What are you going to do different next Christmas?

[MsMiaWallace]

Hopefully we'll be able to visit family/friends & socialise more.
Apart from this what else will you change for next Christmas, if anything?

For me I won't be buying:

Mulled wine, didn't really get drunk.

Baking set for the kids to make biscuits for Santa on Christmas Eve, they really weren't interested!

A tub of quality street/heroes. They tasted rank.

Less presents for the kids. Although we say this every year!

Need to buy new Christmas lights for outside too.

This was the first year neither dc got a toy that needed us to go outside to use. In previous years its been easy to get them out after lunch for a walk because someone's got a new bike/scooter/radio controlled car, but it seemed harder this year to get them out. Will aim to have someone in the house with a thing that requires us to go out to use it.

@70isaLimitNotaTarget
Thank you, I'd never have guessed Holland & Barret- I was thinking Home Bargains

Buy 14p potatoes. They were so so bad

Hopefully the same as this year, with my dad. Except i could see my other family also.
I'd like to have moved down there by then.

I'm so glad you started this as I was going to do the same
Stockings- went down well, as I did mainly quirky American sweets/ food, BUT they missed having practical actual gifts and as the days went on, argued about whose sweets were whose- so, all practical gift ideas please?
We ate at 3pm instead of earlier- much better and less stressful
Had friends here instead of family- was lovely but not the same feeling at all
Play games again for sure
Buy my most difficult gifts early- Aunty B, looking at you, you're impossible but I love buying you something!
Buy more for parents, or at least higher monetary value as they spoiled us and i was embarrassed but too late to go "oh look what we forgot to give you- although on that note, I need better hiding/ organising as i am still 2 presents down- missing somewhere!

Don’t have turkey, no one really likes it
Don’t buy as many crisps, chocolates and biscuits - say this every year
Do buy more lights for inside and out
Definitely Make dd an advent calendar again with mix of things she loves - just turned 11 so mix of Kwai stationery, Kwai sweets, slime, nail varnishes, files and candles for her bath
Loved not having lots of visitors on Christmas Eve- 13 yr old Ds birthday and usually have lots of people drop in, he loved not having people!
Do watch love actually on my own before Christmas- not the same after wards with dw rolling her eyes !!

Got the sack and will start filling with goodies luxuries silly things, soap ect from dh but lots of things I enjoy, but best of all I can’t wait to start saving soon.

We got so many things right this year, I need to remember them!

No christmas cards, or family only at least.
Christmas eve buffet - sausage roll wreath for DP and DC's, cold seafood for me and DM
Christmas day lidl 3 meat roast, cheap and cheerful but so good, we aren't turkey fans.
Shopped all year for pressies and all done by early november.
Wrapped in drawstring cotton bags, the waste of masses or wrapping paper make me so sad. Plus quick and silent to do wrapping after bedtime.
Home made wreath using you tube tutorial and foliage trimmed from a nearby roundabout!
Small boxing day gift to go on the table at lunch.
Didn't buy a big box of chocs, just the kids coins and a small box of quality street that we enjoyed for a few days.

Stocking items for DC's (girls, 2 and 6)

Bamboo toothbrush
Card game
Fabric princess crown - mimi and lulu
Twistable crayons
Excavation kit from tiger
set of socks
set of pants
balloon animal making kit
chocolate coins
set of stickers
bath bombs
superhero cape and masks from B&M
swimming costume

Really missed the build up activities, panto, lights walk.
Missed seeing my sisters and nieces and nephews.
Need a bigger tree with more lights.
Drink more mulled wine in the run up.
If we're allowed, take the kids to a Christmas market.

Bit late to this thread but I love it and hope to find it again next year so I’ll add mine.
Keep:
Eat at 1pm instead of late afternoon
Order turkey and lamb rack from Morrison’s as they were so easy to cook and delicious! (Lamb needs longer than stated though )
Buy Aldi’s white choc baileys if they do it again- amazing!
Asda extra special gravy granules are fab!
Fish and chips on Xmas eve

Bin:
Leaving wrapping so late! I was still wrapping on Xmas eve, far too stressful!
Buying party food- we eat cheese and leftovers instead and it always goes to waste.
Working until 3pm Xmas eve- book it off!

I'm going to make a Christmas cake this year, I've just had deliahs cookbook arrive so I might have to make a practice one this weekend. I'm going to get some lights for the front garden as we only just moved into our house in November and I didn't have a chance to get any. I'm going to get more alcohol as most of it was drank by new years.
We had a lovely Indian platter from a take away on new years eve and it was amazing so I shall be doing that next year.
I'm going to buy less chocolate although I say this every year I got so many I still have it left and I've put on about a stone.

Go abroad

Going to get drunk haha been pregnant last 4 Christmases

Some more I thought of :

Hopefully a weekend away .Our trip to Bath Christmas Masket and designer outlet village with overnight hotel and coach transport was cancelled . Don't really want to go to markets abroad , UK suits me fine . It's more to enjoy the lights etc , don't know how much I'd buy . Might not be viable this year , I don;t think social distancing would be easy .

