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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

What will you definitely or definitely not be repeating next Christmas?

168 replies

Trudee · 26/12/2018 18:46

I made a note in my phone last year in an attempt to stop me repeating the same mistakes. It worked well although I now need to add 'buy less biscuits'
Interested to see what everyone else would put on their lists?

OP posts:

ohtheholidays · 27/12/2018 00:03

What I will be repeating...I will get all of the stocking fillers wrapped and put into the stockings a few days before Christmas,I did that this year and it's such a small and simple thing but it was so much nicer than leaving it until Christmas Eve (once the DC are all in bed)we got to a bed a bit earlier because of doing that.

What I am not repeating...I am never ever leaving it so late to start Christmas shopping again,I was still grabbing last minute bits on Christmas Eve this year.

For next Christmas I'm going to start saving with Park and I'm going to start saving money on my Iceland card and pick up an asda saving card so I can start putting money on for my Christmas food shop as well.

EdtheBear · 27/12/2018 01:41

Repeating, buying early around October time, wrapping early.

Not repeating, not allowing non-dinner guests to pop-in while we are trying to get ready / prepare. Less desserts / puddings. Less crisps and nibbles we sort of forgot about them.

Alanamackree · 27/12/2018 08:32

Same:
Sorted and organized the dc gifts so no counting or wondering on Christmas Eve.

Set up a recycling area in the shed and took a few mins to sort paper/cardboard/plastic/wrapping/polystyrene. Will bring it to recycling centre rather than trying to cram it into bin or find elusive clear plastic council-approved bags.

I put more thought into how my house functions when I decorated. I didn’t cover every available surface so there was still a place for letters to sit, keys etc., half finished lego creations to sit safely. So I’m much less irritated by the decorations and don’t feel very cluttered. I put a lot of our normal ornaments away and some plates and mugs to make room for the Christmas ones.

Different:
I got quite stressed by the amount of entertaining that I took on. I need to include more downtime in my plans.

I’m going to do a declutter of our decorations as we used less this year.

GaryBaldbiscuit · 27/12/2018 08:37

I will make mince pies, home made so much nicer, and remember the shops are only closed for one day!

GaryBaldbiscuit · 27/12/2018 08:38

I would really like to have gone to midnight mass on christmas eve

flubbadubble · 27/12/2018 08:39

I will put the tree up later no matter how excited I am, it's been too long for dd 3.
Won't buy so many snacks for the house as we've been given loads.
I will continue to resist the gift twitch though, that definitely worked.

cricketmum84 · 27/12/2018 08:45

Buy less cheese

Explain to 9yo that 5.15am is not an acceptable get up time

Don't start drinking too early - even if it does feel like midday after the 5.15 get up (see above)

cptartapp · 27/12/2018 08:46

Spending a decent amount of time and money on nice presents and hosting Xmas dinner for IL's, only for them to turn up with presents for us from B&M bargains and two £1 cheesecakes from Morrisons as dessert. Pitiful. And theyre very well off.

Bubba1234 · 27/12/2018 08:50

Get all m & s food again.
Get presents in Jan sales for next year again.
Go to some of the shops close to Xmas again as they started their sales early so I got nearly everything I bought half price.
Go to the gym earlier so I don’t have a stomach for Xmas next year haha.

MaitlandGirl · 27/12/2018 09:10

Repeat:

Stockings for the kids (all over 18) and cash transferred into their bank accounts on Christmas Day. That was a huge success and meant they could enjoy sales shopping without me today.

Cook all the meats on Christmas Eve and get one of the kids to cook the veggies on Christmas Day. A lot less stressful and easier on my back.

Remember two of the kids have January birthdays and buy presents in the pre-Christmas sales. Saves a fortune.

Give the MIL a drink as soon as she walks in the door. She’s got terrible back problems and our sofas hurt her back, with a few strawberry daiquiris inside her she can’t feel the pain and is much happier. Also, keep her out of the kitchen.

Buy fresh veggies and bread as soon as he supermarket opens on Christmas Eve. Makes for a very long day but it’s so much easier than going at 10am ish.

