Organised Christmas people - tips for next year!

[1AngelicFruitCake]

Please help
No matter how hard I try I still seem to be shopping last minute, wrapping on Christmas Eve, not having spare presents for neighbours who pop round. What are all of your secret tips? I’ve never shopped in September for example but should I?

Get a new job and then spend the entire of your 3 month notice period sorting out all of your life admin, including Christmas. Start your new job in early December and relax...

-Buy nice cards as soon as I see them and keep a stash (applies to bday and thank you cards too)
-Keep a notepad on my phone & record ideas if ppl mention a hobby or something they need
-Close family send wish lists in Nov
-Buy all gifts on internet weeks in advance
-Food prep on Xmas Eve.
-Fabric to wrap gifts, much quicker and nicer
-Budgetted a monthly amount of income to put away into a xmas gift spending pot.
-Keep it simple. Don't go overboard.

Get a Christmas notebook and make notes about things, so next year you can remember everything.

Use double sided tape for wrapping presents. You don't need scissors so it's easier and quicker. Plus it looks neater as it's hidden.

An app on my phone. I add ideas to it throughout the year. I can also go back and see what I bought each person in previous year so can duplicate (or not duplicate) a gift.
I can label each gift as an idea / to buy / ordered/ to wrap / wrapped / to send etc
I also have separate sections for DD, DDstocking and DDbirthday etc.
I definitely spent less using it as I make fewer impulse purchases that I later regret and it totals up spending. It also reminds me of presents I’d bought in the summer or in sales and hidden away. If I see an idea whilst out or in tv or in a magazine I add it as an idea.

I start on it in January, but just as part of my rolling year so it's not too onerous. I am planning a sales attack in the next week for wrap, cards , gift bags etc. But I will also look for decorations- if I see a good deal I will get multiples as I often give these as small colleague gifts (they go down well) I have a 'Christmas cupboard' at home and I stash stuff away in there. I always keep an eye out for nice reasonable candles, Reed diffusers, biscuits with long dates etc. I dont drink so any gifted wine goes in there as well to be regifted. When I see things through the year that I know people would like, I buy it and stash it away. Food wise, from about September i start to add small things to my food shop. Cranberry sauce, pickles, crackers for cheese, crisps etc I keep them in a seperate area. This means that my final shop before Christmas is fairly quick as it's only fresh stuff. Some years I have bought £2 food stamps at Morrisons or Asda as they save up to be your Christmas shop at the end of the year. I cant do this anymore as my main shop is Lidl. My mum taught me all this, I grew up on benefits so she had to be inventive and spread it out through the year. Our Christmases were fab because of her. I am now financially secure and could actually afford to not do all this but to me its what makes Christmas good, the sort of always having one eye on it through the year.

@TableSetting

An app on my phone. I add ideas to it throughout the year. I can also go back and see what I bought each person in previous year so can duplicate (or not duplicate) a gift. I can label each gift as an idea / to buy / ordered/ to wrap / wrapped / to send etc I also have separate sections for DD, DDstocking and DDbirthday etc. I definitely spent less using it as I make fewer impulse purchases that I later regret and it totals up spending. It also reminds me of presents I’d bought in the summer or in sales and hidden away. If I see an idea whilst out or in tv or in a magazine I add it as an idea.

This sounds really helpful! What is the app called please?

Write down now what you need to buy/didn't buy/had too much off this year while it's still fresh. So buy more foil, don't buy gift bags.

Add the names of people who gave you cards who aren't on your list to your list, before you take the cards down.

As you put things away have a labelled "1st of December" Box that has the advent calendars, cards, wrapping paper etc in it so that it comes down first before the decorations and you can do all the cards etc before putting the tree up.

Pick up wrapping paper, gift bags & cards in the new year sales and put them away with the decorations so you don’t need to buy them next year.

Buy stamps for cards if you post them and pack those away with the cards too.

Start buying little gifts throughout the year, useful for last minute birthdays too if you have a stash of things hidden away.

Next year I’m going to wrap things as I go rather than ending up with a huge pile to do in one go.

Go out for xmas lunch. We did it this year for the first time and it was so stress free. No worrying about xmas slots or subs that would ruin xmas dinner. No need to keep clearing the dining table and cleaning the kitchen!

