Best Christmas Tips - all in one place

[Kirst26]

I thought we could have a tips thread where we could share tips relating to Christmas budget, planning, food, household things etc all in one place that help remove stress and hassle!

Mine would be:

• Parboil the potatoes a day or 2 before Christmas and then keep them uncovered in the fridge, they develop a starchy crust that roasts up beautifully
• Stock up on bin bags, toilet roll, ibuprofen, ketchup etc before December, its an expensive enough month without having to get too many basics in as well
• Sign up for newsletters for places like Clinton Cards and you usually get 10% off your first order
• Start buying things like peanuts etc before the Christmas stuff hits the shops, it'll be cheaper if they aren't in Christmas packaging
• If you start buying non-perishable food early make sure to have a list where it can easily be ticked off so you don't end up duplicating things
• Plan the Christmas dinner out as soon as you know the weight of your turkey with resting time factored in - you'll soon notice if that would mean getting up at 4am and would be able to move eating time to later on in the day with no fuss. I have a full timetable typed up that I just amend the time I need to start putting things in depending on the turkey size - keeps me calm :)
• Check how long the meat will need to defrost as it always takes way longer than I think it will
• if gifting choccies etc, best tell the recipient not to keep it next to the fire/radiator

If anyone has any other top tips please share them here!

After all the cooking that will happen on Christmas day, make sure to plan something super easy for Christmas Eve tea. We always have a takeaway (fish and chips or a takeaway pizza - something that is unlikely to cause food poisoning for the next day...) but you could make and freeze something like a lasagne in advance ready to bung in the oven or some buffet bits like sausage rolls etc.

My rule is no turning on the oven and no dishes.

Last year I bought 6 bottles of prosecco in the supermarket 'buy 6 get 25% off' deal and stuck them all aside with some spare gift bags. I got them so that if we had unexpected visitors popping in with unexpected gifts (for some reason this was happening every year) I could sling a bottle into a gift bag and hand it over. I might get some small boxes of chocolate to add this year too.

It was also really useful when I needed to bulk out a gift and I could last minute add a bottle!

I swore last year that I would buy a tape dispenser for next Christmas, so cheers for the reminders

Use disposable Christmas wrapping paper for wrapping large and bulky items.

I have a Christmas notebook. Every year, I think of things to do, things I shouldn't do. If I don't write them down on the day, I forget and next year I can't remember anything.

We don't go overboard though. I think sometimes less is more.

Also, I heard that there may be shortages of stuff this year, so don't let small things ruin Christmas.

A few years ago, my daughter really wanted a Hatchimal and I couldn't get one anywhere. And, you know what, she was absolutely fine with another gift and got her Hatchimal the next year. It did not ruin Christmas!

@Brokenrecord3006

Last year I bought 6 bottles of prosecco in the supermarket 'buy 6 get 25% off' deal and stuck them all aside with some spare gift bags. I got them so that if we had unexpected visitors popping in with unexpected gifts (for some reason this was happening every year) I could sling a bottle into a gift bag and hand it over. I might get some small boxes of chocolate to add this year too.

It was also really useful when I needed to bulk out a gift and I could last minute add a bottle!

I swore last year that I would buy a tape dispenser for next Christmas, so cheers for the reminders

This is a really good idea!

Oh god, Christmas.

Welcome to the Christmas thread @Namebunny

My top tip for wrapping would be to use the ironing board… get it set up, sit on the sofa with a large glass of whatever you like and Love Actually or another great movie (Family Stone?) and actually enjoy the process! No bad back, as you can adjust the iron to whatever height you like 👍🏻

Family secret Santa for the adults. Loads of websites out there now that can help set it up and you can set a budget. people can put stuff on a wishlist to help their secret Santa choose.
We all meet up Xmas Eve afternoon. Everyone beings some food and drink and we exchange gifts. Means we all get to see each other over Christmas so no having to do multiple visits. Everyone gets a gift they want instead of multiple candles and pajamas.

I wrap as I go.

Last year, every time DS took his afternoon nap. I would put some Christmas music on, sit at the table with a nice cup of tea and wrap presents. I managed to keep on top of it this way.

Stick to the budget is the key point to me, I'm the one who easily spends much more than originally planned! Also keeping an eye on October and November discounts, the prices will go down beforehand and shortly afterand then there will be a rise. Definitely a right time to buy electronics or software. That's how I got my Photoworks update and a new fitness tracker last year and this year I'm planning to buy some Xmas gifts during these times. I also like the list of non-perishable food idea, sounds really helpful, thanks OP.

Quite a few of these mentioned by now, but here are mine:

• Stick to a present list and reduce your adult present where you can. I personally aim to buy all presents by the end of November. Black Friday is generally a con unless you're after specific tech type devices. I find there are more bargains earlier than later.

• Yes to tape dispenser, eco tape, also buying brown paper early if you want it (I ended up getting it late in a Post Office last year)

• Keep a couple of big plastic boxes in the cellar/loft/garage specifically for kids presents. Ours aren't see-through so he has no clue what's in them.

• Save Nectar points and use at Double Up week.

• Buy non perishables early so your Xmas big shop is reduced

• Prebook less trips not more - DS is 7 and after asking him he said he doesn't want to see Santa this year, as 'it's not the real one'. We're also stopping Christmas lights trips this year. We'll be going for more impromptu trips like to National Trust properties and maybe the Christmas markets as and when we feel up to it.

