What Can I Do For Christmas NOW?

[MamaPain]

Aside from buying presents I mean.

Lots of the things (ordering food, buying/writing cards) can't happen until later in the year, I'll do them as early as possible but not yet.

I have a big family and we also celebrate Hanukkah so December is a really hectic time. Last year I did not feel on top of it, and there were tears on every day between the 21st and the 29th. Don't want it to happen this year, am trying to get more organised and on it.

Sooo, what can I be getting on with without becoming a total mentalist banging on about the festive season in the height of summer ?

Yes. The pain is truly dreadful.
Push for the op.
Tell them whatever you need to.

Badvoc where do you find the DVDs to pre-order on Amazon?

And yes it did sound horrendous. My Mum has given birth 9 times, the tight way and she said it was absolutely excruciating. I think she told the doctor who was being hesitant that if he didn't act pdq he could explain to the GMC why a woman had hacked her own gall bladder out under his care. So poor you! Hope you're better now.

There are 2 films at the cinema now that the dc have seen and loved should be out on DVD in nov/dec.
Also if you click on the DVD drop down menu it should have an option to check out new and pre releases.

Thanks I never know whats coming out and get pissed off when I miss it and they watch the films at friends.

I'm going to push (I work for the NHS myself so that will either work in my favour or I'll get a "Well you know how bad it is" virtual pat on the head)

I saw the surgeon in June so I don't know if that's when the 18 week 'window' starts or when I see them again?

complelety offtopic but 70 the 18 wk count should've from when go first referred you, but I know we have a few at 52+ waiting for surgery

2014 is extra difficult as usually Chanukah is at the end of November/beginning of December but this year it is from 16th December until Xmas eve!

Oh I know! The joys of marrying a gentile not that I don't go equally nuts for christmas.

It seemed like for years it fell around the 8th (my sisters birthday so I remember it) but now it seems to be so close to Christmas.

As of yesterday, I've decided to combine the two. I think it's jokingly known as Christmukkah. Am not going to have DH's family over on Christmas Eve like we often do and am instead going to have our dinner Jewish style, then once it's all over, reveal the christmas hamper and settle down for a Christmas related evening. I know it will be a bit of a mesh, but I'm not massively religious I just like the traditions so as long as we get the basics covered I'll be happy. I'm prepared for the extreme eye rolling from my mother.

70, Badvoc and my fellow list lovers, please see my list. This is basic to do list. I'm drawing up more thorough lists for food, cards, presents and decorations.

Christmas To Do:

Find Out Guestlist + Who Sleeps Over
Agree Present Arrangements with Guests

Buy Advent Calendars
Inventry of Drinks/Food
Plan Menus
Plan any baking
Agree who will bring what
Create Food Shopping Lists (drink, cupboard and fresh/frozen)
Create Timeline of when baking/cooking needs to be done (set reminders)
Order Food from M&S
Do shopping lists
Organise Ocado Fresh Delivery

Decide on Table Decorations or Gifts
Buy or Make Table Decs/Gifts

Write List of Card Recipients (highlight for presents)
Sort Card Arrangements with Work
Buy Cards (+ extra + cards for kids to give) & Stamps
Check Last Posting Dates (set reminder)
Print Address & Return Address Labels
Write Cards
Send Cards

Check who Jim and kids Will Gift
Check for Birthdays during Dec/Jan (set reminders)
Make List of Gift Recipients with Suggested Gifts (use app?)
Get Kids to Write Santa Letters and sort Response
Decide on Hamper Contents
Agree Gift Giving at Work
Get Mim on Company Gifts
Make Presents List
Buy Presents
Buy Basic & Kids (Santa & Home) Wrapping Paper
Buy Bows, Ribbon, Tags and Bags
Buy Parcel Paper
Check Sellitape Stocks
Find Santa Stamp
Find Stockings
Wrap Presents
Post Presents and Cards
Put Presents in Hiding

Agree with Jim/Ma&Pa/Mo&Po/Charlie on schedule?
Check Term Dates
Book Ice Skating
Book Cinema
Santa Visit?
Reindeer Visit?

Check Christmas Music
Get Jesse or Ralph to make playlist
Check Christmas Films
Get Jess to pick more plus ones for Xmas Eve & Xmas Day
Pick New Game/Make Game Arrangements

Pick Tree/Decs Date (Jim?)
Clean Decs
Test Lights
Order Wreath
Set Up Outdoor Lights
Create New Porch Dec
Move Dresser
Buy Trees
Do Decorations

Thorough House Clean
Get DC to Clear Out Toys and Clothes and PYJAMAS
Clear Out Our Room
Find and Wash Christmas Linens
Find and Wash Christmas Dishes
Organise Sleeping Arrangements

Just realised I meant to edit that before posting, so please ignore all names and work on the basis that Jim= DH and Charlie, Ralph and Jesse= DC. I figured Ma&Pa is pretty self explanatory.

