Anyone else started a Christmas 2019 list yet?

[vodkaanddietcokeplease]

I seem to do this every year

Started my list for next year already - some 'big' gift ideas related to gifts I've given this year/food shopping list with anything I'd forgotten added on and anything I didn't bother with taken off. List of people who's cards I need to buy etc

It feels nice to do it while it's all fresh in my mind!

My sil Mrs. Super organised has this app on her phone which manages her Christmas list. Might try it next year, I've spent £300 but for someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas it's a lot. I haven't started buying for my own celebration yet later on in the year.

www.google.com/amp/s/moneytothemasses.com/quick-savings/tips/manage-christmas-shopping-great-smartphone-apps/amp

I bought some really nice cards from paperchase for £2 a pack reduced from £5.

Wrapping paper for Xmas 2019 bought. 14 rolls of good quality paper from Sainsbury’s at 50p a roll. Total cost £7.00

I have 8 rolls of paper all half price or less ready and gift tags that were half price also.

Feeling very envious of all of you with wrapping paper bargains. Mind you if wrapping paper is the only thing I need to buy in December I'll be very happy with that.

I did an inventory of "the big drawer" earlier on...decanted lots (and lots) of Christmas cards suitable for school into a box together, there must be 100ish, so enough for a couple of years . I do need wrapping paper though so will look out for that when I go for dd1's presents towards the end of the month. Doubt there'll be much left by then but we'll see.

I've finished adding to/taking away from/scribbling notes on my food list so will write that properly so it's readable, at some point over the next day or two.

And I have a few ideas written down for dd1 already - mainly things given to dd2 that she's "oooohed and aaaahed" over. Won't buy yet (pay into a savings scheme with work over the year) but plenty of ideas so shopping should be easy.

Reminder to book Panto tickets earlier has gone in my new diaey today too - I was late this year & didn't manage to get front row like we usually do.

I've already got my wrapping paper and I'm just debating whether I should buy some half price Christmas cards. They're online only so I can't decide if paying £4 P&P is worth it.

Over the years I have refined our festive food and drink, activities and celebrations so it all sort of plans itself. I buy £10 of Morrisons savings stamps each month from January to October and use these to buy the Christmas dinner and other goodies. This year I had to put £7 to it and hadn't needed to buy anything apart from bread rolls, juice, and fruit until today.

I pick up presents as I go along from about September onwards unless I see something earlier that is absolutely perfect.

This year was very different though. I lost my DM five weeks ago and I have just felt a bit numb and 'brain foggy'. It was a good job I had already bought pretty much everything as I really wouldn't have had the oomph to go out and start from scratch at the beginning of December.

Wollybackswife
This time last year I started making notes in the back of my diary, it was very helpful.
Things that work/don't work
Ideas for presents
I'm sure lots of places still have cheap Christmas cards in

lucy when do you buy panto tickets? We go every year and the DC'S would love front row seats. Are they much more expensive?

Woolly

No!!!!!

No, I don't even want to think about it. It's over, thank God. Please let it be over, until the damn thing comes around yet again.

@CishAndFips I've bought them around Sept/Oct payday the last couple of years, but had a bit of a 'blip' this year & couldn't afford them until November. We still had decent seats, just further back than usual.

Tbh, this years were slightly more expensive than previous years so I'm not sure if prices have just gone up slightly or front row weren't that expensive each (usually pay around £65 for four).

@TheWoollybacksWife sorry about your mum

@TheWoollybacksWife for you!

Well done all of you with cards/wrapping paper bargains! I'm disappointed to say I have not been organised enough to get mine this year (and I know I'll regret it next year!)

Have just write all the birthdays into our new calendar ready to go up tomorrow, we have 2 or 3 extremely busy months later in the year so I MUST start buying for those early or it'll work out a big expense.

We bought so much wrapping paper in the M&S and John Lewis sales last year that it'll keep us going til 2030 I reckon! 😂

Thank you for your condolences.

I love the wrapping paper I bought. It's a muted holly design that I think will look lovely with red or green velvet ribbon and luggage label style tags.

I will have all our immediate family birthdays done by Easter so can start picking up on ideas pretty early in the year. I have 2 adult DDs who like theatre/gig tickets so I need to get them as soon as they are released.

Woolly, I'm looking forward to theatre / gig ticket days! Then our house won't be so full of stuff!

Happy new year to all. Thank you lucy that's around what we pay anyway so I'll definitely booking sep/Oct for front row seats. My friend and I have put the 26th in our diary for our 1st shopping day. I'm really looking forward to it. I have also put my first £10 into a saving account.

MIL bought panto tickets for all her small grandchildren and it went down a storm. I'm hoping that she will do the same this year.

Which theatre did you go to, Woolly? Any famous people in it?

We went to a dire panto 3 years' ago and haven't tried it again. It was the local AmDram group and really was poor. Maybe I could be persuaded by a good one!

It was at the Liverpool Empire and had Shirley from SCD in. MIL took DS and his smaller cousins plus their parents. DH and I had a couple of hours free time to go sale shopping and catch up with some old friends so win-win all round.

Sounds really good, Woolly. I'll keep an eye out this year! (I wrote next year then and had to correct myself; I won't know the day / date until I'm back at work tomorrow!).

I'm having a bit of a panto dilemma for next year. I jumped in on my parents taking the DC''s to the panto. It's a few miles away and we make a bit of a day of it, going to the afternoon show and then for fish and chips after. This is one of my favourite days in the lead up to Christmas.

My local theatre for the last few years have a set showing just for the staff and families at my hospital trust with a visit from santa. I would love for DH and I to take them to this next year but is 2 pantos in a few weeks too much?

Dare I say...

Oh no it isn't

If they are different stories then it will be fine.

Woolly!

I like the idea of making a real thing out of it. Though with DH's 40th this year (23 Dec), I'm not sure what we'll be doing in relation to our normal plans, let alone what new stuff I can add.

I'd like to mix it up good and proper, but I'm not sure how.

@CishAndFips my DSD went to 2 pantos in a week this year and loved it I think I'm getting roped into going to the one that's on this year....

Oh yay I was hoping you would all say that. My December diary looks like it's going to be very full this year. I really love the build up to Christmas but this year was so rushed and disorganised it just kind of slipped by.