Anyone else starting to panic?

[JMAngel1]

Deliveries are taking ages to arrive - just had an update for one for my DD2 that it may arrive between 24-27/12! I ordered it 2 weeks ago.

Not done any treat shopping properly yet, still have to ice the cake, not bought wrapping paper/tags nor written a single Christmas card.

I still have to buy for my Dad, brother and DH. I hate buying for men as it’s same old same old - jumper/whiskey/socks/chocolates. Can’t muster up the energy.

At least decorations/trees are up but I’m probably the least organised I’ve ever been.

Anyone else? Or is everyone here on the poncetastic thread and all done?!

I’m moving house so haven’t had the time to be organized. I made a huge leap forward going to one large shop and being decisive. I think online searching, ordering and tracking was taking us more mental energy than the hour in the shop did.

I've barely bought any presents yet! Ordered the main ones for kids but that's about it. It always comes together in the end.

We have such a low key xmas there's very little to panic about.

The tree will probably come in next Friday to be decorated next weekend, the butcher's order went in this week, the Big Shop will be next weekend.

No for once I’m pretty much done! Presents bought and mostly wrapped.
I don’t send cards so not worried about that.
and the turkey is ordered and I’m collecting it on the 23rd!
but don’t stress @JMAngel1 if the gift doesn’t arrive in time, you can do some sort of “ look what I found in the garden Santa must of dropped it!”scenario 🙌

Deliveries are definitely taking longer this year aren't they?

I've been less organised than usual as well and still have loads to do.

Guess I'll be off into town this weekend! 😩 I normally do it all online but I don't want to risk it at this point.

The presents will come so don't worry. If they don't get them Christmas day it's an extra present day or two after.

Throw any you have bought into gift bags and sellotape shut.

Buy some stuff today for the menfolk and do an online tesco shop for treats (or whoever you use).

Boom done.

I was panicking a bit but this week lots of items have arrived and I have managed to do the last bits for dcs. We only buy for children and our parents, and I've done them hampers this year which now just need to be assembled. It's the food shop I'm a bit worried about. I have done a big delivery order from Asda for pretty much everything to come on 19th but I will then need to do a fresh shop between then and Xmas Eve, plus get anything they don't have in my delivery. I was surprised how much availability for deliveries there was. But we also need actual food and I'm trying to run my fridge and freezers down to clear space! I don't know why I'm finding that so stressful!

Weirdly though, I am feeling very Christmassy this year. Maybe it's the stress! Still need to wrap everything, we always leave it too late and end up with loads to do so I might start that this weekend.

Oh but I still need to ice my cake, plus I made miniature cakes and they also need iced. Needed liquid glucose which arrives today, but I forgot that my mixer is broken so annoyingly I will need to go and get one to replace it...

Take a breath OP

So are you home this evening?
Get cards, stamps, tags, paper at some point today.

Make a hands off dinner, jacket potatoes work well for this and either whilst potatoes are cooking, or with tv later, write out, stamp cards, get H to do his side of family.

Have a look online, can you buy books for anyone? Check delivery dates, and use someone reliable. Amazon for all their sins do deliver on time.

Get anything you can ordered tonight.

Tomorrow as early as shops open tell H he is manning the house kids and do a shopping sweep for any outstanding presents and treats.

Wrap a bunch of stuff tomorrow evening.

Then come Sunday you might be able to ice the cake with music on and a glass of baileys.

And then start enjoying the lead up to Christmas.

In the end it's just a couple of days (without shops open) and it's for you to enjoy as well.

We're the other way round. Everything mostly bought but no decorations. But I refuse to stress or panic, it's not just up to me, I happily delegate to H, we are only writing a handful of cards this year.

As long as the kids are happy it's fine.

Thanks @frozendaisy

I’m booked up all bloody weekend!! This is my problem - I get all excited and book us in for activities and then have no time to do anything 😂
We have a Christmas light show tonight straight from work then tomorrow I’m on football duty (DH) working, then visit my Dad, then we have a panto. Sunday I’m working.

