Being prepared in case of shortages

[GoldStarAngel]

We have an artificial tree. I have wrapping paper and sellotape and stocking gifts all sorted plus some potential big gifts just in case that I will roll over for birthdays if we can get what they ask Santa for nearer the time. I also have bought crackers and tree chocolates. Not concerned re Turkey as any roast dinner would do. What else haven’t I thought of that I might be sad not to have if there are shortages?
(Caveat - I know of the shelves are bare then Christmas is the least important thing, and o know that we are lucky to be able to afford this in advance)

I might stock up with best sausages and streaky bacon for Ps in Bs - I always make my own anyway, dead easy.

I’ve already made a big batch of Delia’s mincemeat, might need to stock up on dried fruit for the puds, though.

Yep indeed it did

I could also do Christmas tomorrow if need be as I have everything we need with the exception of chocolate coins and Christmas themed chocolates, though we have plenty of Halloween themed ones so the DCs will be happy. Any thing else I buy is purely extra or indulgent. If there is one thing I want to buy it’s pigs in blankets for the DCs as they love them but given they pull the bacon off and eat them separately I’m sure sausages and bacon will be just fine for them.

Not bothered at all. Will make do with what’s available. Why are people stressing about this in September?

I can't see anyone stressing. Lots of people start planning Christmas in September if not earlier, it's an expensive time of year and makes sense to spread the cost, even without shortages and pandemics

@FrownedUpon

Not bothered at all. Will make do with what’s available. Why are people stressing about this in September?

I'm not stressed at all. I love planning for Christmas and I would find it far more stressful to leave it to the last minute.

I noticed some nice Italian biscuits in Lidl yesterday and have bought a selection and put them aside for Xmas. Then I noticed some pannettone in TK Maxx. We could also do Xmas tomorrow now, with what we have in the larder and freezer.

If you don’t like this thread just hide it …. Don’t post on it with your mean and moaning comments.

Lidl also have liebkuchen and stollen in stock - I have hidden those away to produce when we go for the drive in panto

I got some chocolate mints from M and S and Baci from TK Maxx.

@FrownedUpon

Not bothered at all. Will make do with what’s available. Why are people stressing about this in September?

No stress here, I've been planning Christmas since April

Christmas planning is my down time happy place.

90% of kids pressies done. I'm not going overboard this year. We always put the order in with the butcher in about now to collect and freeze because a turkey roll is miles cheaper in September than it is in December. I'd have lasagna for Christmas so I'm not arsed about that really anyway. Christmas lights were booked in April. Santa visit booked in August it's just the fluff and twitches I need to do now.

I mean, I guess food that won't go off?

If everyone is healthy and well it's just another day. If you need all these other things theres something missing. The fact that a post was created about it says a lot.

I'm pretty sure buying a few treats in advance to enjoy with your family doesn't mean that being with your family is less important to you! We always start about now, buying one or two Christmas treat bits with each weekly shop so we don't notice the extra cost. It wouldn't ruin my day if I couldn't have Marks and Spencer's shortbread, but luckily I have it already!

I'm reasonably prepared, I've always started present buying around this time of year and non-perishable food buying purely to spread the cost and because I like feeling organised. This year I started earlier than normal and bought my first Christmas present in July but that was because I love planning for Christmas and I needed some cheering up after a crappy first half of the year.

If there's anything you'd be really upset if you didn't have or couldn't get I'd get it now for peace of mind to be honest but I agree that if worst comes to worst there's something to be said for having a quiet, more reflective Christmas. I've got DDs' main presents and a few stocking fillers already and a few treats for the food cupboard (Quality Street, posh crisps etc) and we have decorations in the loft so we could make it work and if the adults go without or we have cheese on toast for Christmas dinner then so be it, I'd be ok with that as long as DDs still have a special time. To be honest, just cuddling under blankets on the sofa, lighting a few candles and watching Christmas films sounds pretty lovely.

@Ingleduh

The only consumables that make Christmas for me are pigs in blanket il get a pack of them premade for the freezer but otherwise I'm not doing anything different to usual!

LOL said exactly the same here I could put anything else on the table and DC wouldn't care as long as there were pigs in blankets and gravy!

Our kids also like pigs in blankets, but we can make them if needed (and we have a pack in the freezer from last year)

We didn't usually give them a lot of biscuits and chocolate, it's nice to have some in ready.

@Mantlemoose

If everyone is healthy and well it's just another day. If you need all these other things theres something missing. The fact that a post was created about it says a lot.

And the fact you post on it says a lot more.

People enjoy planning for Christmas and I like reading about it, what's wrong with that?

Not bothered at all about the alleged food shortages...we don't buy traditional Xmas food anyway. And I always have at least a dozen bottles of gin in the house 😀

Not too worried about potatoes, carrots and sprouts- surely in the UK in December these will be the most likely to be available vegetables. We have pork so buying that soon (we have 3 freezers!).
I want to get all the presents bought soonish though.

@Mantlemoose

If everyone is healthy and well it's just another day. If you need all these other things theres something missing. The fact that a post was created about it says a lot.

It's not just another day in our family. It's special and important. And the whole of advent is very busy.

And I like to plan. Last year we had an awful time from mid November onwards. If I hadn't been prepared, Christmas wouldn't have happened, and it wouldn't have been fair on my small DC.

If everyone is healthy and well it's just another day. If you need all these other things theres something missing. The fact that a post was created about it says a lot.

Last year, we lost four loved ones to Covid. One of them was my DH’s oldest friend and we’re still watching his DP unravel, day by day. We don’t ‘need’ anything, but there’s absolutely no way I’m not going to grab hold of and treasure every single moment that I can with the rest of my loved ones. And if picking up a packet of pigs in September to stuff in the freezer to make sure my Christmas obsessed DH has a dinner he really enjoys, opposed to one that simply gets him through the day, then I’m going to do that. And I’m fairly sure that everyone else on here is just trying to make Christmas as happy and as normal as possible for their loved ones. So in the most festive way possible, why don’t you fa la la la la off to AIBU where I’m sure everyone will welcome your judgement?

“Grandma, what did you do during the great chipolata famine of 2021?”

@Mybalconyiscracking

“Grandma, what did you do during the great chipolata famine of 2021?”

Don't joke about serious things like chipolata shortages! 😱😱😱

I noticed today that my local Wilko was selling tubs of Quality Street for £7 each or two for £6.

That is not a typo.

Ffs seriously?