@FizzyDibdab

Use disposable Christmas wrapping paper for wrapping large and bulky items.

Good tip, I remember my family using Christmas paper table cloths for things like bikes.

We make Christmas slideshows with music and theme pictures instead of giving out cards. It takes no delivery time (obviously) and less wasteful. Besides, store bought cards are more or less the same so nothing unique about them, either. Also there are some nice ways to wrap gifts:
Family Secret Santa works great, too, especially if the budget is tight.

Been watching this thread, but suddenly realised that I'd not posted.

We always have a turkey crown. I cook it upside down (breastbone down), on a bed of sliced onions and carrots. 1 hour before it is done, I'll turn it the right way up, and cover the top with a lattice of smoked back bacon, which will then go all crispy, whilst the breast meat stays juicy.

We also have it with beef. Topside of beef, roasted to medium on the 23rd or Christmas Eve. When cold, slice and put in the fridge. On Christmas day, pop in the slow cooker, with a sauce of red wine, beef stock, herbs, with fried mushrooms and smoked bacon. Cook on low for about 8 hours. The beef slices are extra tasty, and any little bits are saved with the sauce to be frozen for pie fillings.

Lastly, I always cook my Christmas puddings first time in the slow cooker (overnight on low), then just use the microwave on Christmas Day.

My mouth is watering reading that!

You can cook the turkey overnight the night before and get it out in the morning. Tightly wrap in several layers of wide foil, then wrap and cover in old towels. It will stay hot for ages, rest and get juicy. Just add hot gravy and hot plates - no problem.

Particularly when the DC were younger, we’d build a couple of their toys before wrapping them (pick ones that are easy to wrap, or that you can make a sort of paper tent to go over easily!) That way, they can ply with something immediately, and it’ll buy you a little time on the day before they start hassling you to build the rest! Very important if you’re like me and need a good cup of coffee in the morning before you’re functional!

Yy to the tape dispenser, and gift app. I use Santa’s bag, and you can use it to keep gift ideas, set budgets and most important of all, where you’ve hidden the present!

We found having Christmas dinner later in the day (between 4 and 5) works best for us. No starting cooking too early, the kids are actually calmed down enough to sit and eat a meal by then, and the family members that pop over to swap presents are usually done by then. I usually put a tray of pastries and cinnamon buns out at breakfast time so we can just pick at them, and it keeps us going til the dinner. It always struck me that DM and MIL spent most of the morning in the kitchen to get the dinner ready for 1, which meant them missing presents being opened and half the excitement. For me, I miss nothing -
takes a minute to shove the turkey in and the presents are opened and being played with by the time I need to get the rest in the oven.

But gift bags - they can be reused and are easier than wrapping!

If you buy toys that are screwed into boxes and secured with plastic ties, open them early and remove all that crap, put the batteries in and then just slide them back in the box ready to be played with straight away at Christmas. Assemble anything you can in advance.

Don't eat all the Florentines and chocolate as soon as you've bought them. It's not economical or good prepping to have to buy them 4 times twice!

Tin foil roasting trays - hate washing up roasting tins.

@RockingMyFiftiesNot

My top tip really is to plan early - my OH complains

Easy to complain when all you do buy a present for one person - and that person does absolutely everything else that goes into making Christmas happen.....
Well maybe a bit more but they really don't get it do they?!

I used to leave everything to late November /December because it seemed wrong to start any earlier, but alongside working full time it was quite stressful. Then realising I would just have given birth by Christmas one year, I started in September and it was a revelation.

Yep, I sometimes think Christmas wouldn't happen if it wasn't for women..

I’ve had a couple of rare days off this week and I’ve used them to get some Christmas baking done and in the freezer, shopped for stocking fillers and planned out some of the hamper-style gifts I like to give. These are all activities that personally give me a great deal of pleasure but experience tells me that if I wait until late November, early December to do them, the days will fill up with other activities and the things I like doing will get squeezed out. So I’ve shrugged off the incredulous comments from family and got on with them. Now I won’t feel rushed and stressed when the diary fills up - I can enjoy the things I will be doing because I won’t be fretting over needing the time for so else.

Make sure you actually get what you want during the xmas period too (and I don't mean presents!). Don't spend all your time making it nice for everyone else and then not even get to enjoy and relax yourself! I was terrible at this for years and now I make sure we get one day at home lying around in PJs, watching xmas tv and not seeing or talking to anyone else!

Yes to foil dishes for Christmas dinner. And anything you haven’t made in advance and frozen just buy ready-made. Even if you genuinely enjoy cooking, it’s too stressful to do anything full-on on Christmas Day and you’ll miss out on all the fun.

Get the smallest turkey you can feasibly get away with, get it in the oven early and get it out to rest while you heat everything else up. Anything more than that is unnecessary.

We have foil trays here too, cooking Christmas dinner is knackering enough without all the clearing up! I never use them at other times of the year so I give myself a break at Christmas. I have started buying bits and pieces such as After Eights, tins of Quality Street, mulled wine, not a huge amount, I just add a box or a tin to the weekly shop.

Plan some self care time for yourself over the period too, a hot bath and a face mask, some nice wine, yummy snacks etc. Just a bit of quiet time in the midst of the madness. On the same note, try to get outside for fresh air as often as possible too.