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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

What will you do differently next year?

187 replies

NotEnoughTime · 25/12/2022 17:29

As thread title.

For me personally I will NOT be wrapping presents on Christmas Eve/early hours of Christmas morning I say this every year

Tree will be put up BEFORE Christmas Eve day 🌲

OP posts:
gigglinggirl · 25/12/2022 20:01

Buy a turkey to feed the number of people actually coming for lunch rather than the whole county

BrutusMcDogface · 25/12/2022 20:01

antelopevalley · 25/12/2022 18:16

Probably not visit the cemetery next year, but only six months since both my parents died in a car crash.

I’m so sorry, @antelopevalley

💐

Chrispackhamspoodle · 25/12/2022 20:06

Buy everything ready made from M&S.
Husband always cooks Christmas Dinner and likes to make everything but he has flu this year so at the last minute i had to do it all.So much cooking and no one really wants it all.Will make the gravy next year and that's it.

SagelyNodding · 25/12/2022 20:06

I will buy less food! Much less food! I really overestimated how much 13 people can eat and will be eating leftovers for a looong time.
I will also not wait until December to start buying gifts, I will start in September and spread out the cost better.
I will not spend money on the cat's Christmas gift beyond a jar of catnip as that's all he is interested in!

BrutusMcDogface · 25/12/2022 20:09

I will set a budget for the kids as we never really have before, and it hasn’t been an issue but they’re getting older and wiser! We normally just try to balance it all out but my oldest is a teen now 😳😂 I spent today hoping she didn’t feel short changed (though she wasn’t in monetary value but her brother had a ‘main’ present which she didn’t really have).

I will also be more organised. This year is the first year all wrapping has been done by 23rd December (ha!) and it felt great not to have to wrap anything lastnight. I’m going to see how else I can simplify things for myself.

Workinghardeveryday · 25/12/2022 20:11

antelopevalley · 25/12/2022 18:16

Probably not visit the cemetery next year, but only six months since both my parents died in a car crash.

That is awful, I am so sorry for your loss xxx

antelopevalley · 25/12/2022 20:12

Thanks everyone. Took a few months for them to both die from the car crash. It has been a horrendous year. So today has been okay considering.

Mommabear20 · 25/12/2022 20:12

Telling friends and extended family not to buy for us or DC! We barely got half way through opening gifts before it got too much for DC and they really don't need all this stuff! (Though we are of course very grateful for what they receive!).

Workinghardeveryday · 25/12/2022 20:13

gigglinggirl · 25/12/2022 20:01

Buy a turkey to feed the number of people actually coming for lunch rather than the whole county

This!! Ours has a tiny bit out of the corner eaten.

We also did gammon, loads of m&s stuffing and pigs in blankets which they filled up on.

Apart from soup, what do I do with so much meat!!

Ohmygoshposh · 25/12/2022 20:17

Nothing. Kept it simple and it worked for us.

Octopusmittens · 25/12/2022 20:19

HayleyBean · 25/12/2022 18:09

I'll be more organised! I've got a 4 week old baby who arrived 16 days early so everything went to shit! The only thing my family got from me is cards and their first grandchild!

Sounds like the best present ever, congratulations.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 25/12/2022 20:21

I did think maybe take more time off before Christmas this year I worked till Thursday ( I don't work a Fri) but had to do a lot of last minute things on the Friday , but I should be ok next year as its on the Monday .

Foodwise I bought ok , not too much . Presents were well recieved .
Did a few things in December (Christmas market , theatre, cinema )

Pinkandpurplehairedlady · 25/12/2022 20:21

Have Christmas lunch with someone. The DC spend Christmas morning with me and then go to their dads at lunchtime until the 28th. It’s been a few years now that we’ve done it that way and I always feel lost when I get home from dropping them off.

SallySunrise · 25/12/2022 20:22

I'm in the process of splitting with ex(ish)dp. We're still living together, it's been mostly okayish but today was shit. Really really shit.

Next year I don't have to try and pretend everything is ok for the children. I don't have to arrange the day and his sodding family.

Next year I won't be cooking a roast, i won't even be buying and prepping stuff for someone else to cook. A selection of throw in the oven buffet food, I'd much rather spend the time with the children.

GettingStuffed · 25/12/2022 20:23

I won't be doing Christmas with the flu

Seasider2017 · 25/12/2022 20:26

Cooking turkey & all the trimming, hours off up & down doing things, checking things
when it’s all eaten within 20 mins !

next year buffet

Always4Brenner · 25/12/2022 20:30

I can finally save for next Christmas and stick to it starting in January so people will get presents they deserve. Will buy themed red things through the year also stocking bits.

lugeforlife · 25/12/2022 20:43

Buy less food. I buy 'nice' nibble bits and dh and dds just don't want them. The only time they showed enthusiasm as when I got the Pringles and biscuits out.

Try and tamp down my expectations vs the rest of the family. It makes me sad but I can't make them do what I want and enjoy it. Maybe listen to what they'd enjoy a bit more.

Give dh a better list. He did a pretty average job on my presents this year and he's usually very good. 3 of my presents (2 tiny ones and a big one) I bought myself.

Dh has suggested we go out to eat next year. Maybe or maybe I may just not do anything out of the ordinary. We've tried buffet in years before and that doesn't get eaten either. Perhaps they can just have spag Bol and a box of M&S biscuits.

Stop being a martyr. See all the above really. We have a nice time together playing board games and watching the odd film.

JaceLancs · 25/12/2022 20:46

Eat starter much earlier as a snack - or pick something less filling
after a big Xmas eve buffet and a starter of cheese fondue with meat and prawns with bread to dip no one ate much of my beautiful Xmas dinner

sumayyah · 25/12/2022 20:50

I won't put everything over my own health.
I knew I wasn't well, I tried to get an appointment but gave up and let them book me in for January as there was so much to do, gifts to purchase and wrap, people to go visit and check up on to make sure everyone had a great Christmas........
I spent the afternoon at the walk in centre, double ear infection, lymph nodes down one side massively swollen and painful, red lines tracking down my neck....... And the pharmacy can't get the pain killing ear drops until Thursday late afternoon 🤦🏻‍♀️
Dinner was a bust, couldn't eat it or prepare it properly

MountainChalet · 25/12/2022 21:00

Take time to take care of myself, e.g. going to hairdresser a couple of days before, have nails done and something nice to wear. I took care of everyone and everything and didn't have time for myself. Would like to feel nice next Christmas.

earsup · 25/12/2022 21:31

Try also not to have flu....it was a struggle to make dinner for my two lovely lodgers who stay here for xmas, and i gave them some gifts and received some also which was very nice.....one has gone off to get pizza for dinner so that was thoughtful.

wintertime9 · 25/12/2022 21:35

Pretend it doesn't exist

user1497787065 · 25/12/2022 21:51

No cards at all rather than the few sent this year, no presents just cash transfers and no silly spending on anything resembling Christmas fayre.

woodhill · 25/12/2022 21:59

Not catering for so many people

It was absolutely exhausting

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