Help me finish Christmas please...!

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

I’ve had the busiest December ever, culminating I’m starting a new job where I’m supposed to do 3 days a week but the reality is 6 and working from home till midnight most nights to get on top of the mess left by the last person...

So I’ve totally missed out Christmas prep. My house isn’t decorated... I haven’t sent any cards... I haven’t bought much at all 😩

I’m sitting here with an hour or so until I have to really throw myself into stone Work and I need to buy presents online.

For my parents... we usually buy them theatre tickets. But I think we’ve exhausted what they would like to see with previous presents. They don’t watch DVD’s, both have kindles, use Spotify, have a Alexa, have iPads (although that’s out of budget anyway!) and live in a very tidy minimalist house, so all manner of trinkets etc are a massive no. This is my hardest challenge!

Brothers girlfriend I don’t know - mid twenties.

Quite babyish (in a sweet way!) neice, 13 years old.

Nephew who says he hates everything - 12 years old.

DH’s Parents - he wants to spend nothing. He says they won’t care. (I disagree!) and I can’t do that. I can’t not buy someone a Christmas present!

Everyone else is in my amazon basket 😂

for all who have ideas?

So many typos... that’s the panic!

Posh food hamper for your parents?

Parents - voucher for a meal out or afternoon tea somewhere posh? National trust membership?

Parents: National Trust for 1 year? Or something like that.
Niece and nephew: vouchers/cash.
Brother's gf you don't know: nothing.
DH's parents: leave it to DH, if he said nothing then it is nothing.

Cards: forget. Make a list of who you usually send to, then text/whatsapp/email everyone on the list on Christmas Eve. Unless it is Great-Aunt Hilda and Great-Grandad who have no electronic nous, then get a card this afternoon/tomorrow.

Decorations: do you have a tree? Do you prefer real/fake? If you don't have time to decorate a tree and/or shop forva tree, a bowl of pinecones and a string of lights looks minimalist but lovely. LED lighrs anywhere else. If you get cards, put them up.

Order food online or buy from M&S.

Relax and enjoy the company of your family and friends, and food.

Parents I would do a hamper too. For both sets of parents.
Niece and nephew you could do vouchers for game store, clothes/sports shop or cinema vouchers etc.
Brothers girlfriend, bottle of wine and chocolates

Order food online. If you don't mind a frozen turkey, get everything delivered soon then pop out for veg and cream on the 23rd.

Christmas cards, forget for this year, except great auntie Ethel and anyone else who really appreciates/notices.

Decorations. If you need a real tree, you'll have to put that as urgent I'm afraid. Can you send someone on your behalf?
Apart from that, say you're doing it traditionally this year, and put the decorations up on the 23rd/24th, or a bit at a time over the next week. Remember that for Christians, although the 'feast' of Christmas finishes on the 6th Jan, the 'season' of Christmas continues till February 2nd, so if you aren't sick of decorations by 6th Jan you don't need to take them down! (Some people put them up in October after all!)

I have bought a young for her age 13 yr old girl a fingerling sloth and paint your own stones set - both these gifts will Be well received. She and her friends also collect "squishies". A colour change unicorn mug may also work.

The 12 yr old boy. Does he have a phone? Would one of those extra charge devices go down well that charge your phone 2-3 times whilst away. A selfie stick? Magazine subscription?

12 yr old DN: exploding kittens board game

13 yr old DN: Next, hat & gloves or similar

20-sthing GF: ditto Next accessories. Can be returned if she hates them!

DPs: consumables- case of wine etc
ILs: ditto
Or Amazon vouchers

(both should understand crazy-busy-stress you’re under)

I second afternoon tea for your parents.

Go for Boots 3 for 2 and get a Benefit gift set for brother's GF, Soap & Glory gift set for your niece and something from the jack Wills range for the ungrateful nephew.

Thankyou everyone... I’m nearly finished now

So glad I started this thread!