Where are you with your Christmas planning?

[BatFinksWings]

Figured I can ask this in here without being lynched 😀

I've started buying the kids gifts - they're 23 and 14 so hopefully their tastes won't change too much in the next couple of months.

I've made a start on food. I predict issues come December so I've already got my joint of beef, chicken and turkey crown in the freezer along with sausage rolls, vegetarian mains and other bits and pieces

I've bought most of my chocolates/ Percy pig goodies / tins of sweets/ cheese biscuits tin. I've also bought wax wrapped cheeses as they're dated so well

Soooo .... am I the only nutter who does this?

Nowhere. Not done a thing. And not planning to for a while.

I've done nothing, yet. I'm usually super organised but the last few years I'd found myself to be 'too organised', to the point where I'd have everything done by November and then be sat through the whole of December feeling like I'd already done Christmas.

The plan this year was originally hold off until November but now with particular concerns over shipping/brexit issues (especially due to where I live in the UK) I feel like I really should start.

So, the new plan is to try and get the majority of the kids presents bought this month/first two weeks of Novemer (ie the main gifts), so if there are issues, the main things are already bought anyway. Other gifts can wait until the end of November/start of December.

We get our turkey from a local butcher so we'll put that order and pay the deposit in when the list opens. Not worried about the rest of the food shop as I work in food retail so I can get first dibs on anything I need and I'm fully aware of stock issues in advance .

I'll be researching and booking Christmas activies from now, really. The place we went last year for the Santa trail/Santa hasn't opened their Christmas bookings yet so I'll book as soon as they do. It's our main one we like to go to so anything else will be a bonus.

I think the thing that is bothering the most is that our Christmas rota hasn't been decided yet. So I can't plan Christmas Eve/Boxing Day until I know when/if I'm working. Hopefully that will be ironed out over the next few weeks.

I managed to get an Xbox series x so DS15 sorted.

Ordered M&S food.

Christmas meal, veg and trimmings ordered (Donald Russell)
Cracker fillers bought

We aren’t buying presents this year, it’s only me and DH plus my mum and we have agreed that we don’t really need any more things. I prefer Christmas for the food and booze 😂

Alcohol will be ordered when there is a 25% off offer
Starting next week I’ll start buying non perishables and stash them away

this afternoon I’m starting on clearing out the cupboards and fridge (still got piccalilli in there from last Christmas!)

Christmas cake to be made probably next weekend 👍

I've made a list, that is it.

Today:
I have bought underwear for DS Dec 1st Box
A bottle of non-alcohol Mulled Wine ( for effect )

Hi @TheLazyChef - here's my Cook order. I'm buying chicken elsewhere for Christmas Day and just need to cook roasties and buy cranberry sauce.

The fish pie and chicken bites are for Christmas Eve.

We'll make a ham for Boxing Day 😊

Not actually bought anything yet, but plan to buy things that we like at Christmas that have long sell by dates with our weekly shopping, like chestnuts for the sprouts and chestnuts side dish, Christmas pudding, if it’s long dated enough, and cheese biscuits, nice family biscuits selection, after eights, quality street, Christmas crackers, that sort of thing.

We’ve always been quite late in our family to get our present wish lists in (we find it easier to do a list of about 10 things each so we won’t know which we are getting but we know it’s something we want) normally around end of November, but this year with the worry about supplies and things being slower to arrive and delays, we’ve already made our lists and given them out. I got a Christmas planner from home bargains so I can keep track.

Ooh I got my Advent Calendar today ( chocolate one )
Need to ask DS and DD which they want .

Ordered my meat from Donald Russell (coming in November to give me time to clear the freezer a bit) Got most of my sweets. Bought my husband's presents (and wrapped them the other day; I had nothing else to do, and it means I don't have to hide them away) I've just got to sort my SIL's presents.

Bought/ordered all the stocking fillers for DC yesterday so once they come I will wrap them and put them away. Have refined the list for their remaining presents as there were too many things on the list. I have been more careful in recent years not to buy too much. And a benefit of shortening the list is that it’s easier for me to have a look online every few days to see if any of the toys are on offer.

I've started lists for everyone I need to buy for and ordered a few things online. We've agreed on who we're seeing and when.
I'm glad to have made a start.

DH & DS presents bought, DS stocking mostly done, got his advent calendar. I've ordered the tree, turkey and salmon side and booked supermarket deliveries. Got most of the booze and sweets, got panettone. Got extra decorations. Already have tons of wrapping paper from last year. Got more ribbon. No cards yet - usually buy from Oxfam, but no Christmas stuff on their site as yet.

