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 usually have some kind of advent calendar (not a mega expensive one) so decided to do DH on for the 12 days of Christmas.

We were in the UK at home for Christmas first time for years, so bought things like luxury shaving foam, good face SPF gel, decent shampoo, hair gel we cannot get, new eye shade to travel with and so on, he loved it and said it was better than a expensive 'big gift 'on Christmas day (Christmas Day was some fancy soap from TKmaxx) something to look forward to each day, I have the bags and labels to use again, was all good fun!

And no starter for Christmas Day either, but more Bailys....

JingsMahBucket

just for that particular shop if you know what I mean

@stayathomer got it, thank you. I’ll ask at Tesco the next time I’m in the store. I wonder if you can add to it on the app as well?

JingsMahBucket

hopefully- I’d say so actually, just screenshot etc (I’m so paranoid!!!)

-Less cards, literally just to the inner circle. I wrote them super early last year -l split then over the weeks of November then sent at the start of December
-Less stress and more emphasis on fun / relaxing. Hopefully!
-NOT HOSTING. Last year l was sick and husband was as well, meaning no Christmas dinner (couldn't attend in-laws as we were too sick and probably contagious. Previous year we hosted, l was sick yet again and had 6 month old twins. My family were demanding and unhelpful so won't be inviting them back anytime soon. Probably we are going out for Christmas lunch

last year, we did something different that I suspect will be repeated - DH came from home and DD from uni in another city to my temp home (posted for 3.5 years job) instead of staying in our home or going to extended family. It was so different and relaxed. Dd stayed 3 times as long as expected! (Although I missed the carol services and musical events I normally go to at home).

2nd year in a row I sent no cards - not by design, I just had no time. (I used to take them in batches on work trips in the autumn, to write on planes, which was quite an effective strategy for otherwise “dead” time).

We also simplified the presents because I am away…DH just ordered hampers for people. And as a couple of people put so little thought and effort into ours in general, that felt ok.

I only put up a tree, and hung some mistletoe made from felt over the door, but no other decorations. It was still lovely. And DH didn’t do anything at home except for outdoor lights.

But because we were here, we enjoyed wandering in the Christmas markets (they run to 6th Jan) and having gluhwein in the cold. And actually slowing down rather than rushing around visiting everyone. And still enjoying nice food.

A day out with nieces/nephews (dc's cousins) instead of presents. 7 nieces/nephews under 8 in the family, I found it a real stress last year knowing what to get them all and probably put more thought into their gifts than my own dc's. Then felt disappointed when the same level of effort wasn't returned in the gifts my dc received back. This year we've decided (I strongly suggested) to have a day out in the Christmas holidays together instead. Trialling this year and will hopefully become a tradition

My problem is that I love planning, but ‘doing’ not so much.

i spend hours on Pinterest looking at fabulous things and I even buy the stuff to do it, but never actually get round to it.

So my Christmas wish/plan for this year is ‘to do’ rather than just look on wistfully.

I am definitely buying all of my presents in November, and wrapping first weekend in Dec. I do hold out for Black Friday.

I am massively cutting down on the cards I sent. Immediate family and the bestie only.

Been putting £75 a month in a savings account all year so far.

Not making a christmas cake. All the feeding etc and it never gets eaten and half gets binned. Fuck it! Buying a desert from M&S this year.

I’m going to do cards and presents super-early, and send presents to DH’s family super-early too, to get them out of the way. Last year I ended up stressing about them until way too late on. For my family I think I’ll switch to vouchers or online hamper deliveries this year, to keep things simple!

And I’m planning to buy way less stuff for DD. She’ll be thirteen and doesn’t really any more need all the usual “filler” presents to bulk up her tree pile (which all end up cluttering up her room anyway). She loves Jellycats and art materials, so I think I’ll get some of those and give her some money for clothes as well.

I’m also not planning to do our usual London theatre trip in December - we used to always go and see a ballet or similar, but theatre tickets and hotel rooms have gone up in price and now that DD has more school events in the run-up to Christmas it’s a bit stressful all round. Instead. I might take DD and a friend ice skating at Somerset House early in the New Year as a post-Christmas pick me up.

