What do you still have left to do?

[Musidora]

One week to go, so some people will be 99% sorted and others will be getting started. What’s still on your Christmas prep to-do list?

Mine:

1 still waiting for one present to be delivered, I’m starting to think it might not arrive in time and I’ll need to venture to the shops to find a replacement.

2 get the final bits of chocolate for the stockings.

3 about 4 presents left to wrap.

4 the house is a tip again despite my early December deep clean, so I’ll need to spend some of this weekend making it presentable.

5 hosting drinks next week - need to buy drinks and food for that.

6 need to make a few things ahead of Christmas Day - red cabbage and stuffing might be all that gets done. And I’d like to bake some mince pies and cookies if I get time.

7 make a restaurant reservation for NYE

8 the big Christmas food shop. I haven’t pre-ordered anything this year except the turkey so am hoping I can get everything I need in person…

Please share your lists, I always find these threads helpful as I’ve probably forgotten about 10 things I still need to do!

Can I ask what gifts you are putting in your crackers please? I'm doing the same but struggling for gift ideas, especially the mens' (DH, DF).

Well done

We haven’t even got the tree up yet.

We’ve still go to get the chickens, we don’t have turkey... just chicken and gammon. That’s on hold because one of fridge freezers broke and we are having the engineer out Tuesday.
we will get veg on Friday,
I still have to wrap up one present for dd which I can’t do until Christmas Eve night due to it being in the garage and the paper getting damp before hand.

ive got to remember to get the 15kg gammon out of the freezer on Thursday night so it defrosts in time for Saturday morning.

got to move the bag of stocking presents so they are ready.

that’s it really

Still need to put the tree up, planned for tomorrow. Wash and iron the Christmas table linens, wash all of the bedding, general pre-Christmas house cleaning, still need to buy a card and additional gifts for the in-laws, collect the turkey and beef, collect Christmas balloons , still need to buy treats for grand puppy. Try and keep myself smiling as I lost my Mum a few weeks ago and she would have hated it if I did not make an effort at Christmas for everyone.

We’ve made things easy for ourselves this year and aren’t hosting like we usually do. So I feel quite chilled tbh! I think I’ve realised how much extra pressure we don’t need to put on ourselves. My eldest had a lovely week at school and they had a Father Christmas visit and party so we’re not going anywhere.

We did all our Christmas shopping in one day at start of Dec and wrapped it. So it’s all good to go. Our kids are little and happy without doing all the extra stuff. We have a little tree and a couple of stockings up.

Food delivery is booked in so nothing else to do really!

1. Do big food shop
2. Tidy and clean the whole house - it's a mess!!
3. Wrap 2 more presents... that are yet to arrive! Both ordered 3/4 weeks ago and still not here!
4. Get the cat some treats and toys for her stocking lol
5. Drop off Christmas presents to relatives who we won't see this year for Christmas dinner
6. Shift this bloody cold!!!!

I still need to

1. Recover from COVID
2. Do pretty much everything except make lists which I've been doing whilst isolating.

It's not going to be a great Christmas anyway, for a few reasons, this has made it worse. I'm giving money as gifts as can't be arsed because of all the circumstances.

Nothing except fresh milk end of the week. Get presents out loft which are wrapped ready
Eating out xmas eve, xmas day and boxing day. So no big food shop needed.

Everything wrapped and delivered.

Xmad Outfits ironed in wardrobes ready too

We only got the tree today so putting out decorations is next on list after we get back from seeing family!
We still need to do outside lights, write some cards (some done), wrap some gifts (some done) - still waiting for a few to arrive. Christmas food is thankfully ordered.

Wrap 4 gifts and fill a couple of bottle bags.
Collect supermarket shop on Monday
Collect butcher's order on Friday
Nail appointment
Defrost and fill the Yule log I made last month.

Everything 😩😩 Normally so much more organised, but cowboy builders and a poorly husband and daughter for the past 3 weeks has left me in a state of panic and complete disorganisation!!