That is a very thorough list :)
Love it.
Can't think of anything to add...
But you have put names in your op...are you ok with that?
You can ask mn to delete and repost without names?

Yeah its fine, they're hardly uncommon names and I don't really care about being 'outed'.

Oh x post!
You will be VERY busy, op.
I sort of want to be invited to your house for Xmas now after seeing that list! :)

You're more than welcome, it will be like the feeding of the 5000 anyway.

That list is amazing Mama. Can I use it as a template for my own please?

Hahahaha
I have already copied and pasted!
Well, I think your guests are very lucky to have you as a host...you obv out a lot of time and energy into making sure everyone has a good time.
Just don't forget about you, ok? X

Of course! Not that anyone could stop you if they wanted to. I was hoping it would help others. Although I did realise I missed a few things off:

Agree Work Christmas Party Date (set reminder)
Arrange Work Christmas Party
Sort Outfit

Make Arrangements for 27th-30th and 2nd- back to school
Sort Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Outfits for me & DH/DC
Firm Up Plans for NYE (this always affects who we say on Xmas day)
Buy Plastic Cups and Napkins
Find out if I need to do any food for things I will be attending around Xmas Period
Do lists for each day (e.g To Dos on Xmas Eve)

I buy the tape on the dispenser from Costco (Scotch tape. It has a regular and a gift tape) so I'll get some next time I'm there
A pair of good scissors (that I can hide away , scissors run away in our house)

We've already booked our Harry Potter tickets. (going near Christmas)

How flexible do you need to be with guests. Bear in mind, if people travel you need to allow for weather and seasonal illness (my Dad won't travel here at Christmas, he's worried about being snowed in . Even though him and my Mum are retired, and the country doesn't really grind to a halt. It would be a matter of a few days)

YY to getting your online booking date booked as soon as they release them. I don't do online food but I'll go out mid Dec and buy all the store cupboard things , then my Big Shop about the 22nd.

I write all the meals out then what I need for each one, then do my list. (Sainsburys Nectar Points pay for my big shop)

We have a DH and I shopping trip on the last Friday in November. Shops are quieter, we can mooch round and go into shops that we wouldn't normally go to

Then we pick an evening or a Sunday to take the DC out (after I cash up the £2 jar)

Ooh yes, Christmas Linens . They're washed before they're put away but they always get another wash with Fairy before they go on the beds.

I do my decorations by theme (like gold/red in the lounge. Silver/clear on the stairs) and change them round each year.

Decide on colour theme for table.

And we need snow . Folds arms and stamps foot.
We had snow the couple of years before (not on Christmas Day but around then). Last year I think I had to scrape my windscreen twice.

Buy Christmas jumper

I've got my christmas Jumper from last year! Not that I couldn't be tempted by another.

Yes I must go to Costco, I started the other thread because I was hoping someone would report when Costco gets their christmas stuff in.

My guests are all relatively local. I live in centralish London and post of my family live nearby or in London/Essex borders. Just some will end up staying because they don't want to drive home (drink/cold/dark) or some of the kids stay over because they fall asleep. I have seven siblings all with families and children so we tend to agree on who's going where, who's staying where. We won't all be together all of the day but we try and organise it so everyone gets what they want, which is not easy.

I should confess, I've booked Harry Potter too, but quite near Halloween, although not in half term, on a weekday. I'm just going to phone the kids in as sick.

Mama pain can you explain what you mean by feed the cake? Do you keep the mix in the fridge? In the larder?

We still have our Xmas jumpers too :)
Dc should still fit them this year.

Wannabe, you make the cake. Bake it. Keep it wrapped up and every now and again you feed it.

By feeding it I mean with drink. So poke holes in the top of it (I use a long skewer) and drizzle it with alcohol. Brandy, Rum anything will do.

Wrap the cake back up again and repeat until you want to ice or eat it.

Mama I love that idea. Will be trying it out :) thank you

Glad to be of help. If you look online you can see advice about doing this. I like to go fire hazard style but might be a good idea to get an idea of the quantities to use.

I generally do a thing called the "Holiday Grand Plan" - there's also a "Houseworks Holiday Plan". Both are US plans, starting at the end of August and involve prepping for Christmas and giving the whole house a thorough clear out and cleaning. With slightly different emphasis in both (1 tends to focus on individual rooms every week, the other more on an issue every week). Then, if I get sidetracked from that, there's the "Christmas Countdown", which is only 6 weeks long but gets you fully prepped by the weekend before. All to be found on Organized Christmas [http://christmas.organizedhome.com/].

MamaPain's list is great though, and I am going to steal lots from it to add to my lists already created. I did my printables yesterday to make this year's planning notebook and calendar.