Can I see your paper Christmas planning system

[crochetmonkey74]

If any of you have a book or folder to plan Christmas, can you show us?
I've tried a few things over the years but nothing has quite stuck. Currently I have an a5 ringbider but it's already too full as I'm putting in recipes etc as well as paper planning sheets. My friend at work used to have a small notebook in her bag all year round and it was so battered and fantastic with lots of lists and receipts stapled in.
Please don't say phone or laptop spreadsheet . I am a paper through and through person. What do you guys use?

Every year I treat myself to a Christmas planner- usually from Etsy. I normally order it around September time and it feels exciting choosing my design- it’s like the start of Christmas for me!
Every one I’ve ever had comes with different sections for different things, gift ideas, budgeting, dinner planning, recipes etc. They’re great!

My what?

wow! people have plans and systems??? I've never heard of such a thing

I write a list in the back of my note book of who to buy for and tick it off when bought. Same for food. Is anymore planning required? What do you use the planner for? I can see a budgeting page being useful if your prone to getting carried away

Mind you, our Christmases are pretty relaxed. I'm not going to stress if the mince pies run out, nor does each of my veg side dishes need to be an elaborate individual recipe.

I have quite a few gifts to buy, and I do like to budget..
I also have gifts that have to be delivered at all different stages through December.
I like to host a few christmassy events so I put those in there too and I do homemade food by request for some different things.
I love planning it all!

I like the etsy ones. Maybe I need to just make my own from a notebook and put all christmassy pictures in. I do get the appeal of a binder as you can put stuff in and move it around etc, but there's something very appealing about a book that gets all battered and well used

What do you use the planner for?

I personally use mine for a lot!
Budgeting pages are helpful to keep track of what I’ve spent.
Write down all my gift ideas and tick off. Also usually have a page for who to send Christmas cards to, then tick off.
I organise my works Christmas do, so I write ideas in there, who owes me what, dates payments are needed by the venue and order forms erc.
I host a “Christmas Day with Friends” the first Sunday of every December, so I write down my shopping list, recipes, ideas for games/quizzes etc.
I love to do Christmas baking throughout December so will write down recipes I find online.
I usually get my planner around September time, and often between then and Christmas see loads of things online I’d like to do in December, like festive light trails, shows, Christmas markets in nearby towns etc, so I often make a note of the details of all of these I come across so that nearer the time I haven’t forgot any, and can choose which ones I want to do.

I also generally just really enjoy having a paper planner, sitting down with it to get organising, with a festive film in the background, a mug of hot choc and the lights twinkling gives me such joy!

I wonder if any man has ever bought a Christmas planner? 😂

I use a spreadsheet for presents - we’ve got 3 DC and like to buy similar amounts and equivalents so that helps me keep on track with generic categories like ‘tech’ / ‘books’ / ‘nightwear’ / ‘chocolate + sweets’ etc.

I just have a bound a5 notebook with dividers. It just has some recipes in the front that the kids like to have at Xmas, what I've bought people each year and ideas of things to do. I also sometimes write down what people have bought us. It helps with ideas and helps avoid buying the same thing each year for a person.

If you have a printer you could have a look on Pinterest for free Christmas printables and create your own binder. I’ve only done it once but it was a while ago so I don’t remember too much about the individual pages but it included food planning , Christmas card lists and present lists.

Me too. I also love making pages of what films I want to watch, what books to read etc

I have notes on my phone for every Christmas, started just after each one ends. I write down what worked that year, what I would change, where I bought certain food items and how much they were, what recipes I used etc.

I also have present ideas for each person and tick off when ordered and then when it's delivered. I start adding to the list through the year, as I get ideas, or people mention things they'd like.

I used to have card lists, but I stopped sending them a couple of years ago as it got too expensive. I might start up again with just local people as we have Scout post which was about 25p per card last time I used it.

A what now?? 🤯

What's wrong with a simple notebook?? 🤦‍♀️

I have a spreadsheet too - it goes back years so I can see who I bought what when, iyswim. I also make a little note if it was well received.

I have tabs for food, and one for "traditions" and since we tend to go away to places without shops for Christmas, I list out the days we'll be away and say who'll be there, what's the menu for that day... Mr Claus thinks it's mad, naturally, but it saves me a lot of stress.

For the notebook and list making naysayers: the purpose of the spreadsheet is to save work. I'm not making a Christmas dinner menu out of whole cloth, as I have a note of what worked and what didn't work for us last year.

I don't have a book and didn't know I needed one but now I desperately want one!
Just ordered one from Amazon, my dh will think I'm crazy!

I have a spreadsheet. My whole life is on it

A friend bought me this (pic) planner a few years ago and it's lovely. It has sections for cards, presents bought (including budget), presents received, Nov & Dec calendar pages, notes, receipts and to do lists.

I do keep a running note of possible presents on my phone but shift it to the planner when I've narrowed it down.

Before the planner I bought a red leather A5 notebook and listed everything in there, plus added a little diary entry after Christmas each year to write up what we did, how it went etc.
I now add the diary entry every year but that's about it,

It's a lot of faff but I enjoy physically writing things out and also enjoy reading back through previous christmases every so often

Ah, I forgot to add the pic

Can't do pics, but I have a 'Sticky Notes Folder' from the Gifted Stationery Company.
It has a big lined notepad, which is not sticky.
There is a wad of sticky notes entitled 'Things to do'
A smaller wad entitled 'Memos'
5 finger size pads of sticky notes.
If you sit still long enough, I will put a sticky note on you.
The note pad is full of 'Things that worked', 'recipies' and notes of 'how to' and Christmas card/presents lists

Mine is just a WhatsApp group with me and DH of things to buy and for who.

And then like
Thank you to John. bought Bob a Vase, Carl a toaster and Shelley a Cardigan

For those of you scoffing- you are on a Christmas forum in August- we are all going to be 'extra; as the kids say

Stop scoffing over our wholesome fun

I love planning for Christmas. I finished my a4 planner in 2022 (had about 8 years worth of Christmas plans in it). Last year I started a new a5 notebook. In the a4 one I tended to print out pages I made on canva (I used the same pages just with different backgrounds and fonts each year), but last I did it all by hand - much more time consuming but lots of fun. And that's what I will do this year as well. I include the following sections:

• A calendar plan of December to write in all our events.
• A week by week list of all the tidying/cleaning and planning that needs to be done from Sept-Dec (heavily inspired by the Grand Holiday Plan from Organised Home)
• A present list for all nieces, nephews and godchildren
• Individual present/stocking lists for each of my DC and DH.
• Baking list
• Craft list
• Decorations plan (we have moved house since last year so the decorations plan will need to change)
• Cooking timetables for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day

The pics are from last year but before I had filled them in.

I bought one years ago and use it every year for Christmas cards and presents but not the actual day itself.

@Candlesonthetable that is lovely!
I love the idea of having all those christmasses in one book

Some of these look lovely, but I CBA to have a book. I just use a note on my phone, keep it going so I can see what I used/bought last year etc.