Hopefully (restrictions permitting) a trip to London shopping and something at the theatre .

Don;t buy Christmas magazines . They really don't change year on year and I don't change what I cook . I bought Good Housekeeping but I could only find the smaller sized one , I felt cheated

Use the Easter weekend to try out a few recipes . I want to make some Danish Pastries , the recipe involves a lot of resting and rolling the dough so it can be prepared ahead , . The idea of Cinnamon Buns on Christmas Morning always appeals but I've never got further than Jus-Rol .

I'll keep DS and DD presents as before I buy them toiletries , underwear , pyjamas/loungewear and sweets . DS likes money (fair enough) DD usually gives me a list

2020 Christmas sort of came and went really . I don't think 2021 Christmas will be any more eventful .

Hopefully we'll be able to have family over for the day again.

I missed cooking a big turkey and laying on a lovely meal. The gammon joint we did just for the 4 of us just didn't feel very Christmassy in the end.

Go back to having extended family over on Christmas Eve (homemade pies and desserts) and then Christmas Day just the three of us. This year we entertained on Christmas Day and it was nice but I prefer a more low key one.

I also want to declutter DD’s stuff in November as she will be 8 just before Christmas and our house (which isn’t small) feels rammed full even now.

Love this thread 👏

Last year, I remembered to order the kids’ Christmas pyjamas and bedding from Asda in the first week of September. We also bought our first artificial tree and it’s so much easier than a real one (it was a 7ft one from White Company and 2000 cluster lights, which looked beautiful).

I really wish I’d ordered the M&S tartan family pyjamas, as when I tried in November, they’d all sold out! So that’s on my early ordering list for this year.

We had Christmas lunch from Cook last year. Worked really well, so I’ll repeat that this year.

Also, the large rolls of wrapping paper from Waitrose are perfect for Santa presents. Great kids’ stocking fillers from Primark 👏

I’ve already booked our Christmas activity tickets, so I’m hoping there won’t be a repeat of last year’s many cancellations.

Ooooo 1 thing I’ve just remembered... I booked haircuts for my DH and DS’s for the few days before Christmas... then lockdown just before meant that everyone had crazy messy hair, so that’s top of the list for early December 😂

Not have to do the main meal. Yippee!
The family alternates, and it isnt my turn!

Bite the bullet with secret santa.
We are an ever expanding family, not complaining, but several have been wanting secret santa for a while.
So I think I will have to give in.

No idea how it will work in practice though. Not sure I have ever been involved in any secret santa, and some people, myself included, may still want to give extra presents to people. I may need some help on this at some point!

Got some things totally right las Christmas so will do them again.
•Had real tree delivered from local forest - it was amazing!
• Went out for country pub meal Xmas eve, definitely doing that again!
• Ate our Xmas dinner in the evening, made the day much more relaxing.

Will try and get to church Christmas Eve afternoon this year. Will also plan a countryside dog walk for Christmas morning.

I want to have fish and chips this Christmas Eve. Totally random, but love the idea of no cooking or clean up 🐟🍟

Sounds good @RoseDelatour. Just placemarking really, need to think about this... Buy less food - I cut down a bit last year, but it was still too much.

I love this thread. Mainly just placemaking for ideas but this year I plan on buying more chocolate/desserts. My dd has outgrown her nut allergy and I can't wait for her to experience more Xmas food. For the 1st time she can have a selection box. I also plan on spending it just me, dh and the kids. It's so much more relaxing.
I'm going to try and use less plastic.
Try and get dh more involved in the build up.
Get some outdoor lights.
Get the kids to make grandparents presents as they went down a treat last year.

We plan to change it a bit this year, eat main meal on Christmas Eve and have left over turkey Christmas Day with rolls and trimmings and have a no fuss lunch.
Hope to get back to the Christmas Eve church service as we missed it this year.

I too have to cut down on the sweet treats as we had these well in to the end of January.

I was wrapped and organised early and plan to do the same as we enjoyed the run up more.

Buy M&S food again, cauliflower cheese was good, cold platters but stick away from the desserts as too creamy and sweet for us.

Can’t wait for Christmas omg!!!!

I’d love not to host it this year. Last year we cooked way too much and had soooo many leftovers.
We also lost the pudding. Literally no idea what happened to it.

I want to try put up decorations earlier!

Get new Xmas jumpers for us and the dog!

Would love to order Chinese for Xmas like they do in the movies but SO isn’t really on board haha

Oh and try not to eat the whole advent calendar in the first week of December!

I’m hoping we can have one family over for either Christmas Day or Boxing Day depending on how things pan out virus wise.
No cards apart from a few special ones where I know relatives really value them
Buffet Christmas Eve, Christmas lunch and a curry for Boxing Day.
Wrap everything by December so plenty of time for drop offs etc.

We had a cheese and meat board with baguettes and wine for xmas eve last year so we will do that again. Remember to start watching xmas films earlier because only got around to watching 3 or 4. Dont buy cheap chocolate but also dont buy too much chocolate (is there such a thing?!) Buy more alcohol and snacky bits to pick at over the in-between week.