In preparation for Christmas today I will……

[Beautifulsunflowers]

…….organise the freezer space and get if it stops raining I’ll go into town to WHSmiths to hopefully get the dark chocolate toblerone for ds’s stocking. I’m also going to make a few more Pom poms for my Pom Pom wreath.

Whst are you all doing today in preparation for the big day?

I've just finished machine knitting a hoodie for my grandson for Christmas. I shall be wrapping presents that need to be posted today and writing cards. I'm pretty organised this year. I do love Christmas!

I'm going to write a list today of all the people I need to buy for and what their budget is per person and then work out how much in total I need to buy all the presents.

This weekend I may buy some of the presents.

I’m off to do this too today!

Going to finalise guest list for our Christmas drinks get together and send out WhatsApp invites.

Party will be 4-6pm...cunningly avoiding main meal times but I know I’ll need to
provide something for people to nibble on....

This thread is making me so stressed. I’ve done nothing so far except plan a few meals. I find the whole thing a nightmare.

@Watchingpaintdrying Stay calm! Only do as much or as little as you need or want to do. Don’t let it become a nightmare.

This is how I feel @flowertoday. I do love Christmas but I do find it quite stressful and expensive. I don't even buy that much as I don't like being wasteful and imo we all have more than enough stuff. It's more about the food, drink and seeing everyone for me. But even that's a lot!

Bought my veg to blanch then freeze, saves so much time come Christmas morning not having to slave away in the kitchen. Check out the batch lady on Instagram she's full of great ideas!

Looking online and ordering stocking gifts.

Today I’m going to boil two lots of beetroot - one golden, one pink. Then I will quarter and freeze so it’s ready to roast on Christmas Day. We’re having beef for dinner and beetroot will go nicely, plus the colours are so pretty!

Need to do the red cabbage too but have to buy red currant jelly first.

I received my first Christmas card today from a uni friend who has moved to France from the CIs. So I have written a letter back and will get it in the post later this week.

Discovered that Cadbury is making chocolate coins again after not doing it for 10 years!

So bought some of those, a bunch of snacks, some stocking fillers and a present for my SIL arrived hilariously compressed, it's a succulent shaped cushion, 45cm wide, but arrived super small. So decided to leave it squished so she can pop it open!

*@TangledWebofMincemeatDeception2 can you tell me your red cabbage recipe please?

This afternoon I'm going to look for a Christmas jumper for myself.

@Broodywuz I can't really, unfortunately! It's a mash-up of two or sometimes three recipes.

I usually use Delia's and one from my favourite Scandinavian cookery book, and just mix and match as my mood takes me; I often end up not really following either of them!

Break it down.

Right now objectives:

book meat order if that's what you do
Wrapping paper
If you've kids think about stocking stuff. Make list. Chocolate coins are always my starting point. Usually followed by chocolate orange. And a pair of socks. Boom that's half a stocking!
Generally speaking go shopping either in person or online. Take photos of ideas.
Work out when 'Christmas tree day' is. Start organising house / clear out
Start buying non perishables in your shop - so crisps, mince pies, puddings. Then put away in another cupboard away from where you normally have food (preferably upstairs to avoid temptation!)
Think about big purchases - particularly electronics that you might buy for black Friday. Make a note of prices. But hold off buying unless you see something you really want to get for a good price. But well worth keeping an eye on prices now. Camel camel camel is your friend!

It's a LOT less stress if you have a plan. I am NOT a planner. But the only way I can get through Christmas is by having one for Christmas. Even if it's a list of shops I need to 'do' before I start to panic.

Ps I've not even considered actual meals yet beyond ordering a couple of joints yesterday. That's for December.

Gifts are October/November. Done by December

I plan meals - loosely, tbf - way ahead of time as I don't like to do any stressing at all in December - that's my hygge month. So I generally try to have everything done in plenty of time. This year I want to have all prep done and dusted by end of Nov.

We'll get our rolled sirloin joint from the farm shop in the next week or two, and if we see a nice gammon we'll pick that up too. That's Christmas Dinner sorted.

@RedToothBrush

Great checklist

I print off a blank month calendar page for December.

I write in the box if we are out/have an event. I also write an idea of the meal we are having - I try to follow a three week meal plan anyway and there are certain days of the week that I'll know broadly what we are eating.

@flowertoday a Christmas planning app might be helpful for you so you don't feel too overwhelmed.

https://uk.pcmag.com/gallery/137557/6-helpful-apps-to-organize-your-holiday-gift-lists

Oooh recipe please

Dp finally chose an advent calendar today so we all have one now!!

We bought ds some new pjs to put in his Christmas Eve box, the rest of the wrapping paper, the labels for the presents and 4 packs of frozen buffet food today 😝

I also got my grandma a present 🥰

We live in north Cyprus, but going south today for Waitrose, m and s, ikea and flying tiger.
butchers order going in tomorrow.
cake made and being fed this weekend.
Christmas cupboard started.
although having a child free Christmas, just adult pals, we are doing daft quizzes and games, and all the traditional foods.
we both love Christmas and really go for it. So excited.

I managed to sit with DH, compare diaries and work out “Christmas tree” date and a few others.
I also bought lovely red and green precut paper chains from Home bargains on Monday. Thank you @Mytinyman for the advice , they are perfect !

It’s dps birthday on Monday so I’ve been planning for that but today on my way home from work I am going to pop into b&m to get a few chocolate bits for my advent box (I buy 24 edible items to share and wrap them - then we pick one each night after dinner) and look for any stocking fillers in the car/tool department for ds.