Prepping for a Pandemic Christmas

[PurpleCalm]

Christmas will probably be quite different this year.

Is anyone else thinking ahead?

@BiddyPop the Leonidas Manon ones freeze well if you are looking to stock up early. I am sure the other ones do too, just haven't tried.

On a less exciting subject than chocolate, I'm stocking up on paracetamol/ Lemsip/ Calpol whilst there's plenty of stock in the shops at the moment; poor DS1 was full of toothache when lockdown happened and it was such a pain getting hold of Calpol for him!

I'm also trying to keep up online ordering from supermarkets and veg boxes, not because we especially need to for now, but I may well need to use them over winter and don't want to have to join a waiting list again...

Not really organised, it just so happened that there was a long date on the jar!

A lot of the ferreting away mindset is the result of a tricky upbringing and prepping for leaving ex and probably autism. I have to have everything on the list. Also I am very fond of cranberry sauce. I have a bit of Christmas dinner with half a jar of sauce!

I think what my "must haves" are and get those as early as possible. I buy presents and stocking fillers as I see them. ( They get useful stuff like gloves and toiletries and stationery as well to bulk it out)

Started building the chocolate stockpile and have a couple of kids gifts already. The plan is to have enough that everyone would have a couple of gifts and a stocking by the end of September.

Am impatiently waiting for shops to start christmas stock so I can get some of the more seasonal stuff in. DH is encouraging me which is totally out of character- he's normally rolling his eyes when I start discussing christmas in September.

A few presents for the dc bought.
I got a balsam hill tree in the january sale and a couple of nice decorations from a local gift shop.
I've got a brexit food stash but do need to start putting treats away and not eat them!
Got 6 x rolls of decent Xmas wrap at my local co op in January for 5p a roll :)
Still got cards from last year as I dont send many.
Need crackers and stocking gifts

Thanks Dennis, I will try that.

OTC meds restock started this week, and I've realised my cleaning supplies are lower than I thought as well. I also need more pillar candles.

I've also started to get back on the ball of booking online shopping slots - they are only releasing 2 weeks at a time here, and mostly plenty of availability, but I want to both concentrate on work and house stuff at the moment (so not having to grocery shop is very useful), and have slots available if we do get locked down again (quite possible). So I am using the min spend as a way to restock various other things - my shelf stable groceries are good, but there are things that need attention that I can get (like batteries, light bulbs, and spices I only tend to use at Christmas). I might also get in enough dried fruit to finally bake a Christmas cake...!

Essentially done with presents, starting to stock up on Xmas treats.

For cleaning products buy Ocean Saver pods which you drop into your empty spray bottle and top up with water. Cheap, reuses the plastic and come in a small flat box so easy to store.
Smog washing machine capsules the same.

Smol. Not smog

@Rowanberries we went to Home Bargains yesterday and they had a fair bit of Christmas stuff in - we don't live very near to one but happened to be in the area for something else, so made the most of the opportunity! I got quite a few little gifts and the DC bought enormous amounts of tat

The Card Factory also have quite a bit in already; cards, wrapping paper, diaries, calendars.

@dementedma I love the Smol washing capsules, they smell lovely! I've stocked up on them in case of further lockdowns as cleaning products were one of the first things to disappear off the shelves in this area...

I spotted quality street tins today, and will buy some when the weather cools down again, and put them at the far end of the loft. As I will do with all sorts of treaty stuff because I simply cannot be trusted with goodies that are anywhere within reach.
I love September because to me it always feels like a fresh start. I'm normally a last-minuter about Christmas, but if this one is likely to be tricky with shortages and/or queues, it would be really nice to have it all sorted, including presents. Good call, whoever mentioned stamps!

I’m going to home bargains today... I have a full list of items we brought in the January sales (mostly from Boots) and then what I have to spend so I’m hoping I can finish the children in our family today so that in the event of lockdown again their presents are sorted and I don’t have to resort to buying more expensive gifts online. I may also pick up a few treat things too.. we’ll see.

I've started shopping too - but to be fair it's to spread the cost. We live overseas and everything is imported so Amazon orders have started already! Mince pies already in the shops which makes me smile, considering we live in a wonderfully accepting Muslim country.

