How ready are you?

[One2Three4Five6]

Just had a sort out in my room, and looked through the stash of presents...
Between that and my several shopping baskets waiting until payday, I think we are done present wise! I didn't think I was.

All we need now are some more stocking filler bits and the food.
I think this is the earliest ever that I've been at this stage.
I'm sure that there will be something I have forgotten though!

I go batshit Christmas crazy, so I start early or it would never all be done.
I'll decorate after bonfire night, as I have numerous trees and rooms to set up. I've made lists of all pressies and have bought some.
I've done my click and collect food shop for the 23rd Dec.
I've bought all cards and stamps for the global card exchange I'm part of.
I make a game out of who opens which present in a certain way, so I can't leave wrapping too late as it takes bloody ages. And DS will be opening a massive box filled with helium balloons with a message of a holiday at New Year, and quite a few other pressies that will be presented in weird and wonderful ways, so I've bought all the bits and pieces for those.

In actual December, I go a bit poncetastic, and like to spend the month going to Christmas markets, Carol singing, booked in for wreath and garland making, Christmas parties, meals, pantomimes etc. It's much easier to enjoy all these with the legwork all taken care of already.

Have to wrap the stocking pressies on Christmas eve next to the fire with the tree on one side, and a glass of baileys the other. It's like the final piece falls into place and I can't bloody wait 😍😍

Courtney555

We tend to make a big thing of Christmas here too. We are massive Christmas fans. Not the presents, but the decorations, the family snuggling together in the lounge with Christmas films and hot chocolate, it's cosy and really makes the best of Winter, a season where it is easy to become discontent.

I look forward to December every year, we do devote the whole month to a Christmas theme. And despite what it may sound like, the presents are the least important aspect. In fact hand on heart, I honestly think my kids would forgo the presents in order to have extra decorations etc (even the selfish teens in my house lol)

I'll happily admit we have gone a bit OTT this year, a combination of being able to this year for the first time ever (always been on a tight budget before, really tight) and I think it will be DDs last year of believing (I hope not, as she is only 6, but I think she is catching on already)

One2three yes!! Christmas Eve we have Christmas films on, and cook sausages over the fire pit. It's about the whole festive experience for us too. Definitely a month long thing.

I don't like the main wrapping saga either... But the feeling of relief knowing its done is so worth it. I watch eastenders, and DS is in bed by then, so I force myself to wrap whilst it's on until they're all done. Doing a little each time and sticking to this routine works for me, could you do similar?

Wishing you and yours a lovely Christmas xx

I hate shopping in dec too the town goes crazy and things sell out.
I love christmas my fave time of year.
X

I am OTT too.

My parents never were, often didn't bother with a tree and used to go the pub most of the day. Shitty childhood memories.

So I make a massive fuss as I want my children to remember it.

I have xmas bedding, a toilet seat Santa and toilet mat, soap dispensers, hand towels, apron, kitchen towels, salt and pepper shakers all Xmas theme. If I can find something to make my house more xmassy I will buy it 😂🙈

Only thing is, this is our first year with cats and a tree! Eek

I won't wrap presents till December tho.

I made that mistake years ago and I couldn't remember what was in the presents, and the wrapping was tatty in the end

We do loads of Christmassy stuff too (decorations, baking, crafts etc) but to be honest shopping is a fairly small part of our Christmas prep and i do most of it online so happy to leave it later!

Op you're right, it doesn't matter, and personality I don't think anyone was particularly snotty.

I was just pointing out that it doesn't really work telling other people they need to be nice if you're calling them twats at the same time. I'm all for being nice to each other, Id never, ever call someone a name like that (unless they'd done something truly disgusting).

I have started shopping, and I have almost finished crafting. I have also taken a strategic decision that ideas I HAD for crafting for some people are going back on the back burner for next year and I will go back to purchasing for those this year (not enough time to sew I think).

I have started looking for rugby tickets for seasonal games, and tickets to lunchtime concerts for me to enjoy in December.

I have identified (but not yet bought) a garland for the stairs as I;ve thought about one for years.

I am slowly working through decluttering and cleaning the house.

DD has let me know that I will be at work on Christmas Eve (she wants to come with me to do some shopping in town and en route home! So I may as well not lose a full day's leave for the sake of a couple of hours in the office, and she'll happily come in for the treats on offer!). I still don't know what DH will be doing.

DF has ordered his turkey!! But I will just pick up one locally in the few days beforehand for our dinner - there's always loads and I often still manage to get a nice organic one off the shelf.

I've only wrapped 1 set of presents, and that was to take advantage of certain logistics falling my way to save on postage (both cost and hassle) in December. Those logistics were also taken advantage of by 1 of my DSiblings, but the other 4 did not!!

It will all fall into place. I'm trying to get ahead because December is always sooooooo busy in our house (between family stuff, clubs stuff and work stuff) that I want the things I can do now done and out of the way so that I have a half a hope of actually enjoying the social events and other things that need to be done without having major stress and running to just stand still.

So, I have bought half my cards, as I had hoped to write a few on a train journey last weekend, but I spent that doing other things. I usually try to write those on otherwise "dead" time in late autumn/early winter, on things like flights or when I have to hang around somewhere waiting for others. Rather than panicing the night after the last post has gone to get them all done.