Similarly, I’m planning to reduce the amount of events we go to. When DD was smaller we did loads of craft events, Christmas fetes, lights trails, pantos etc. and it was often all a bit much. Planning for a quieter run-up to Christmas this year, maybe will book the usual light trail we normally go to but not anything else. I’d rather have more time to relax with DD instead, do some baking and decorating etc., and invite friends over, maybe spend a few days with my parents before Christmas.

Finally, I’m going to make this the last year I send loads of Christmas cards. I love sending and receiving cards, but it’s all been getting a bit stressful and expensive doing so in the last few years. I’m going to add a message that I’m going to be switching to email for Christmas greetings from now on; and then in 2026 I’m going to really radically cut down on the list. I’m not stopping sending them entirely, just reducing it to people who I know really do appreciate them, and stopping sending to people who don’t always respond or aren’t bothered. So yes to elderly relatives who like cards, and no to other school mum friends who aren’t bothered, for example. I know I’ll see them anyway so they won’t mind, but Auntie Joan in Scotland still really appreciates a proper card so I’ll continue sending her one.

If I think of anything else, I’ll add it!

Nothing, I love our very laid back easy christmases. Just the 5 of us, no family drama.

• By 1 Dec most if not all presents are done. Maybe a few extra to wrap. Making sure come Christmas Eve the only things that need wrapping are ones that couldn’t be wrapped in advance ( something that needed making up etc.l)
• Past years we colour coordinated wrapping paper but older DCs started to notice, mainly due to my forgetfulness' that Santas and our gifts didn’t add up, so I moved to mixing up wrapping paper, still choosing specific colours/designs for each child and using pre-printed name tags for all Santa gifts which I labelled as soon as they were wrapped.
• stock up on cupboard Christmas foods early
• Christmas dinner is what ever we find in the supermarket week of. No big deal if stuffs sold out we just eat what ever. 22nd is usually my top up on the last bits day.
• House clean and good to go by the 23rd leaving Christmas Eve a chill out day and maybe if need be any last min jobs ( usually none). Takeaways for dinner so no dirty dishes.
• 23rd is usually an easy day too, we try and book Santa for this date or a Christmas activity then have a meal out so again, nothing to clean up.
• All extended family Christmas stuff done week before Christmas or after Christmas Day.
• once kids asleep pre-wrapped presents put under the tree ( usually a 10 min job) I enjoy my 4 snowballs and off to bed.
• Christmas Day very lazy, toast or other equally easy breakfast, everyone can stay in pjs as long as they want, all day if they choose. Brunch around 11/12 pancakes, fruit, sauces etc.. Christmas movies and dinner around 5/6pm with games or more movies after. No set schedule, everyone goes with the flow, presents are enjoyed and we spend the day just hanging as a family.
• DH and I tend to not drink, I’ve never been a big Christmas Day drinker anyway even though I do drink. We just decided we can drink 364 days a year if we want, Christmas Day is all about enjoying our DCs happiness.

I like the idea of a post Christmas pick me up being in the diary. January is such a dull and depressing (long) month

We have simplified a lot in recent years and Christmas has been better for it but there is still more to do. Things that have really helped that we already do are:

Cut down on the presents for extended family. We have an agreement with siblings and cousins to just buy for nephews and nieces and not each other. The children either get something off their list if they have one or we give them money.

We have also simplified present buying for those we do buy for. Parents get a really nice bottle of wine which they like but wouldn't treat themselves to, I send my aunt a lovely Christmas bouquet of flowers etc. I'm sick of giving and receiving gifts that won't get used or that I've put a lot of thought into but still got a bit wrong. You have to know what people like though!

I think we have Christmas shopping down. I have a list on my phone that I've had for years and edited as we've foud what works and what doesn't. Every year I start from November and add one item to the weekly shop which we store in a cupboard in the garage. Things like crackers for cheese, cranberry sauce, Christmas pudding, nuts etc can all be bought in advance so just before Christmas all that's needed is the fresh stuff.

We have Christmas day just the four of us at home and see family on the other days around Christmas and New Year. It spreads out the gift giving and I refuse to spend Christmas Day dragging the children round to see different relatives. We all want to relax and be at home.

Things I need to work on are:

Cutting down on Christmas cards and only sending them to people that I won't see over Christmas. I see no point on giving a card to friends and family that I see regularly so will just keep them for posting to elderly aunts and uncles etc.

