Progress report on Christmas 2015

[chanie44]

How are you doing?
Are you ahead or behind on your preparations?
How does this compare to previous years?

I have bought my first Christmas presents this morning from QVC (Christmas in July don't you know) for my dd2 and nephew. I start buying properly after dd1's birthday in September. I always twitch in December even though I have usually bought and wrapped everything by then so if I bought it all too soon i'd be twitch buying non stop!!

I have a Beanie Boo each for the kids; DD's is the pink version of DS's favourite teddy and DS's is a blue version of DD's favourite so they'll be well pleased with those! Aside from that, they're both getting new bikes which I'm not going to bother getting till December. I've a few stocking fillers to get, and some books and crafty stuff but that'll be all. We find we tend to go overboard every year and they get overwhelmed and bored really quickly.

We only have about 4 other presents to buy for other people's kids so nothing too taxing. DH's favourite thing to get is an amazon voucher so he can buy obscure 19th century piano music without worrying about the budget, so that's easy!

Due to family complications this year we're thinking of having just the four of us at home for the first time, so it'll be very relaxed and nice. I might go with M&S for the food; I usually put a huge amount of effort in but I'd rather just play with the kids this year.

The biggest job I have to do it the peppermint swirl throw I'm crocheting. It will match the peppermint swirl decorations I got last year and I'm really looking forward to it. Oh, and I've to bring a load of decorations to a charity shop in mid-november or so; we've loads more than we need and I don't like some of it at all any more so someone else may as well get some use out of them!

I am super excited, I am 80% done.

Thanks to argos toy sale and tesco lego points sale.

All there is now is small and low cost items like sticker books, and books etc.

Thrilled.

All money saved for xmas from now on goes to days out . yippeeeeeee

10 books for a tenner in the works! Click and collect saves on delivery and ill be in town this week anyway! Almost finished my list!

After reading this i'm completely petrified... I have barely even got over the summer and everyone else has seemingly been adding the finishing touches to Xmas prep.

I bought an Xmas planner (WHSmith - where else??) and have sorted presents for 8 of the 17 relatives. Teenagers are proving tricky (As to be expected) Stocking fillers for unconventional 16 yr old nieces anyone?? Or the 14 yr old creative types?? DS1 is asking for a new guitar but i'm budgeting like crazy and i'm not sure money will stretch for the one he wants.

The trees have been ordered from Norway and the decorations are in order. I've been trying to find some decent crackers though - expectations are high after last year's Fortnum and Masons mini crackers (A cast off from one of DH's colleagues.

Congratulations to everyone else though, I wish I had a fraction of your flare for organisation!!

Just saw this thread again and I have to say, I;m no further forward ....

Progress has been:

We will have DB,DSiL,DF,DM, cat visiting.
I've worked out who''l sleep where.
Bought some pillows . I have enough duvets and towels.
I've decluttered the boxroom.
I think next will be DH/my room

I'm waiting for the Christmas produce to hit the shops and making lists.

DH and I have booked our day off for our Shopping Trip while the DC are at school.

I will organise some menus /meal ideas for the other days (I know what the 24th/25th/26th will be)

I'll start buying in things like drinks (J2O , soft drinks, Appletise) to hide in the garage.

And I can make a Christmas Cake and Pudding (I might even be organised enough to do them early).

Once I've got that underway, I can relax and enjoy Hallowe'en and Guy Fawkes.
Still need to look for Stocking Gifts for the DC.

Only got DP and parents left. Plus got DPs birthday in November and he is so bloody awkward to buy for and won't give me any clues

Presents-wise, I'm done. Bought DD's main present last week (actually it's three main presents which add up to the value of a 'proper' main present iyswim) - all surprises that I know she'll love. Also had DH's gift delivered - he's wanted a specific kind of guitar since he was a teenager and I've got it for him . Our Christmas food cupboard is coming along nicely - lots of panettone, shortbread, Christmas puds, biscuits etc. Also have some wine put aside. Bought loads of decs, napkins, candles etc really cheaply after Christmas last year so no need to buy any of that. So far, really pleased with how organised I am which makes a change

Tenuous - I can highly recommend filling your own crackers. Buy any that you like the outside of - last year we used Tesco tartan ones and this year some large gold ones. Cut the string/ribbon whatever from one end and tip the present out. The joke and hat will stay in as they are usually round the tube. Then put in whatever you want and tie it up again. Swop for ribbon if you want them to look more extravagant.
Presents we have put inside have included mini telescopes, finger lights, small toys, stationary etc for kids and perfume, lipgloss, cuff links jewellery etc for adults (Also managed to get a gift card in one one year but it was a large cracker!)

Last year I collected lots of free perfume and after shave samples (the small bottle sort) from John Lewis, next, debenhams etc and filled all the Boxing Day crackers with those for free!

um. lets not go there. waaaaaaaaaaaay behind where i normally am.

www.dunelm.com/category/christmas/christmas-decorations/christmas-crackers

Make your own crackers kit

Progress - Sent e mail to family asking for wish lists with budget. Ordered new Christmas films and buying a big storage box tomorrow and going through stuff in shed - hoping nothing has been eaten by snails. Bought b day presents so can now put on thinking hat for Christmas. Decided on stamp sets for Christmas cards / tags. Pay off cc in 2 weeks.

I have now bought the Christmas turkey wine (2 nice bottles, just in case we finish the first), and a 20cl bottle of M&S port.

Making some progress on presents, but not enough.

Bought my candles. And some ornamental (fake) sprays to do flower arranging/new wreath with.

Started me cleanin' - 2 done of the 3 that should be, and progress made on a different one to this week's planned one.

And as I am still only recovering, both mentally, and physically, as well as organizationally, from DSis wedding last week, (and had DM ill as a guest yest, unexpectedly - great I could mind her but I was actually making progress for a change) I reckon I am doing ok.

I've used the make your own crackers kits in previous years but find they are fiddly and don't look that good or crack that well. That's why I cheat and use the ones already made up! Kids enjoyed making them from the kits though.