver - it's £6 a month I think for the anytime plan that I'm on or there is a cheaper off peak plan. Tesco release delivery saver slots days before they do a general release and they're gone very quickly, last year there was nothing left for non subscribers. I've never regretted that £6 a month (not even when it was £12 ) because that's far less than I'd spend on fuel to go there myself and it's so much easier than shopping on my day off with a toddler

It depends on the supermarket.

Sainsburys release their slots 3 weeks in advance, so you'd need to start slot stalking early on the right day.

I prefer to get a load of stuff in a few days in advance, then do an M&S click and collect for the core stuff. I usually buy my turkey half price on Boxing day :o

Thanks for everyone's fantastic advice:)

I would also advise a slot before Christmas Eve for the bulk of the goods. You do not want to be trying to replace the entire order if there's bad weather, van break down etc.

I use ocado and have a delivery pass (you pay monthly for as many deliveries as you want), they release dates to the pass holders first then everyone else, you get an email notifying you when they are available.

2 years ago, I was notified our town was getting the dates released on a day I normally worked but had the day off, dates released at 8am. I took ds to nursery as usual, logged in at 8:10am, all of 24th and most of 23rd had gone! last year I'd learned my lesson and bagged the delivery slot I wanted at 08:02am!

Supermarkets here don't deliver on Xmas eve. 23rd is the last day.

We don't bother, I wouldn't want to trust Tesco or any other supermarket from Asda to Ocado to pick my fresh stuff for Christmas.

Big Tesco delivery of anything dry/packets/tins/freezer/loo roll and all the usual gubbins arrives any time from the 20th onwards. Then we pick up all our meat from the farmshop and do a Lidl shop on 22nd ish. No stress, no need to run round the shops screaming on the 24th. Veggies etc bought on the 22nd/23rd will be fine on Christmas day.

i think you have to reserve your slot with £75 worth or something. alot of posters last year put 2 bottles of premium champagne in then deleted this once their order had been listed,- the supermarkets must've thought
'yes, we are shifting the champers' then it all got replaced awww

I've always found Sainsburys to be the easiest as they just release theirs three weeks in advance as usual. The date is already in my work calendar to book a slot! I agree to go for 23rd. Four years ago, our delivery on 23rd was cancelled due to snow (the driver had been in the van all night from 22nd - 23rd! His boss had, apparently, allowed him to eat what he wanted from the orders he had on board but not to touch the alcohol) I had plenty of time to get to the supermarket and there was plenty of stock in store but the 24th would have been very different both in terms of my time and stock availability.

Oh and ocado you can edit up to the day before, so you can add all the non-Christmas stuff you need as well, but some (including waitrose) are 2 days before, worth checking when you realise you've got all the food you need but still need to brave the supermarket as you have run out of washing up liquid....

The last couple of years I've ordered the turkey, ham etc. from Sainsburys in store ordering service, to pick up first thing and then I do my shop in person. That way i get the essential big items and get to choose my own veg, fruit and look what's on offer. Anything non perishable I buy the couple of weeks beforehand.

Ahhhh I'm wistfully thinking about my Christmas food shop now. When I go in with my list (all carefully written out in fruit/veg, chilled, frozen, store cupboard, household, other
And I use my Nectar Points that I've collected over the year.

DH used to take the DC to the cinema while I shopped (now they're older, I go during the day when I'm off work)

And I love the feeling of driving away knowing that I have everything on my list plus a few extra nice things.
Last year was a 5 arm candleabra
But I had to go to another Sainsburys to get the Christmas Stella Artois for DH.

I booked mine at the very beginning of December last year for collection on 23rd (Tesco click and collect)

As someone said up thread, I ordered 6 bottles of prosseco and a bottle of baileys, checked out and then proceeded to amend my order up until the last minute. I booked a collection between 08.00 - 10.00 so that I could just nip in to Tesco if there was anything missing.

It was so easy and I will do exactly the same this year.

Waitrose release slots 12 weeks in advance, so I normally book mine at the beginning of October.

I just bung a load of stuff into a trolley and check it out and then go in closer the time and amend it.

I second the delivery saver but I think they have changed it now?

My driver on the 23rd said that on 23/24 dec there were only 120 deliveries each day so that the store wouldnt be depleted and home deliveries more likely to have all the items.

I thought that was good.

If Ocado, and you have a delivery pass, you get priority booking slots.