Buying DDs fewer, better quality presents. We do well at sticking to a budget of £150 each but I'm guilty of twitching and buying extra bits just to fill a stocking that don't get used or are a bit of a waste. I think this year I'll spend the bulk of the money on three presents or so that I know they'll really like and then fill the stocking with useful but nice bits like new hair clips, bath bombs, glitter pens, chocolate etc that will all get used.

Doing fewer events. We love the panto so will keep that as a tradition and just tend to visit Father Christmas at the local garden centre which is low key so that's fine but I'm going to forget the Christmas markets, light trails etc.

I am going to buy more food pre prepared so I can just shove it in the oven for Christmas dinner.

This year will be very different for me, but more for my son. It is the first Christmas where he won't be the only child in our immediate family (including grandparents/aunts/uncles etc.).

I hope he will love having Chirstmas with another child, but who knows, he could find it hard not being the center of everything. I think that is good for him though - I'm quite happy that he won't be as focused on as he used to be by everyone.

For me, Unlike last year, I'm not hosting this year - although I will probably volunteer to cook one of the evening's meals. My focus is doing what worked well this year - making sure that I have some special moments with my partner + son, so that I then don't care what happens with everything else. if people want to do things differently, or don't do things at all that I like to do - it doesn't matter, because I've already given my family some special warm moments.

I'm not doing a book advent as we now have loads and family generously give us more each year so it's now a bit silly the amount we have. Also not doing a December box and will just buy hot chocolate through the month and get them some festive PJ's. Will give them to them when I remember. Last year was just the four of us. This year we are meant to be travelling to family so will need to be light on gifts for our kids.

I hope you don't mind me joining this thread, I love hearing about what people have done, and will do, for Christmas 😊

I'm hoping to do quite a lot differently to be honest.

After a house move in 2023 that left us really deeply unhappy, we've managed to organise a move back to our previous home, and should be there by the early autumn.

We've also spent the last 5 Christmases at relatives house after my dad died, which was completely fine as I would never see my mum alone on Christmas, but I do miss our "just our little family" Christmases.

This year I would like to:

• Just get the kids a big ticket item and a generous stocking/small sack with stuff they would enjoy/choose themselves, but are smaller consumable things. They got so much stuff last year and they needed it, but now most is still in use.

• forgo making Christmas dinner. I've been making Christmas dinner since my children were tiny babies and it's so much effort; no matter how much I prep in advance I end up in the kitchen for hours pulling it all together. This year I don't want to have to scoot my excited kids away and say I'll play with them later 😪 We are going to get party food, everyone's favourite snacks and treats and maybe a takeaway if one we want is open!

• I'd like to focus on planning more activities and splitting gifting up this way. I'm thinking a scavenger hunt, pass the parcel and maybe something else. I'll have more time to focus on doing the fun stuff!

• I'll also be looking out for any suggestions on maximising cosiness and am looking forward to getting some new decorations

Could one of you get into bed at 8pm, with the 12 & 9 year old to watch a Christmas film, pretending that the other parent is going out with older one (to do something boring like buy petrol/go to an event).

Meanwhile downstairs, other parent sets out the presents with the eldest as a helper. Then, the living room door is sealed up with wrapping paper for the kids to burst through in the morning. Other parent and eldest put coats on, bang front door and pretend to "come home" just as the film ends and everyone yawns and goes to bed?!

(I would tell the kids you are putting the wrapping paper on the door a long time in advance- there are videos online showing kids bursting through)

Could you put the wrapped parcels into individual sacks? Saves time by just placing the sacks under the tree? Have your Christmas meal later in the day - we eat around 4.30-5 ish. Maybe factor in some downtime - Xmas movie or a family game… it can be a slog for sure on the day itself! Definitely keep Xmas eve and/or Boxing Day as a more relaxed day. My friend has always kept Boxing Day for her - bottle of fizz, Xmas chocs and the TV. It’s what gets her through Christmas Day…

Need to start to think about Christmas and revisit my original thoughts before I go misty eyed into making the same mistakes again !
finding the big sacks and stockings early enough and wrapping all stocking gifts in tissue again is key and I’m not worrying about them having the same. DS will hopefully be at uni and coming home and will hopefully be v jolly. He loves Christmas. Youngest will be definitely more teen and cynical. It alters things doesn’t it ?