My busiest day was today, with DS driving up with presents and taking away ours, knocked up a chicken curry and made Eton Mess, plus vegetarian food for our coven's Winter Solstice celebrations in a wood later. DH did all the hand delivering village Xmas cards.
Other presents have mostly been done and dusted and the majority of the shopping is in.

I need to order repeat meds, put the tree up and decorate it, get some greenery and lights up on the mantlepiece, find the Xmas tablecloth and napkins and organise some sort of centrepiece.
Cleaner is coming on Friday.
Wrap DH’s small presents and one for my friend who is coming round on Friday.
Last minute shopping on Friday will be beer, fizz, milk, cream, cheeses, biscuits, vegetables and fruit.
Sort some nibbles for Xmas Eve, as a few friends are meeting at mine before the carols and Santa on the village green.

Wrap two presents, rest are done.
Put tree and decorations up.
Clean house.
Make room in fridge and freezer for delivery order arriving Thursday.
Post local cards through doors.

All cards done and sent.
Grown-up DC’s gifts and advent treats sent earlier this month and have arrived, thank goodness.
Christmas tree done.
Decorations done.
Christmas pudding done.
Braised red cabbage done and frozen. Roasted beetroot done and frozen.

All other presents (7) ordered and delivered, just need wrapping.
Cards for neighbours will be done and posted through doors tomorrow.
Outdoor Christmas lights will be done tomorrow.
BIL and SIL over for lunch tomorrow.
One very small lot of shopping to do - cheeses and sundries, need to make a definitive list!!
Milk, eggs, butter, bread are delivered weekly, so all sorted.
Christmas veg delivery coming on the 20th.

23rd will be my day to prepare all the rest of the sides for Christmas Day (we’re having roast beef this year):

Chestnuts, roasted and peeled
Potatoes parboiled and coated in goose fat.
Gravy made (will add beef cooking juices on the day)
Cauliflower cheese assembled
Carrots and parsnips roasted in garlic, thyme and honey
Sprouts trimmed, washed and halved (will be sautéed with pancetta on the day, chestnuts and dried cranberries to be added)

Yorkshire pudding batter will be made on Christmas Eve
Ham will be made on Christmas Eve

Nothing. Shop done, presents wrapped. Bit of prep Xmas Eve.

I’m a little behind, the week before is always a busy time though.

Top of my list is to make the toffee vodka that’s going in gift totes some of which are needed for the 25th. Do the labels for the bottles.

Sunday, soak labels off jars I’ve saved for the table decoration on 25th and wrap wool and twine round them. Finish the gifts I’m crafting for family (we always make something for each other, I’ve been a bit ambitious this year and it’s taken longer than I thought). Start wrapping the stocking presents, I love to leave this as late as possible it’s just too much to do everyone’s at once so will get started.

Monday I’ve to collect the printed totes I’m filling for friends gifts, go buy faux flowers to fill jars for 25th table decoration, look in a couple of shops for a top to go with the skirt I’m wearing 25th, wrap gifts for the friends I’m having lunch with after class on Tuesday and fill the gift bags.

Tuesday as soon as the shop opens I need to buy the last item to go in the giftbags I’m giving at lunch, can go in unwrapped. Buy a gluten free choc cake mix. And the icing sugar I keep forgetting to buy. Continue wrapping stocking gifts if I’ve time.

Wednesday I’ve to fashion a gluten free Yule log from the cake mix, ice and decorate it. I’ll marzipan the Christmas cake, make the iced rum sauce for the 25th and make sugar mice. Have hair appointment in afternoon and guests for dinner then out after.

Thursday I’m out in the afternoon for a bit of festive browsing with coffee and cake, must remember to buy more choc coins. Think we’ll try to do the big shop afterwards for the 25th. Have a rough idea of numbers now. Continue wrapping stocking gifts.

Friday the big shop first thing if not done Thursday. I need to make flavoured nuts, granola, ice and decorate the Christmas cake. I’ll bake the mini biscuits for Christmas Day and the gingerbread people I’m doing for gifts. Hopefully the toffee vodka is ready and can decant and label. Finish any outstanding wrapping. Prepare guest rooms. Nail appointment then out in the evening.

