What have you learnt from this Xmas that you'll take forward to next Xmas?

[Trudee]

I'm in bed on my phone unusually early for Christmas Day as I have learnt that staying with family for the festive period is not for me. As such I shall not be repeating the experience.
On the plus side I have learnt that having to cut down on dc's gift due to having to fit them in the car has been a great success and I will stick to a reduced amount in the future. I was concerned by the size of the pile lastnight but dc's really didn't care.
What will you all be taking forward from this year?

[Bravas]

To just get dsd vouchers.

[thewaitresses]

Popping a few extra items a week into the trolley just results in a drunken, overweight December - save the money and do one big shop instead.

Now DD is at school, she will receive lots of invites to parties and play dates over the two week holiday so make time to accommodate this.

Two nights is enough, three at an absolute maximum.

[RosieRuby]

Not to hide presents in good hiding places, I still can't DH's presents although he has been very good about it!

[Tenpastlate]

That the guilt I felt over buying roast potatoes & veg ready prepared was massively outweighed by the happiness of making the meal prep and cooking much faster and easier.

[MouseLove]

That cooking for 10 and putting your chain smoking MIL at the end of the table where she can't escape actually ruins the entire meal because despite me dishing up, she still wants to smoke and thus 5 other people can't sit down.

That and I'm not inviting them again.

[lollyj84]

I learnt not to bother with ils. This is the 2nd year in a row that they have upset my Dh.
Having a lovely day today though. Nibbles, sweets and disney film just four of us. Bil and his dp to join us later.

[dottybear]

saving through the year, and then buying presents in October was really good!

Spread sheets to keep track of all presents and spending was hugely helpful.

Using giant santa sacks for the wrapped presents was great - kept the presents for each of 6 dc separate and great to put stuff back into once opened meaning we could actually still see the lounge floor!

Morrisons Christmas food order worked really well.

Although all the Christmas outings I planned for December they were perhaps a bit too much and added to me feeling stressed and exhausted.

Playing of new board games works much better on boxing day, rather then after a few glasses of champagne!

[YoureAllABunchOfBastards]

I have a Christmas organiser and write stuff down - so, dinner this year was done to timings from two years' ago when we last had turkey.

This year I will be writing down in it what I buy in the sales - found three new Christmas jumpers in the loft having already bought and worn ones I had to buy this year!

[YoureAllABunchOfBastards]

We also did presents in sacks - put them in as I wrapped and it meant all we had to do on Christmas Eve was shove the sacks under the tree

[purplecabbage]

1. To buy less food - a lot our our 'extras' will not get eaten
   

1. To enjoy the prep as creative time - to make more rather than shop bought as what I did do was immensely enjoyable!
   

1. To offer (2) as gifts
   

1. To allow myself to indulge in collecting tableware, kitchenware, linens etc as it really made a difference this year.
   

1. To eat our 'main meal' on Boxing Day thus freeing up more time and energy on 'the big day' and prolonging the spirit of Christmas into 2 days. Kept us out of the online sales and real world shops too!
   

6 We preferred radio to telly this year.

7 Tea lights and candles over fairy lights as a general rule.

[PUGaLUGS]

I have hosted for 18 years. This year I decided to delegate and ask guests to bring a cooked veg dish rather than me staying there on xmas eve day prepping. Worked a treat.

However I have now got my DB and SIL to host next year . It will be so nice to get up on xmas morning and relax rather than running around.

[C0dy]

I have learnt that A&E is very busy in the early hours between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day..

I also learnt to let DH and DS1 and 2 do all the cooking next year. I usually do the built of it but due to the A&E trip I had a nap whilst they cooked and it was bloody lovely.

And I also learnt that a party game involving throwing screwed bits of newspaper up goes down really well with a slightly drunk bunch of men.

[Falalalafffffffttt]

Do food shop at the m&s in town rather than in the big shopping centres. A very pleasant experience with minimal hassle or queues, drop the bags off in the car (we are lucky as dh can borrow a parking space at his work) and go for a nice coffee. Avoiding the traffic of the malls was such a treat!

[derxa]

Make breadcrumbs for stuffing and bread sauce by hand not in a food processor. Can I ask ever so gently? Why?
Mine are:
Don't forget crackers or frozen raspberries

[derxa]

It's quiet in Waitrose an hour before shutting time on Christmas Eve.
Following the packet instructions for a Waitrose turkey results in the perfect turkey
Whipping egg whites is best done with a hand whisk

[DXBMermaid]

To not get so excited about Christmas... I wanted it to be all special and magical for our DC and it just wasn't.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

We had a quiet Christmas (just DH,DS,DD and myself)
DBro/DSiL working
DParents not well enough to travel (I am going to visit them for N/Year) I learned last year that I really didn't want to be in A&E anxiosly waiting to see if my DMum had fractured something then trying to get an Emergency Prescription at 9am (thankfully the very understanding local Pharmacist saved the day)

Teen DC don't do the whole excited Christmas that we had when they were little but I suppose the binus is no manic build up and no crashing "awwww" once its over and they're bereft.

We cut back on presents apart from what they wanted (Gift Voucher/££) and sensible/usable (shower/face/underwear)

[Sung]

Don't bother doing the full trimmings, cooked from scratch...It was very good but the time, effort and bloat were just not worth it.
Next year (year off from hosting...just me, DH and DC) we're eating out!
Going to spend the build up to Christmas making nice Christmas things with DC instead and going places rather than being drained by the thought of hosting.
I don't enjoy it (or going to other peoples houses when they host) and neither does DH - time to accept that.

[AmberEars]

Not to bother to cook red cabbage again. I did a lovely recipe but it seems that I'm the only one who likes it so there was masses left!

Otherwise it went really well

[PurpleDaisies]

We're the same here amber-I'm going to buy a half red cabbage next time. At least it keeps for a while. Bread sauce is always much less popular than it ought to be.

I'm making notes for next year to remind me.

[AmberEars]

Yes ditto about the bread sauce! I love it but there's always a lot left. This year I made half the amount and there was still some left - I'm eating it in sandwiches though. How can people not realise how yummy it is?!

[ivykaty44]

Red cabbage here as it's made two or three evenings before, braised and then reheats well on the day in the microwave. Same with celeriac & sweet potato bake, it's made up before and reheated which makes life easy. Having two side dishes ready to pop in microwave and heat up

[MrEBear]

When I started reading this thread I was thinking I never want to give birth on Christmas Eve and missing my 5 yo on morning was horrible.

But second thoughts thanks to Checkpoints post. Maybe I was given the best gift ever, my life saved again by the NHS, the Drs, nurses, MWs, auxiliary staff who all miss Christmas with their families to care for others. And don't forget the blood donors.
Count your blessings!!!

[chocolateworshipper]

Not to put loads of effort into making a hamper for a family member who you are DEFINITELY seeing on the 27th, because they will then cancel. They then bugger off home (which is hours away) without the hamper and you are stuck with something that took you ages and has items in with a short life.

[MTWTFSS]

Do less, relax more!