I'm hoping that it'll be similar to previous years.
My elderly mum comes to us every year as my siblings don't bother.
We may have pils again this year, too.
I generally do a get together on boxing day as the dc enjoy it.
I prefer xmas eve tbh. Just us, going for a walk, watching Xmas films :)
I'll start saving next month. I've got cards from last year. I'll need more paper.
Dc still love their stocking so I'll have to find little bits for those.

DS will hopefully be at uni and coming home and will hopefully be v jolly. He loves Christmas. Youngest will be definitely more teen and cynical. It alters things doesn’t it ?
It certainly does !
And when your eldest comes back after his first term away he;ll be different I know I was (years ago ) you feel your life has moved a different direction. But fingers crossed he'll appreciate that some things don;t change and want to savour the cosiness of being back for his family Christmas , probably having lie-ins , and cluttering the house up

My DC didn't leave home for Uni so we;ve changed things over the years .
My DS is a bit meh - he likes the dinner and getting money <sigh> He does remember all the things we did when he and DD were little , I;m sure remembers fondly .

DD is Full On Christmas , she loves all the planning , the going shopping , trips to the theatre . We're going away for a weekend in December .

I love Christmas and I've always done it different to how my Mum did (she did basically nought and made no bones about telling us how much effort she found it )

I have chronic health conditions, I’ve no idea when I’m going to be laid up in bed for days or weeks so I have to be organised.

I have as much as I can done by Dec 1st, I try and wrap as I go, even if I can’t I very rarely have anything left Christmas Eve to wrap, what I do have left DH dose as I do all the pre wrapping, presents are all ladled and ready to go, I use pre printed stickers from Amazon and a few written labels. The presents are stored in suitcases which are stored on wardrobes or any where else they fit, bin bags or Amazon boxes under our bed. We make sure when the DDs are having baths that the presents are put somewhere we can access easily. We never spend more than 10 mins putting presents out once DCs are asleep. I’m usually ok to stay up but I know if I need to go to bed it’s all ready for DH and there isn’t much he can mess up.

The house is clean and ready to go by the 22nd, on the 23rd we try and see Santa then eat out as a family Christmas meal. Even if we don’t see Santa we still eat out.

Christmas Eve is a lazy day doing anything we’ve not had time to do. Evening meal is always takeaway so no dishes or clean up to do. Christmas movies and Santa tracking, maybe games, it’s all very relaxed.

We don’t have breakfast Christmas morning, it’s toast, crepes, cereal, all very lazy, just about hanging out. We do have a brunch anywhere between 11-12noon pancakes, fruits, sauces, bacon, sausages that keeps us going till our evening Christmas dinner which is just what ever we happen to find in the shops the week of Christmas, it’s usually a roast of some kind, I try and do a last min fresh food shop on the 22nd, everything else is pre-bought in the weeks, even months prior. We are happy to use prepared food so not loads of peeling and prepping, if we do it’s done Christmas Eve. Everything is cooked on disposable trays, less washing up. No starters and the same desert, meringue nests brandy snaps, berries, sauces, cream & ice cream, usually a selection of sprinkles, basically nothing that needs time to prepare.

There is no pressure to get dressed Christmas Day it’s each to their own. Most of the time we get dressed for dinner but it’s not a big deal if the DDs don’t want to.

Wrap and organise presents earlier , spent half of last Christmas Eve wrapping presents and not enough time with family ! Never again .

I'm fairly happy with your usual Christmas routine - we have a day out on Christmas eve, then a veg prepping party in the evening while watching the Snowman, then have everyone to ours on Christmas day.

I'm pretty good at sorting gifts and wrapping in plenty of time, but this year my goal is to be more on top of the house so I'm not racing to clean so we can decorate. It was very busy and stressful at work last year, and it really threw things.

My biggest problem is that the dc are up so late now, and I still want to sneak in to their rooms to do their stockings. Yes, they clearly know santa isn't real, but I still like the magic of it. I usually go to bed before them!

With stockings, I have 2 per person. I fill one and the other is what they hang up… that way it’s a quick swap. I set my alarm for 2am ish… and then make the swaps