What we'll do differently for 2025 thread?

[Susiesoozie]

Has there been one? I found this so useful one year and it had great tips like the stint stocking . Food tips etc. if there's been a thread then if someone could link me I'll love you forever.
For my side I shall be buying the most difficult gifts first instead of blundering about o. 23rd !

I shall be replying to all the lazy shites who can't be bothered to use their brain and think of a present for my 3 DC, and text me the week before Christmas expecting me to give them a list with several options, then order the present for them: "gosh, I'm not even sure myself, I'm sure whatever you get will be fine"

We'll be staying at home instead of rushing to visit two different sets of grandparents.

With a 5 year old and 3 month old it was chaos this year and made it difficult for us to enjoy Christmas morning because we have to rush through presents in order to get ready to get out the house.

I’ll buy less food as so much got wasted - I’ll also wrap earlier !

Definitely wrap presents much earlier! I have actually cleared out a cupboard now so I have somewhere to store them once wrapped. Then anything bigger I shall wrap and just put under our bed.

I will also arrange to go to parents for dinner later in the day so not having to rush the present opening to get ready.

Write the cards on 1st December and cut down on the amount I send.

Buy less presents for DC, will probably keep the same budget but see it as a limit not a target.

*Not bother with Christmas cards
*Buy less chocolate, more crisps/nut snacks
*Just buy for nieces and nephews, no one enjoys the 3 for 2 Boots gift sets do they!
*Plan family time for Boxing day (my children are older now and think seeing other family would have been more fun) 😄
*Have a decent meal Christmas eve - the beige buffet this year was a waste and heartburn inducing 🤣

Not have in laws for a week. I said it was too long and even husband has had enough!

Check very carefully where online orders are coming from.

The only one that didn’t make it in time was actually coming from Germany, not the UK. I wrongly thought that a .co.uk website address meant that it was a uk based company.

Will go out for Christmas lunch next year and book a holiday for a week leaving either boxing day or the day after,so that I get a break from hosting.

I need to know how I can change this - I fear I can't though! Any suggestions welcome!
I am absolutely sick of being exhausted on Christmas day. I haven't enjoyed it for me for years now. My kids are 22, 12 and 9, plus almost 8 year old stepdaughter.
This year it was 1am before we could put the presents out from FC as the children (the 12 and 9 year olds!!!) wouldn't bloody sleep. They both believe, and particularly the older one (autistic), will likely still believe next year. We have to be up at 6am on Christmas day (kids are up then even if we didn't have to be!) because SD has a split Christmas (spends the mornings with us). So in order to have enough time to open presents, get dressed, have breakfast etc... it has to be a 6am start.
I'm sick of the exhaustion! It just means I don't enjoy the day. My OH and my eldest all stay up waiting (as you can probably imagine with 3 kids there are a lot of gifts to put out) so they are also equally tired. It wasn't like this when the kids were younger and slept at a reasonable hour.
I feel like our whole day is pretty much filled with tiredness, cooking, cleaning and sorting (trying to manage the chaos!).
We don't have anyone to go to who would be cooking dinner for us, which I think would make a big difference to the day. But eating out is cost prohibitive. Our only idea would be to not have a roast on Christmas day, but me and DP find that eating Christmas dinner is the only thing we actually enjoy on the day. So reluctant to stop that...
Help! I need ideas how to make Christmas day so much better!

Nothing. I've had a lovely Christmas again this year and looking forward to the next one 😊🎅

Wrap DCs gifts in different coloured wrapping paper.

Start shopping earlier (buy one thing for each of them every month). I will get the things on their list nearer the time.

That sounds hard @ThisMustBeMyDream ! I have no suggestions as I only have two little ones atm - may be worth starting your own thread?
For me I am going to ditch attempting to go to a light trail next year. Never worth it with exhausted & cold little children, mine are not good at being up late.

Have my loft boarded ASAP in 2025. I buy Christmas presents all year and have nowhere to store them. I will 💯 skip starters for Christmas dinner - I was way too full! Be accustomed to being single - my marriage ended a few weeks before Christmas. Probably go away for the ‘twelve days of Christmas’ (25/12-5/1). This year DDs & I are doing our own interpretation of the twelve days - today is day four (calling birds) we did a hawk walk.

@ThisThisMustBeMyDream I have older DC too - 12 and 14. My 12 year old was so excited he didn't go to sleep until after 3am 😬 He doesn't believe in Santa so I put the presents out while he was still awake and made him promise not to go downstairs.

You might be better off going to sleep at a reasonable hour but setting your alarm for 3am (or 2am or whatever works) and putting the presents out then. Then back to bed for a couple of hours until 6? You'd still be tired but less stressed about them needing to be asleep early.

Buy fewer gifts as it becomes expensive and stressful and I don't like receiving loads of stuff I don't really want or need

I'd like to avoid travel to the in laws as we do it every year, pay for travel, hotel and other expenses and so I may invite them here or just not bother

@ThisMustBeMyDream what about Xmas dinner on Xmas Eve and then on the day you have leftovers / party food? You’ve probably already considered this 🙈

@ThisMustBeMyDream what time are the younger 2 usually in bed and asleep by?

Depending on your and DH’s jobs, can you have a really physically active Christmas Eve to wear them out then a calm, relaxing nit Christmassy tea and bath? Very wishful thinking maybe but wearing them out can’t do any harm!

Love this idea, what are your ideas for the other days?

I would say I'll be more organised and have all done earlier but I say that every year and I never, ever am. I say this about virtually EVERY aspect of my life tbf.

On the upside, the older I get the more chilled I get so actually no shits are given about my last minute, half-arsed chaos.

I might however let people know Ferrero Rochers are no longer a favourite. I mention I like them > I got 5 boxes. I think I hate them a little now.

Aw, I love this!

And I'd do it if I could stop eating Ferrero Rocher and get off this sofa.

Going to put a fiver onto a gift card every week no matter what. The amount of customers that paid for their shopping with a single gift card that they’d been saving into all year blew my mind!

Awh thanks 😂 First day we had a blue cheese, walnut & pear salad - partridges are almost extinct in Ireland. So just went with the pear. Two turtle doves was my cuckoo kinda clock - it’s actually doves … one’s on the wall & the other comes out to greet her mate on the hour - See pic 🕊️ We did an open water sea swim and beach sauna too but only seen seagulls 😂. Yesterday we visited a small holding nearby to see the hens & buy some free range eggs. Tomorrow we’re spending the day with a friend who’s a blacksmith to make a ‘five gold rings’ piece of jewellery or a key ring 😂 we’re going to see Lord of the Dance one night - I’m low level dreading that! We’re doing a Sound Bath for the drummers. Milk baths for maids a milking 😂 Boredom is a great motivator! There are little one minute videos on my YouTube channel. NoWomanIsAnIsland

I will think of my DS and my needs first. He has SEN, doesn't manage the change of routine well.
We are people pleasers and he tries so hard but it's always a bit shit for him (and me!)
2025 will be about us - and we might go away!

Sorry for the exhaustion, been there. This year was accidentally much better in that dept for me because I'd invited my side (15 including us) but my cousins son has been ill and really didn't want to miss his Xmas breakfast at his other grans. We decided to do it on 23rd so had the big meal then. On Xmas day we just ate party food and nibbles, and watched tv. I was still exhausted as I was too wired to sleep on Xmas eve after all the weeks of prep, and also was up at 6 with kids, but at least I didn't need to cook. I'd highly recommend separating the big meal for Xmas day.

Hide presents better and wrap earlier as DD is incredibly nosy. Get better folding chairs if we’re going to have a houseful for dinner, ours are shit.