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?

I'm going to look at mince pies today in the shops. Also I may even pick up a Christmas food leaflet from Sainsburys if I can find one.

DP’s birthday is at the beginning of December and we’re hoping to go on holiday in December also so ideally I’d like to be ready by 1st December to enjoy the month. I love wandering round the shops and markets knowing I’m finished and just soaking up the atmosphere.

So far I have lists for most people’s gifts but that’s about as far as I’ve got. Every year I envisage lovely hampers with homemade chutneys & fudge and well thought out gifts but usually it’s just me running around on Christmas Eve stressed. I’m counting on these threads to get my organised this year!

I work in a children’s home so as well as planning and executing the festive period in my own house I get to do it for work too. I’ve now received my rota and I’ll be working on Christmas Day. I really want this to be a Christmas to remember for our kids so I best get my thinking cap on!

Some presents are bought,

Have Christmas dinner in the freezer, just need to add a cheesecake and some chantenay carrots

have a couple of tubs of sweets (that may not survive Halloween)

I put all my Christmas plans in my Google calendar last night under a Christmas planning category. I spread the cost out each week.

I've had to buy a new tree and decorations this year as I had none last year as my stuff was in storage the year before and my tree and decorations got lost / damaged in a house move and with lockdown last year I didn't see getting decorations as a priority so I am part way through getting it all together.

I make my own cards so the physical cards and envelopes arrived a few days ago. I plan to have them all made and written by the end of the first week of November. Then post the first week of December.

I have some house stuff I need to get sorted out before all this as one bedroom needs cleared out so it can be painted, then a bed built etc. Then some stuff into the attic, and other stuff moved around a bit. I need help with this as I can't physically move things by myself.

Calculating how much wine I will need to cope with my mother for extended periods over the festive season...

On a more serious note...

Have started buying and putting aside foodie bits - naice biscuits, chocolate, cranberry sauce, savoury nibbles etc

Blew £60 in The Range last week on wrapping paper and yet more decorations I don't need.

Lined up a friend to go Christmas Market shopping with

Filled Kindle with festive/winter themed crime fiction

It's going to be our first Christmas without my DDad and it's just me DD17 and my mum so a bit apprehensive about how it'll pan out tbh.

I can only buy non perishable food right now, we’re trying to move and waiting on our buyer to sign documents etc. If it goes through we will probably move in early December 🤦‍♀️ I don’t think there will be enough wine on the planet 🌍.

December weekend in York is booked, I've never been before and I'm so excited! Bought quite a lot of the presents and have written a list so I know what everyone is getting, it's just a case of buying it now! Although, I am finding this slightly stressful because some of the items need to be bought nearer to Christmas as may need exchanging / returning.

Wrapping paper, ribbon and cards purchased - I didn't expect the JL wrapping paper I was eyeing to sell out so quickly (first world problem, I know) so as soon as it restocked I went for it.

As pp's have said, adding Christmas sweets and chocolates to my shop each week to stock up.

I’ve got a couple of presents hidden away (can still remember where!), have bought cards and made a load of mincemeat, ready for the first batch of mince pies on Dec. 1st.

But that’s it. Time to get cracking, now we’re halfway through October. It’s a proven fact that time whizzes by twice as fast as at any other time of year, once the pumpkins are in the shops. 🎃🎄. Oh, and once the John Lewis Christmas shop is open, of course.

Wow some of you are very organised.
DH is going for a bit of shopping I have suggested he goes to Booths to get me the Christmas Book as I am laid up with a very bad back. Then I can sit and drool and plan.

I have a on going diary which has my Christmas food list from the last two years in it with comments. Type of turkey and if too big etc. Last year we ordered a seafood platter which was great as we just put it in the middle and they helped themselves. Expensive but DH says he doesn’t mind paying for it and it was a lot less work for me. The vegan wasn’t home.
At present we are eating down the freezer food. The turkey is ordered at a local butcher and they buy local free range turkeys. We always have a gammon too cooked on Christmas Eve to save time and space. I have given up on Christmas pudding because only two of us like it so we have homemade Pavlova.

Minty We order ours from Naked Wines ( we used to get Rude Wines) so it comes by the case would that be enough. I don’t have any in laws or parents now. MILwas lovely, liked her own way sometimes but lovely. I found FIL harder work.

Chocoholicwifey York will be lovely. I have been to Harrogate before Christmas to go to the Country Living Christmas Fair and can recommend that but sadly it will be too many people for me this year. We did nearly all our Christmas present shopping there in 2019. It was wonderful. We went to Betty’s for afternoon tea the first day and walked around the window trail. Stunning creations which you can view some of on line.

I don’t really have anything to plan. I only need to get a couple of gifts for DH & DD (19) but it’s her Birthday at the end of November so I need to sort her Birthday gift first.

A pre Christmas meal needs to be booked for DH & me. DD is not good with eating out. She has Aspergers so doesn’t like the being out part and she has a limited repertoire food wise.

I will get a few treats in but mostly we eat the same.

