When do you start buying your Christmas food?

[Starlight40]

Just that really, when do you start buying your Christmas food? And what do you buy? I’ve started a bit earlier this year and I’ve started buying party food ready for Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. I’ve also bought some pigs in blankets. My 15 year old says he wants more than last year. We had 36 between 4 of us but apparently it wasn’t enough! I have also bought most of the ingredients to make some mincemeat. I’m unsure when to make it though. I normally make it by the end of October.

We left getting the meat extremely late last year & DH ended up shelling out over £60 for the last Norfolk Bronze turkey in Tescos!

No need to buy early, there’s loads in shops after Christmas Day! I don’t buy tubs of chocolate etc

kenidorm · Today 18:15
Usually 23/24 December tbh. I have no reason to buy pigs in blankets on September and keep them in the freezer when I can buy fresh just before Christmas.

You are a hardy creature! I cannot get near the shelves 23rd/24th - the shops here are rammed, the queues very long. Are you not worried that you won't get what you want, or are you just more adaptable?
I like it all 'homed' asap.

We have a Christmas cupboard in the utility room, i bought some of Aldis Clementine liqueur and the peanut butter one this week, I also treat myself to some hot gin from Diddly Squat farm so that's in there. DH loves the cheeseburger crisps from Aldi so I stuck a couple of big bags in as they don't have them in all the time. From now on if I see something and it will keep I but it. We have a lot of family coming on Xmas day and then we have a few days in a cottage in Scotland so will be taking lots of delicious food with us.

I buy everything a couple of days before. Tree sometimes goes up on Christmas Eve!

I’ll pick up some spiced biscuits and lebukuchen in Aldi/ Lidl when they first come in (and possibly have to replace them a few times in the run up). And grab some wine and/ or Baileys if I see it on offer. The rest will be much nearer the time, only ever 5 of us for Christmas Day and then there’s usually a lot of going to others or eating out on the other days so I need to have that all finalised before working out what we’ll need.

One year . DH and I walked into town on Christmas Eve (about 1.5 miles ) to have a nosey about .

I needed potatoes . bought some in Asda (Specially Selected or something ), they were awful , tasted weird , like fish .

DH said "Oh we've got half a loaf of bread don't need any more" it was bloody mouldy

So ...I ignore DH . I buy the food (and I have a breadmaker now) and the thought of the shops on Christmas Eve don;t appeal .

Next week I’ve got some of the M&S Christmas stuff coming from Ocado because it’s never in stock nearer the time. I learned my lesson last year! Luxury biscuits, chocolates etc… It will be used for last minute gift top-ups and anything left over will be eaten by us over the festive season.

I buy all the special M&S bits when I see them.
I make my Christmas cakes in October so will be buying dried fruit and cherries soon. And mincemeat.
I buy chocolate oranges when they’re on offer.
Everything else I buy in December.

Sometime after the 20th December.

My turkey is already in the freezer, the local butchers had them on special offer. Will get the rest of the stuff nearer the time

Now you’ve opened the sealed packet I doubt they will be fresh for Christmas.

greengreyblue · Today 19:04
No need to buy early, there’s loads in shops after Christmas Day! I don’t buy tubs of chocolate etc

What would you do on Christmas day?

I mean they don’t run out of food. There’s always a load left in shops on Boxing Day etc. I buy a few days before. Have had fresh turkeys and frozen turkeys and there’s no difference. Don’t waste your money.

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles crackers are available year round! .

Christmas dinner is a roast dinner. People go mad! I make my own cranberry(so easy) and bread sauce( ditto) and stuffing( ditto). I don’t buy tonnes of M&S crap. Buy real ingredients and make real food.

greengreyblue · Today 19:25
I mean they don’t run out of food. There’s always a load left in shops on Boxing Day etc. I buy a few days before. Have had fresh turkeys and frozen turkeys and there’s no difference. Don’t waste your money.

Nope! Wasting it with a vengance, nice and early especially on M and S 'crap'.
Will be doing stir up sunday, too.

What?

Oh no, I'm not falling for that! Pull the other one!

I put my M&S order in as soon as the pick up slots become available - I'll pick it up on the 23rd - I'll get any treat stuff on that day too.

All my Veg comes from the greengrocers the week before, I prep it all and then freeze it in foil trays until Christmas Eve night and let it defrost overnight.

I also get my stuff for my Jamie Oliver (hate the man, love the gravy) Christmas gravy and make that the week before and freeze too!

greengreyblue · Today 19:35
What?
Is that to Stir up Sunday? I will let someone explain the tradition, as I do not know the origin, but it is a date when we traditionally make our Christmas puds and cakes - 19th Nov, I think?

Having had to do a tug boat shop (so apt) on Christmas Eve one year when starting with flu, I made a solemn vow to myself that I'd never set foot in a supermarket on that day again. One resolution I've kept!

What’s that got to do with it? That’s making a cake .
Whats the wasting about?

I used to go mad and start now, but now I go to the supermarket, in person, a few days before Christmas. If they don't have stuff then we don't get it. It's made Christmas less stressful, not more.

Totally agree.