Just waiting for the mini eggs for Easter now... :)

I'm thinking of getting some sort of back up meat for the freezer in case we can't get a fresh turkey along with some trimmings. I think I will treat us to some nice non perishables for the cupboard. Might need a lockable box for chocolate to stop me caving and eating it

I've also decided to start present shopping early for once.

I was coming on to the Preppers board in the hope of seeing thread like this! Glad to have found it.

So far, I have a couple of nice toys stashed away for the dcs, niece and nephew. We have kids birthdays in December as well, so we do need a few. I'm going to start a list today of food stuffs and go on the hunt for some with a long enough date to get us to Christmas. Also some books or craft things for dcs.

We bought a slightly bigger fridge freezer recently, so there is a bit more room for storage etc.

Mustn't forget wine / sherry as well, (just us )?

I also have got a good stashed very unchristmassy reusable sanpro, wipes and nappies - falalalala lala lala! I'm a terrible human and prefer disposable tbh, but I do use these about half the time. It is also good to have them there as insurance.

Stash of*

@StarchyStanley I use my Cheeky Wipes reusable wipes all the time and they are marvellous - for anyone that doesn't have them, they are well worth investing in, and there's usually a special offer via their website. My DTs are a bit older now (out of nappies) but the wipes are still constantly in use for drying hands/ cleaning/ mopping up spills.

I did have some reusable nappies but never used them it just seemed like too much hard work whilst I was struggling with small twins, recovering from a very difficult birth and had little family support. I'm sure they aren't that difficult but I just couldn't cope with the extra hassle! I've since Freegled them so someone else gets the benefit, anyway.

And yes, I have the reusable sanpro too, partly because my periods are really heavy now and the thought of potentially running out/ not being able to get to the shops was just

There are some great ideas for Christmas/ birthday presents on the Christmas board. I went to Aldi the other day in the hope of stocking up on bits and pieces but it was packed and I gave it up! but will be back to look at their gin

Yes, we love cheeky wipes @RubySlippers77! They've been through two dcs now and are still going relatively strong. Better for nappy rash too IME.

They're so good aren't they @StarchyStanley! I got my sanpro there too, I think it was a £10 off offer. TBH I do use disposable sometimes too but it's a relief to think I could manage without if necessary.

I know a few people are buying chocolates early too which is a great idea if they're on offer and you wouldn't just eat them yourself like I would and I'm hoping to do a small regular order from a local butcher to keep us on the list. MIL usually buys the Christmas dinner food but no harm in helping out if she wants/ needs us to.

Funnily enough my family and I have just drawn up a Christmas stock list! We have a box in the spare room and are picking bits up with each food shop. I think mum will go to the farmers market and prep veg to be frozen from there too. I haven't begun thinking of presents yet though. Probably should!

Bern bust buying for Christmas to. Am hunting down s Turkey to place in freezer in case of issues and was in shielding last time .Only seen then in M&S at moment

Exscuse the spelling ,I am all thumbs this morning

I've just added two boxes of chocolates to my online grocery order. Like @RubySlippers77, I'm thinking of getting an Asda smart pass or similar, as last time, I only had the cheap ocado pass which meant I really couldn't use it - they gave full pass holders online slots but not the cheaper ones, which was annoying. I did get some money back though tbf.

I was thinking about freezing a turkey too, but my new big freezer actually isn't quite big enough. But then, how many people will I even be feeding for Christmas? Might just be the four of us at this rate.

I might get a duck instead! Smaller and on offer at the mo, in Asda. Or maybe a turnkey breast joint or something.

I love cheeky wipes wipes too, I still use mine for my 4yo although I keep the stack dry now. I didn't get on with their 'panty liners' because of the smooth backing kept slipping in my pants. However I do love my other San pads and my (off brand) mooncup! I found San pads gave me 'nappy rash' on my legs and tampons gave me back ache so I have been using reusable for years now, wouldn't ever go back!
On the Christmas stash I have 3 presents! And I have beaten my mum to the starting line this year which is unheard of! I have plenty of wrapping paper and cards already from Jan. I need to build up myfood stock but I suffer, like many of you, from a inability to not raid my treat stash!
The range were getting their Christmas stuff out the other week and there is some stuff in £land so I think even the shops are expecting people to be starting Christmas early.