I do want to get some more window lights.

That’s it. Really very little to plan. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm buying bits but reading this, I need to get a wriggle one. Which I will, as I LOVE Christmas

Adding to my list of recipes i want to try this year.
So far i want to make
Mince pies - got mincemeat in yesterday shopping. Might bling it up a bit when i go to use it.
Florentines
Cookies/shortbread cos kids can help
Cranberry sauce. Though the cranberries arent easy to come by though.

I made a massive dent in my Christmas shopping yesterday - has really got me in the mood! I've made a list of what is left and am going to get it next week after I've been paid. Feels good to be organised this year. I've also done the pre-Christmas de clutter.

All of the activities we want to do are booked, next job is clearing some space in the freezer and cupboard, making a list of food to buy and starting to get a few bits of long life and freezable food. Will be lovely to be able to just relax and enjoy December...

One adult child has told is their plans...they live with fiancé so independent
Other adult child who is married hasn't yet
I'll be going with the flow!

Christmas shopping blitzed last weekend, that's all presents bought now but sadly not wrapped 😩 M&S Christmas food order is in and I made a special trip to Lakeland to buy a new dinner set, table cloth, crackers, etc. Also booked a couple of Christmas experiences for DS. I start a new job at the end of November and didn't want the distraction of Christmas prep in my first few weeks, so if I can bottom out the wrapping before then I'll be looking forward to just sitting back and enjoying the experience in December 🤞☺️

I ordered DD2’s main present today, perfume.

@Redsquirrel5 I use Naked Wines too but as I've just left my job to go freelance have paused my subscription.

Ironically a reserve case of 6 bottles of my absolute favourite red (Carlos Rodriguez Morum Rioja 2016) had already been despatched so that's a start!

After much deliberation we've opted for Christmas Dinner at my mums rather than going out. The expense and the risk of a last minute issue or people rocking up full of lurgy because they don't want to lose their money put us off in the end.

Mum's going to prep the veg the day before and I'll cook on the day. We're going to be terrible people and buy a job lot of foil trays to cook it all in as neither of us has a dishwasher.

DD is looking forward to Christmas Eve which is our special time. We've both just rediscovered a love of jigsaws so I'm going to order a lovely Christmas one I've seen. Hopefully we'll manage a beach walk, brunch then home for a pamper sesh, jigsaw, Christmas film and baked cheese!

I've also bought the box set of That's Entertainment, the documentary about classic musicals which used to be on every year. I used to love watching it with my dad who passed away in May so that'll be a lovely way to remember him this Christmas.

Have lists of Christmas present possibilities but holding off buying atm until I see how work takes off.

I’ve just finished off the last of my Christmas shopping with a New Look sales order for DD and her friends. Got plenty of cards from last year to use and wrapping paper in from Paperchase. We are going to in-laws for Christmas Day so one less day to worry about. I’ve got a big veg box coming from Abel and Cole and a few naice ready meals for the days either side.

I’ve ordered and received quite a few presents
Booked my supermarket slot

Ordered the grub. Going to start pressie shopping this week.

[quote BatFinksWings]@Tanfastic my DS will be just turned 15 at Christmas and I put the following in his stocking ...

Xbox thumb grips
Various sweets
Pringles
Can of drink
Aftershave
The matching deodorant
Fiddle type toys
Blu tac
Slime
A money puzzle cube with 20 quid note in it

Just fun bits really. [/quote]
Thanks for this 👍🏻

Turkey and desert ordered from m&S
Some food treats put away
Ocado Xmas food delivery booked
Xmas cards and gift wrap bought
Most gifts bought and wrapped
Xmas cook books purchased
Not much left to do really :)
Kids are older now so no panto or anything need booking

Panto booked (surprise for DC)
Some treats put away. Need to put them in a less visible place as DH will eat them...
Chicken and gammon in freezer
List for Waitrose written to buy with voucher
Crackers bought
Gift bags bought
Few stocking bits bought
Jumper and snood for DH bought

Quite a bit still to do ...

MintyCedric ah well at least you have some. I will write that done. DH has a list of the ones we have enjoyed most.
We’ll be having it here. DS1 &DS2 have hosted it when I wasn’t well and when I had one arm in a cast and the other in a splint.
I quite like cooking Christmas Dinner.
We like jigsaws and last year we did the ones I bought the children years ago. We got through 6 so we have another 6 to do. I collected the Twelve Day’s of Christmas jigsaws. Some of those are available on eBay. Some are really beautiful so worth a look.
I have a friend who likes jigsaws so we swop every time we finish a new one.

@Redsquirrel5 ooh they sound good. I must dig out my dad's old ones and will also suggest a swap arrangement with my best mate .

I've bought this one...

I enjoy doing the Christmas Dinner too...I'd rather be in my home if I'm honest but mum's kitchen is better for cooking a big meal and I'll have the excuse of popping back to feed the cats if I need a break...she's only round the corner.

I hope you have a healthier Christmas this year!