What are you doing for Christmas this week?

[Deliveroo]

Disclaimer - yes I know it’s early, but this is the Christmas Board.

Over the years I’ve worked out a 12 week plan for myself so I can get it all done a little bit at a time. Last week was for reading back over my notes, starting my lists, putting aside money for gift cards (I don’t buy them until December but I put the cash in a card now), and dropping off a bag of unwanted Halloween bits from last year to the charity shop.

This week I have to have the who’s going where conversation so I can get stuck into menu planning. We typically host or visit one set of parents, and then have another family get together on each side too. I need those dates on the calendar so the teens can fit their much more exciting social lives around them.

What will you do for Christmas this week?

Today I finished buying DH's presents.

I also wrapped my first gifts because we're seeing my aunt and uncle this weekend and are going to do a present swap as they fly to Thailand for six weeks on December 1st. So that will at least be some presents given and off my list (very) early.

Bought a book of 2nd class Christmas stamps - 87p each as opposed to 1st class at £1.55! Elderly relatives do still appreciate physical cards through the post so that’s what I do. We limit the list to 10 though! Picked out 3 gorgeous 3D/pop up individual Christmas cards for my friends/family in Australia & NZ. I decided years ago to send “naice”ones since I’m paying for the airmail anyway. I don’t send presents so make do with expensive cards. Bought snack size pouches of olives for stockings.

This week so far we've decided who is joining us for Christmas and I've made a good crack at starting the kids gifts too. Also today finally found some blank cards and envelopes for the children to decorate and give to grandparents/great grandparents.
Started my stash of snacks last week.
Managed to sort the baking cupboard so I know which flavourings/sprinkles/chocolate we need to stock up on for baking.

I think, and could be wrong, that i've finished my present shopping in the early BF sales! I do still have a voucher to order for DH and 4 gifts to make and plans to make light up papercut cards, so no relaxing quite yet 😆

I will start wrapping one family group a week and into boxes and as I do it will sort out any missing bits

Today I’m going to dig out everything I have bought so far and try to get it into some semblance of order. And document what I have for whom etc.

The Emma Bridgewater paper arrived in the most ridiculous enormous box - the Merry and Bright range - a bit less gorgeous than I was hoping for. The Cambridge Imprint order arrived and I hadn't noticed the small cards are indeed titchy (but lovely!)
I am also slightly losing track of myself when I stashed them.

Afternoon all
I decorated the teenager's bedrooms over half term so I am ticking that off as a huge declutter had to be done before Christmas, new beds, new mattresses.

But the rest of the house is taking the strain!

In between I have got this year's Christmas paper, it's import to me for it to look a bit pretty without a hefty price tag (midnight blue with gold christmas trees pattern) it was "only" £3.99 a 4m roll rather than the paper I fell in love with online at £35 for 6m (just can't justify that price tag).

Have bought a couple of stocking fillers and been very seriously considering out list now. I am hoping it will be done and dusted by just after Black Friday.

Think that's the progress so far.
Another week or so enjoying throwing out things then need to find stuff. Should be much easier, in theory. Who knows?

I’ve started making a food shopping list… we have family for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. First time for us as we usually just spend it just us 4.

Thinking of buying some stuff this month, and throughout December. Possibly might freeze some bits… what we do have a lot of already though, is snacks! Priorities!

Thinking of making my Christmas gin. 3 L cheap Lidl Gin. 500g sugar
600g mulberries or sloes or damsons or.. . Add all to a 4 L jar. Turn upside day every alternate day.
Decant into pretty bottles. Add a Santa hat to bottle. Voila.

I have done and he Christmas stocking shopping! I am going to start a thread where I cause chaos and shock about these momentarily. I also bought the Christmas stocking wrapping paper. This is not pretty, not expensive it is 7m a roll for £1.75 from pound stretcher. It is hidden away and only used for stockings.

I need to get the wrapping paper bag down and check stocks for the proper stuff, the midnight blue sounds lovely!

Where do you get your sloes? I love Sloe gin!

It’s a good year for sloes! Look in the hedgerows and you’ll see they are Lauren. Wash them and freeze them over night so the skins burst before use.