Not repeat :

Seriously reduce the amount of food I buy - we’ve just had dinner (27th here) and were still eating food I thought we’d be eating for Christmas lunch! I was only feeding 8 but bought for the entire village lol

All in all it was a good day and I enjoy being organised.

Magmatic80 · 27/12/2018 09:17

Repeat: buy all freezable special Christmas things things (eg meat, bread, nice puddings, lovely stuffing bacony things, breakfast bacon, etc in October again.

Never again: had turkey first time ever this year. Will not be having again.

GaryBaldbiscuit · 27/12/2018 09:18

Dont go to work!
less cheese? No, we can manage less cheese,
perhaps less biscuits and chocs. and cider.

Jojoanna · 27/12/2018 09:20

Not repeat don’t invite my DS for more than 2 days

Janus · 27/12/2018 09:38

pinkavocado thank you for the Manage Christmas app’ idea, I have installed it ready for next year! Looks a great idea to keep on top of what I’ve bought and spent on each.

boomboo · 27/12/2018 09:39

Start shopping earlier
Wrap presents earlier
Don't get the norovirus

PinkFizzz · 27/12/2018 09:42

I'd like to host next year. Our house is small but next year all my siblings are going to respective in-laws, so im going to suggest I host my parents, grandmother and DP's parents.

Also bought far fewer gifts this year and DS was still delighted.

mumof2sarah · 27/12/2018 09:44

Repeating: Wrapping all the presents as I buy them so I'm not stressing on Christmas Eve up til all hours getting them all wrapped lol. I was in bed by 11 with everything done and it was so much better.

Not repeating: I can't think of anything but I'm shattered so maybe I won't stay up as late next year x

mogloveseggs · 27/12/2018 09:47

Wrap stocking presents earlier than 11pm Christmas Eve
Find a new job so i dont have to work Christmas Day

GourmetGold · 27/12/2018 09:51

Bothering anymore to make an effort with brother & sil's presents for them & their children, when they're clearly not bothered about us. Selfish, thoughtless gits.

Misty9 · 27/12/2018 10:00

Repeat:
Buying less for the dc; I had the twitch big time but resisted and they are loving their few gifts - and on day 2 of playing with them all as they're not so overwhelmed this year!
Having less food, no tub of chocs and no piles of nibbles. Not missed.

Change:
Have Xmas dinner at home. We went out this year and whilst it had it's benefits, I missed being at home and being able to overeat cooking exactly what I wanted.
Go away with family. It was just us 4 this year and there is something about being in a big family group at Christmas. More arguments but also more...something good.
Plan something for the days after Christmas day otherwise it all feels a bit done and dusted. But being away will help with this I expect.
Be much more explicit with dh about what to get me - or not bother at all.

duckling84 · 27/12/2018 11:47

Make sure everything is wrapped and in santa sacks well before the big day so I'm not still up to midnight wrapping. Other than that, the day was pretty much perfect.
One new thing I did this year was leave a gift each aside and not give until the evening once guests had left and we were tidying up, they were tablets and it worked really well giving them later, they were much more appreciative then if they had been mixed up in the chaos through the day so definitely repeating that. Dh and I have agreeded that next year they can have a Nintendo switch to share.

EdtheBear · 27/12/2018 11:57

When people say buying less, what do you think is the ideal number of gifts?

Redcrayonisthebest · 27/12/2018 12:07

We did secret Santa amongst the adults onChristmas day. It worked like a charm, less pressure and everybody got one thing that they really liked.

CheekyFucker · 27/12/2018 13:59

More effort on stockings. The kids love them.

Less effort on Advent Calendars. Did my own. Will get cheap chocolate shite next year.

I need to be firm with DM and DSIL. They went mad this year. Will give more direction next year. So much waste.

goldengummybear · 27/12/2018 15:00

I usually finish buying gifts by 30th November but this year ds spent most of November in hospital so I didn't start until Black Friday. I will definitely go back to finishing gifts by end of November.

I'm seriously considering serving stuffing/pigs in blanket as the main meat considering how much are eaten.?

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