My best advice is to get very realistic about how much Christmas costs in both time and money and then spread it out.
I try and save a set amount for ten months - November and December are the spendiest months.
I keep two Christmas notes on an app on my phone- one is for gifts and the other is for everything else.
The gift list is where I put ideas as they occur to me, keep track of what I’ve ordered, bought and how much I’ve spent relative to my budget. It’s always on me and is invaluable to stop me overbuying. If I see something just right for someone I buy it any time during the year.
The masterlist is everything else and I update it each year with observations, tips, etc.
These days I do most of my Christmas shopping in November to take advantage of Black Friday offers. I like to be finished by December if I can. I wrap and tag gifts as I buy them so it’s not a huge chore.
I used to buy earlier - Smyths used to have a great sale in September and there were a couple of warehouse sales I watched out for. Get on mailing lists of any stores you particularly like. March is also a terrific time to pick up winter bargains if you have space to store.
When my dc were small I bought early (Sept) and gaslighted the heck out of them to ensure they wanted what I’d got. As they got older, they were more liable to change their mind so it crept closer to Christmas. My rule was that once the letter is sent, that’s it! I try to get it pinned down by mid November at the latest.
It’s important to leave yourself time for shipping, returning unsuitable things, re ordering and more shipping. But there’s also nothing wrong with doing a big RL shopping spree in the last week of December if you enjoy that. I don’t but I play to my strengths and that’s the key really.
In terms of exchanging gifts it varies - anyone we’re with on Christmas Day gets their gift then. I usually set a date to meet up or host other family members for Christmas so exchange then even if it’s a few days after. Work colleagues/ school friends is last day before we break up. Basically the rule is as close to Christmas as feasible, but I have one or two people who pre empt and I keep their gifts in the boot of my car so I don’t get caught short.
In October, I start buying a bit extra in my groceries each week. To start with I’m looking at non perishables and things like toilet paper, tinfoil, soap etc. Then I make an effort to eat through the freezer and pantry to make space to store Christmas food and I stock up gradually. Keep an eye out for shopping slots to book a Christmas delivery in November.
If I’m planning to buy vouchers or gift cards I set aside cash - maybe as far back as August/September and put it inside cards. If you’re more disciplined you could just budget properly in December but I like to have a wee cushion.
It’s very useful to jot down a note of what you do each week and refer back to it next year. Some things need to be sorted early - eg September for beauty advent calendars and pantomime tickets.
January is also an important month - I try and pick up a few bits like crackers, cards, wrapping paper, napkins when they’re reduced to pennies. Some years I’ve picked up stationery, games and toys for the party gifts box. It’s a great time to replace broken lights, or get garlands or a tree. I try to be ruthless packing up the decorations and set aside anything for donations. Although I store those in the attic until October because it’s not fair to donate them in January.
And I’m famously anal about packing up, what goes in which box and where it’s stored. And every year I’m grateful!
Lots of people have no bother pulling it all together in the last two weeks of December. I hate the crowds, the stress, the rushing, the queues and the traffic. And I love being able to chill out in December, knowing it’s all in hand.