And I have some chicken stock in the freezer (that may get used beforehand but may still be there for Christmas gravy if needed) from poaching chicken last night.

I will make some cookies over the next couple of weeks, so that I can freeze half the dough. Then, if we are too busy to bake from scratch on Christmas Eve, I can just slice and bake those instead. Freshly baked cookies from our kitchen are one of those unfortunate traditions that DD evolved over the years, but she's happy enough with this pragmatic approach!

That sort of getting ahead.

I do mine online too; I'm not a big fan of RL shopping!

However, quite a few things are discounted / money off deals are about in the summer - autumn months, so you get what you want more cheaply than if you wait until December. As long as I don't succumb to The Twitch I save money by buying year-round.

I have a Christmas Market weekend in Germany booked for mid December and I just can't wait.

Although I start late I do go all out. I just am too fickle. Too much if a good thing and I get fed up. I just know if I started too early by Christmas I would become - uurrgghh with it all.
Instead I end up with a chaotic whirlwind but love it!

I ordered some advent calendars yesterday. Nothing else done, haven't really started thinking about it yet, no idea what I'm getting anyone.

Christmas cards! I've not bought any of those yet, I knew I'd forget something.
I have plans to make a few bits this year too, a centre piece, (though if you want a giggle there was a thread about one on ebay!)
wreath, place settings, etc etc
Whether that will all happen or not remains to be seen as I don't have much time in the evenings.
I'm tempted to buy a cross stitch kit too, a nice christmas scene one.

For the kids I have everything but the big presents which I plan to pick up on payday. Then I'll focus on stockings, Christmas Eve Boxes and Elf prep this next month (although I started the stockings already). I'll shop for everyone else at the start of December.

Elf prep?

I haven’t done or bought a single thing, but I have been saving all year for it. When December rolls round I’m planning on one big day of online shopping for presents to be delivered, then run around like a headless chicken like I do every year

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3377767-I-feel-really-really-mean-posting-this

This was the centrepiece thread! Just FYI, no this is not the sort of thing I am looking to make.

@nowordforfluffy I’m the same - I save for Christmas and could do it in December but I love a bargain and try to get a discount on as many things on my spreadsheet as possible.

Courtney555 We all want to come to your house for Christmas! I bet the decks look fabulous.

For those of you going all out - how do you keep a track of everything?

I make lists.
Lists of things to do and tick them off as they are done.
Lists for presents
Lists for what foods I want to get in
Lists for when we are seeing people

And so on and so on

One2Three4Five6 - Elf on the Shelf. It all goes wonderfully for the first week until we start to run short on ideas. So we've decided this year we'll create a spreadsheet and get some props in so we don't burn out all the best ideas in week one. It should also avoid those awful evenings when you get settled in bed and realise you forgot to move the little sh*t.

Not going mad this year as I think it may just be the three of us although MIL may come for a few days. I may have to go and get her which will involve a night at hers though.

And I go to Australia in a couple of weeks and don’t get back till Dec 5th. So decorations will be done after that. Trees anyway, DH might do some before.

DS is 17 and is having most of his presents before Christmas - driving lessons and a new phone - so just a few bits under the tree for him. Got him a sweatshirt in town yesterday so that’s him started at least.

Need to nip out shortly and will be coming back via our local farm shop to get some sausages and will order the turkey while I’m there. Also have to do a charity shop run as cleared some Xmas stuff out last year and it’s been stored ready to go around now.

Made Christmas cake this week. Have bought boxes of Celebrations and Heroes and a bottle of Baileys so that’s me sorted!

One2Three4Five6 I do make DH do all the wrapping, I buy it he wraps it. Although I do have arthritis is my hands.

I absolutely adore Christmas, it’s my favourite time of the year and so magical. We do not go OTT on presents, for us it’s spending time together as a family as I’m sure it is for most people.

DD has her birthday on the 28th so Christmas gets paused - all cards come down and we put birthday banners up, the Christmas cards go back up on the 29th with her birthday cards.

As with most things is life there is no right or wrong way to ‘do’ Christmas, I’ve said further up thread I buy during the year and my reasons why, others don’t that’s their choice. I honestly don’t see what’s to name call/argue about.

Baby due early December. Moving in date early November. No furniture yet. What is Christmas?

We don't do a lot of presents, I only buy for 4 people (so maximum of 8 presents for us) and I use the same decorations every year so I haven't started yet. I might buy a few presents in November and December. I'll do the rest two weeks before, including the wrapping.

When my brother still celebrated christmas (he stopped bevause his wife wanted to celebrate a different holiday) I bought much more, mostly because of the children. Now that he doesn't, life is easier.

I toyed with the idea of Elf on the Shelf, but I'm still not sure.
My boys are non believers so it might be fun for them to get involved in, they still keep the magic going for the smallest. This might be something they find fun, I might task them with figuring out ideas for the Elf actually and leave them to it! hmmm...

Any ideas for the little bugger would be greatly appreciated! I did find a few on pinterest, but anything is a bonus!