I think you’re right. I will have to throw money at Amazon for peace of mind. Everything ends up costing more though - e.g wrapping/cards/treats etc.

Everyone worrying on this thread. Just take an hour of your time on Boxing Day. Go online and you can get amazing discounts for wrapping paper, tags, ribbons, etc. Then a few days later check out the Christmas nightwear, fake oodie, loungewear deals. I have a lot of people to buy presents for and have a big stash of gifts. The best thing I could recommend is to follow @sideorderofchips annual thread which she runs from January and then @reastie takes over for the Christmas months. Between them they have saved thousands of pounds for multiple lurkers and mumsnet contributers. And every year the thread is usually the one place on mumsnet where you can ask a question or give some information and won't be shot down by the wokorati. We're only here for the Christmas bargains.

Yes, me 😬

I only started wrapping yesterday, despite telling myself I would start almost 2 weeks ago.

I only have 4 days left of the kids being at school and I'm at work for all of them, so I need to spend these days frantically wrapping between emails, as I literally won't get a chance to be alone between the 3 of them and the activities we have planned.

I have begun thinking of dishes I want to make for Christmas dinner, but there are new ones and I haven't planned them, timed them, figured out when I will make them, and I haven't even made a list of ingredients needed.

I like the frantic rush though, it makes it feel Christmassy!

I also still have some presents to buy, furniture to move and some more decluttering and cleaning things to do 🙄

Nope, no tree or decorations, only half of people bought for, haven't started on stockings for the kids, no idea about food, husband threatened me with physical violence yesterday, so leaving him ASAP, don't even know where we'll be on Xmas day. Heaps of work to do, absolutely exhausted. Might have to write off this xmas completely. Feel like a terrible mum and a complete failure as a wife and everything else.

You can pick up wrapping paper anywhere OP, a M&S attached to a garage, late night newsagent.

Just chip away at jobs. I keep presents (which go out of the house so the ones the teens and H can see) downstairs and wrap one, just one sometimes if I have 10 minutes.

I use coloured card cut into squared (from craft sets, red, green or white) no one cares what the tag looks like.

Same with cards, write one or two if you have a moment.

After football get a hot drink, laptop, put kids in front of a screen for two hours and do a stack of ordering.

Does H pass a, M&S? At work or on way home? Or another shop, ask him to grab chocolate coins, tub of quality street, big vags of crisps, bag if pretzels and a box of shortbread. Whatsapp him a list and ask him to get as much as he can.

Just chip away.

I think it might actually be companies being slow to pack stuff up rather than deliveries being slow themselves.
Some companies I have ordered from that have been super speedy:
House of Bruar
John Lewis
Motel Rocks
White Company
Next (I think...can't quite remember if they were speedy)
Silver Rain

Hope this helps just in case you want more choice than Amazon

I've done less than you OP
😀

The fact that you've actually made a Christmas cake is probably a mile better than most of us!

I’ve done far less than you and I’m not panicking!

I second @BookyGilly - get your wrap, cards, tags, giftbags etc in the Jan sales and keep them til the following year. Its cheaper and one thing that you can tick off the mental list

I thought I was prepared, but due to kids being unwell, then me & all my plans having to be changed I’ve realised I am very very much not ready for Christmas yet! & then my dad threw in literally a few days ago that he’ll be over on Christmas Eve & stay for Christmas dinner ect. Which is fine I just wish I was abit more warning! I feel very stressed now as well as youngest is finished nursery until Jan!

I'm unusually organised, shopping finished and wrapped, work stuff sorted, but I'm not hosting at all this year so no food shopping to organise. I'm really looking forward to it actually!

No. But then I haven't actually started so panicking is some ways down the line.

I only buy for 3 DS's, DS2 DP and one friend
I did all that in October feeling happy I'd got a head start
Absolutely nothing since.
It will have to be a quick dash on Christmas Eve as I'm waiting for my PIP
Just no Christmas spirit
At least my DS's are adults now though

You're not a failure, you're brave.
Good on you for leaving an abusive arsehole, that's the best present you can give yourself and your kids. I hope next year is much better for you x