Buy & wrap as you go.
And buy all gifts by end of Nov.

The app I use is called Santas Bag but there are others which are probably not so Xmas based however I still use it year round and simply add my recipient names as DD Birthday or DD ideas.

I’m feeling a bit of a fraud posting here when I’m also in the adhd/disorganised Christmas thread too, but I have to plan ahead and use strategies to get it all done.

My top tip is to sit down and write a note to future me about how things went. Otherwise I’m guaranteed to repeat my mistakes!

For the dc, I take a photo on my phone when they like something in a shop. It helped when they were small to get out of the shop without buying but it builds up a bank of gift ideas. The big gift I leave until the end of November.

Saving is essential - find a way that works for you - supermarket club, revolut vault, or a tin you have to break to open - and start now.

For awkward last minute gifts, pick something longish dated that isn’t obviously a Christmas gift, so you can use them for birthday gifts if necessary - wine, posh chocolates, tea, and wrap. I keep one by the door and one in my car.

I keep a running list on my phone so I can refer to it in shops, and as I get older and perimenopausal it’s even more important to keep track. On it I have in bold print everyone I’m buying for and their budget. I put ideas in italics (and add to the list whenever I get an idea for them), then as I buy I put that in, and the cost.

For the dc I have sub categories like main gift/stockings/Christmas clothes (jumper/pjs)/ gifts from other relatives (who delegate to me)

The list is called “cleaning supplies” to deter the curious

I have a separate list for food, treats, paper, cards.

I’d love a beautiful Christmas notebook but having these things on my phone mean they are always with me.

Get the list organised now.

I'll start saving for next year's Christmas in January.

Decorations will be packed away in boxes by room so easy to put up next year.

I have a Christmas Day timed to do list which I will tweak with any changes to timing etc. and save it for next year.

I have another to do list which has everything on it for Oct - Dec to include things like making the Christmas cake and ordering the cheese.

Christmas shopping complete by end November.

Early December is for things that can be made ahead - red cabbage, gravy etc. Also do an early shop for anything non-fresh or that can be frozen so that only really fresh veg needed close to the day.

Set aside time to wrap early in December. Sort presents by tree presents and stockings. Each person gets their own wrapping paper so things don't get mixed up.

Make sure housework complete by 23rd so Christmas Eve clear for fun things and veg prep only.

Couple of extra things- I buy a roll of wide ribbon and tie big bows on gifts. It’s a very easy way to step up your wrapping and make them look fabulous.

Some things need to be bought at certain times before they sell out - jumpers and pjs from mid sept/early October. Gingerbread houses (ikea/flying tiger) October/early November. Lego advent calendar/beauty advent September. Lights and garlands tend to sell quickly too.

If you enjoy bargain hunting the best sales are in March and September. March is better for end of winter stock. The bargain threads and prequel are worth watching. Now is the time for crackers/napkins/paper/bags/cards.

For family, create an organized list of presents so you can track what you have got and for whom. It helps me to ensure that I’m not giving unbalanced gifts (eg more to DS than DD). As part of this I like to try to plan using the ‘something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read’ rhyme. There are longer versions as well.

Keep track of what you were given this year so you can reciprocate accordingly next year.

Keep a list of who you sent cards to and who sent them to you.

Make a debriefing/lessons learned list - what worked and what didn’t work this year to inform you next year.

We shop very early on.
I've already started my Amazon saved list for next year.

Stocking bits I get all year around. Clothing because I buy the next size up. My younger children are easy to plan ahead because we pretty much choose there list and one has very small interests.

Gift wrap, cards etc I'll be purchasing over the next week. To put away.

We have large plastic boxes. One for each child and another for extended family gifts.

We start buying bits of food for Christmas around September/October depending on dates.

Other then that we save x amount every month to pay for other presents for those we don't buy during the year.

Early winter, eat your freezer empty. You might have a few odd meals but you make room, eat all the odds n ends and save shopping trips.

Batch cook, freeze portions and plan leftovers. Eg leftover extra veg = next day frittata.