I have to return one of the gifts that was damaged in transit and I need to sort through the wrapping paper as I don’t want to buy and new paper if I have enough left from last year.

I will have to google and go a walk on Sunday to see if I can find some x

Bought a couple of classy decoration's in the perfect colour for my newly painted lounge, I’m v happy!
(Love the inspiration from this thread!)

Tesco had some very unclassy decorations.

I’ve ordered some more gifts for my daughter and pretty much got all her stocking fillers apart from the new toothbrush and crazy soap that always go in there. Waiting for her ‘big present’ to see if there’s any offers on Black Friday or if I see a really good quality one second hand anywhere.

Made a list of suggestions for when I start getting asked by family what to get her too.

Did my Christmas food order - had the slot booked but had just held it with booze, so gone in and added what I think I most likely will want but obviously can amend as needed nearer the time. I didn’t get the best slot - it’s the Monday before - which will do for some things, but will probably be popping for last minute bits Christmas Eve which is fine - it’s always quiet by then round here anyway! .

Took DD to buy her Christmas party outfit this morning and accidentally got myself a new black velvet suit in M&S - I only went in to look for the tins of chocolates I am hunting for, they didn’t have any of them in the city centre store or the shopping centre one.

Cordoned off the top shelf of the freezer so the prepped Yorkshires and roasties don’t get used. Again.
This also involved rearranging the other shelves so all the random boxes are stacked library style instead of on top each other creating an avalanche of fish fingers and croissants every time someone tried to remove anything.
I’ve bought presents for relatives I’m due to see this month but that means a trip to the garage for the wrap, risking another avalanche situation!

I’ve just ordered some presents for the in-law side of the family and will finish that later this week aside from MIL who is incredibly hard to buy for . My daughter has almost finished making the Lindt bobble hats for the table settings

I found a MAC gift set for my niece on Look Fantastic for half the price in the shops so that’s on its way. Great progress made with presents this week - I genuinely can say they’re almost done.
Found the Christmas pudding bowls and gave them a scrub. Going to sit down and make the shopping list for the puds now.

I’ve got pretty much everything for DD now except her main gift. She had been very consistent up till now asking for one particular thing, but we’re starting to get some random wild cards thrown in when she’s talking about Christmas now so will see where that ends up before committing!

Not much further with other present shopping honestly - need to crack on.

Got foil trays.

Added a bottle of advocat to the Christmas cupboard. Also got ready roll marzipan and icing and some new cake decorations as I’ve lost the ones we already had somehow, no idea where they’ve gone.

Had some lovely family pics taken, one of which is DD in a Christmas jumper so that’s all I need really to complete the photo calendars I do for in laws and one of my relatives (by request, I don’t just inflict it on them!) each year, so I’ll get on with that this week.

Picked up wrapping paper - not sure if it’s going to be enough but at least I can make a start.

If you haven’t made them, try cooking them in the slow cooker, I cook mine on low for 24 hours each, then Christmas Eve pop one back in on high for a couple of hours to get going then on low. It sits there doing its thing until you want it Christmas Day and is really good. Last year I made mine the first of December and no one noticed any difference.

Have got much started this year.

made the chutneys/jams etc a few weeks ago, along with the puddings and cakes, will try and marzipan the cake next week if I can.

ive bought all the advent calendars I buy, and the Christmas jumpers I always buy the grandchildren one each every year. I was asked a couple of weeks ago to knit some Christmas bobble hats for a friends new born and 2 older children for a photo shoot so finished that this afternoon only just in time !

haven’t made much start with the present shopping yet, really stuck for inspiration this year.

ive clears the freezers of things that needed using , been doing that over the last few weeks, and have managed to empty 2 draws with “not to be touched “ stuff, got a big bag of devils in one already ( I aim to make 500 devils each year because use them as sausages on sticks etc for parties as well as for dinner quite honestly 500 is never enough). 400 sausage rolls are made and frozen raw to cook as needed, will do mince pies next week.

i find with making things early, we tend to eat them, every year I say I will leave it until later, but then I get the urge to start so I do !

Everything fell into line and I have finished the gift shopping. Some were ordered online, so I am waiting for a number of items to be delivered. Next on the agenda will be to get things wrapped once everything has arrived.