Christmas Eve morning is tradition to do a bit of dusting and polishing! Cook the Christmas ham and make the sherry trifle for tonight’s supper. Make the jelly for tomorrow. Make the cranberry sauce and gluten free blinis and prep Nigellas Christmas morning muffins. Will hang up loungewear outfit and dinner outfit ready for tomorrow. Get the platter and plates, ice bucket etc ready for Christmas Day breakfast. Boil eggs and mush the yolks, and make strawberry milk for tomorrows breakfast. Stick the faux flowers in the jars and gather everything needed to decorate the dining table for tomorrows feast. Walk to big village for light lunch, buy last of the fresh provisions required and nice bread. Put supper out, peel sprouts whilst watching movie and drinking snowballs and anything else the head chef asks me to help with.

1. Wrap last 2 presents
2. Chase up (again!) a present for DH that hasn't arrived despite being ordered weeks ago
3. Buy treats and toys for the cats stockings (the DC would be very upset if we didn't!)
4. Pack as we're away visiting family for Christmas.

I’ve sorted the gift box ✅ now I just need to rummage through my wardrobe for the rouge present.

Cooked pigs/devils in blankets last night, they’re gong into the freezer.

Waiting for 3/4 presents to arrive which need wrapping.
Finish cards for my team at work, I've got their presents. Will do this tomorrow evening.
Buy a turkey crown. Got to cook it Christmas morning to take to DBs
Finish wrapping DHs presents when he works late this week
Get one thing for my gran, going to get it today.
Make ginger and pear pudding for Christmas day (will do this Christmas Eve)
Thinking about making mince pies or similar with DS later this week, but we'll do it if we have time no problem if we don't.

Mostly food shopping, wrapping and tidying the house at this point.

I am alternating between feeling on top of everything and completely disorganised. I am working until Friday lunchtime and we have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve so want everything finished by Friday night so we can relax.

Still left to do:

• All of the wrapping, I keep putting it off until everything is here, but then I keep twitching so I am still waiting for deliveries. Tuesday night will be the night!
• Ocado delivery and Aldi click and collect both booked for Tuesday
• The house is a tip and needs cleaning and tidying
• Think about packing for Boxing Day when we go away to visit relatives
• Deliver presents to local friends

Need to buy all the presents, cards and do the food shop 😂 got a 3 week old baby who was 16 days early, so everything has gone to pot!

Congratulations on the new baby!
don’t stress just enjoy the baby snuggles I say.

Final food shop (may leave to DH as he’s the chef)

check what I’ve got for each DC and make sure it’s fair-ish - have done this, it isn’t really so need to add some for Ds2.

wrap presents x 3 DC (have started DD)

wrap DH presents

try and tidy up downstairs a bit, especially clearing the kitchen for cooking

put up or away lingering decorations & lights that are annoying me now

one more Christmas party (me this evening) done ✅ , one more Christmas meal (DC x 2 with scouts) + thank you wine for leaders, need 2 wine bags

pop into work Christmas party (work in a care home)

go to toy shop for Card game Ds2 wants
wait for new bedside table to arrive for ds2

print out homemade vouchers for all dc for a new game/computer game

print out homemade vouchers for days out in 2023, always say I will do this then forgot

probably other stuff I haven’t thought of yet

How is everyone getting on with jobs?

Final food shop - handed over to DH

check what I’ve got for each DC and make sure it’s fair-ish - have done this, it isn’t really so need to add some for Ds2.

wrap presents x 3 DC (have started DD)

wrap DH presents

try and tidy up downstairs a bit, especially clearing the kitchen for cooking

put up or away lingering decorations & lights that are annoying me now - started

one more Christmas meal (DC x 2 with scouts) + thank you wine for leaders, need 2 wine bags, have bags

pop into work Christmas party (work in a care home) Done ✅

go to toy shop for Card game Ds2 wants - done, success ✅

wait for new bedside table to arrive for ds2, on way

print out homemade vouchers for all dc for a new game/computer game Done ✅ , need to fill in

print out homemade vouchers for days out in 2023, always say I will do this then forget Done ✅

door wreath up

whatever else I’ve forgotten…