Meal plan and don’t shop like you’re feeding the 5 thousand. Shops are only shut for 1 day (mostly). Any way, big J managed with a couple of loaves and fish!

Don’t stress about the ‘special’ meals. How many of us are craving egg & chips / beans on toast by the end of Boxing Day….

January sales get the stockings and stocking fillers in one hit when you have a free day or do it online like I did at toys for a pound. Also buy aload of sellotape,gift tags, christmas cards and wrapping paper. Stamps to if you have to post anything. Pop them all away somewhere you'll remember and if you forget pop a reminder in your phone to locate it in November/December. If you hate shopping on the high street like me in September/October buy for all children online entertainer/Smyths or Argos, it will all arrive in one hit in a huge box that hopefully you'll have storage room for. October/November do exactly the same for any adults,one hit online same place like Very or Argos or go to a supermarket one night with a list. 1st December buy all your non perishables including Christmas drink and crackers. Shove it all in the shed or garage. Pre order your Christmas meat from a local butcher to collect 22/24 Dec. 21st December do your food shop or book it online, Iceland always have delivery slots of you get stuck and milk and more are good for last minute bits. This was you spread you costs and stress levels stay low so you can enjoy everything alot better. I wrap everything on my day off when the kids are at school while I watch films and listen to music..good luck for 2022!

Honestly, having done the “big” Christmas every year for years and planned with military precision, next year I am scaling back so that I don’t have so much to organise. Starting too early just means overspending for me, and complete burnout by Christmas Eve. It has turned into a performance now and I would like to keep it in proportion next year.

I bought all of the main gifts online this year and it was so much easier - better variety , better price etc . I didn't stress my mind agonising over whether this was THE best present for them - I don't mean I didn't give any thought at all but I didn't overthink . Everyone was really happy with their gifts. All stocking presents were again either bought in TK Max or supermarkets. Food was ordered as soon as the dates came out . I didn't dither about which supermarket to go with - saw a dessert I liked the look of and ordered from that place which happened to be Sainsbury . We had frozen veg this year and that has been in the freezer for a couple of weeks and it was good . I have a Christmas paper wrapping box and it has everything in it - paper, sellotape, pens, gift tags, Christmas cards etc and it made it so much easier this year . I didn't actually buy any new paper etc as I had enough left from last year . I will be looking to replenish this in the next week or so when they sell it all off.We've entertained two different sets of family and it has all gone well - a combo of me cooking and eating out . I've taken a more laid back approach this year and it feels good .

For people who you tend to buy similar for (neighbours, family friends etc) I always leave these until the last minute but just end up buying biscuits, am I missing a trick? Is there a magic box of biscuits that you always buy people? Never know which ones to buy!
It doesn't matter which you buy. No big deal. Just buy something as soon as they are available, wrap and put in a bag.

how do you know what your own children want so early?
Ask them for a list end of November. Listen to them over the preceding months talking about what they like.

do you buy gift bags in the sale? People always seem to have nice gift bags!
Waste of money and not very green. Loads of places sold nice totally recyclable paper this year. Buy that in the sales now.

Buy your Christmas cards this week.

I like to have all my shopping finished or ordered by 1st December.

The kids have a big bag each (bag for life type from toys r us) all their presents go in there. They both have a smaller Disney store one each for stocking gifts. There’s also another large bag that presents from other people go in, all kept in the loft.

When everyone’s presents have arrived I do a couple of afternoon wrapping sessions, I have an hour and a half spare a couple of times a week before the nursery and school run.

They’re all stored in the loft. Usually it’s a weight off my mind when I know everything is wrapped.

The house is decorated on 1st December and I start getting shelf stable bits in the weekly shop as soon as they appear. Last shop for us is always 22nd Dec as Christmas starts here 23rd.

Make lists, lists of ideas, lists of presents bought, update those when delivered and wrapped. Meal plan, buy anything ‘must have’ as early as you can.

I have a savings account that covers Christmas, birthdays, Mother’s/Father’s Day etc and the money for each thing is there waiting by November payday. I can start buying in October (on child has a late September birthday) on my credit card, and pay in full by the bill date.

Keep Christmas wrapping stuff separate.

The trick is to plan and execute early.