I have started to get presents for other relatives, that's the main thing I've got left to do. Think I'll be done by end of October

I've made a list so just waiting for my PIP on Wednesday to press buy
Also have to get DS2 birthday gifts for November 8th
No food yet

Today's a good day- my 'spend local' card has arrived. Our government is 'giving' everyone over the age of 18 a pre loaded gift card of £100 to spend in 'local' stores (so not online, basically) to give the economy a kick start. I say 'giving' because we'll be all paying it back with NI and tax but it's came at a good time with it being a few months before Christmas. Myself and my partner will be spending ours on making a dent our DDs' Christmas presents. So we'll have to go to some toy shops over the next week or two and pick some things up. Think I'll spend my evening having a look what's available this year and write lists for each DD and then go and see if we can find it!

I've also started looking at advent calendars as I like getting the kids ones with toys. Found DD1s one, finding DD2s more difficult as she's only 1. So I think it'll have to be one with books.

I'm thinking about buying some electronics I'm gong to give out as gifts since the prices will go up soon. Also have my eye on these adorable lights- www.amazon.com/Snowflakes-Christmas-Snowflake-Controller-Decorations/dp/B095LD8GDG/ref=sr_1_50?dchild=1&keywords=christmas+lights&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1633953980&sr=8-50
Haven't thought about meals or party acitivites yet, though I'm already on my christmas collage app making cards as I hate the ones that are in stores every year. Will have to find a place that does decent printing for reasonable prices.

I've got most of the cousins & aunties type presents, now just the big stuff to buy.
DC need some laptops/family pc for homework so that's next on the list (possibly a Black Friday purchase).
This morning I bought some lovely incense sticks and anklets for teen DD & adult DD's stockings and some mini bath bombs for advent calendar pockets.

I'm off work today so I've spent it sorting out the rest of my Christmas present shopping. There is ONE THING out of stock which is the only thing stopping me being able to say I'm done. So annoying. 😂

I have just ordered DS2 a silver bracelet from Pig and hen
They have a good selection of rope and a nice leather one too
Customer service and reviews are good and delivery is free

Completely finished!!
Only need the fresh veg for Christmas dinner :)
It's our first Christmas at home as a family so I'm taking zero chances of missing things 😂

I have four significant family members' birthdays in December as well as Christmas. I also live an expensive trip away from them. I've now got everything bought and made, just have to wrap everything before I visit them all in a couple of weeks. Trying to get my head around Christmas food as last year I was on my own with a Weight Watchers microwave meal! 😂

Lists started. Inspired by the christmas threads lol. Decided i want all presents sorted by end nov. All house stuff the same. Sitting having a spot of lunch by myself and enjoying being child free after a very trying day yesterday with them that left me bawling on dp before i hit toy shop to get the main bits in.

Sorted out our M&S food order online as soon as it released as last year the pick up ended up being a few days before and we usually prefer pick-up on Christmas Eve, so that's at least sorted. Popped into the store at M&S and picked up a few things, percy pig stocking fillers, tinned shortbread, choc coins, turkish delight and a small £10 box of chocs, they, the chocs, unfortuantly have since disappeared . Got our Christmas cards from Costco along with two large tins of quality street, one is for older brother. The large tins always remind me of my childhood and is now a must....the plastic smaller one's just don't give the same feeling.

As for actual gifts, haven't started, no idea what to get anyone. Son is in his first year of uni and will be coming home so that's exciting, think he'll get a replacement iphone as his current one has for some reason always had issues, its only two years old as well. I have two brothers, one is special needs and lives with us so again no idea what to get him this year. Last year he had an ipad and loved it. Other brother we shall probably just get a hamper or something. Parents in law, no idea at all. Hubby's brother and his wife and children, no idea at all. I have no family alive above me, haven't had for almost 10 years which is rather sad but it does make me appreciate the family around me that I do have.

Bought probably just over half the presents
Sorted out who is coming over on Xmas day/Boxing day
Ordered M&S food
Still have wrapping paper from last year and I think cards as well
Bought a new fridge to replace unreliable old one

I've got a list of food and drink to start buying in advance when they go on offer. I make my own vegan alternative to Quality Street etc by buying various wrapped confections and putting them in a vintage tin, got two flavours so far. Unfortunately the Pringles I bought seem to have already disappeared...
Still need to buy a new oven as the fan has gone, and aiming to sort the rest of the presents by the end of November.