Am I the only woman in the ....

There is a strong possibility !!

Possibly, but if you are like me, it will all get done. I can do 10 times more in the last few days than I ever manage in the weeks before.

You will also possibly spend a fraction of what others have spent who did their shopping before the shops started slashing prices!

I would be feeling a bit panicky if I hadn't got most of the presents sorted by now.
I left it later last year then found that a lot of toys were out of stock.

I always start early to spread the cost.
As posie says things may be out of stock. I remember feeling very smug the year Buzz Lightyear figures were the thing to have for children. Parents going frantic to get one for little Jonny. I'd had one sitting in the loft since the October.

Part of having a relaxed Christmas (for me) is getting all the presents sorted in November, preferably online so that I do not have to go near any shops or shopping centres in the run up to Christmas (usual weekly food shop excepted).

I was one of those frantic women, nina,DGS1 told me he wanted a 'Talky Buzzyear' It took me a while to work out what he wanted.

That's what I do too Flickety but then I forget what I've got squirreled away and start to think maybe I should get just another little things for each of them! So THAT'S why I need lists!

For the first time ever I have bought all the presents a fortnight before Christmas. I keep on wondering who I could have forgotten. Mind you, I still need to write the cards.

No you are not, Riverwalk! Every year I promise myself I will get started early but haven't managed it yet. It would be a lot easier if knew what people want, but nobody seems to give any hints. It's the bit I find most stressful, to be honest. Thought I had been very clever finding suitable gifts for DD3 and DS on amazon but when I went to check out they said they don't deliver these items to Malta. Back to the drawing board for me

FlicketyB I am the same as you, I have to have things sorted fairly early or I get a bit edgy.Possibly this is all a character type thing, and the more laid back you are the later you can afford to leave it all.

We do secret santa in our house .
it makes life so very much easier for all concerned .
Would not have it any other way .

Even for the GC, Nonu? I did actually order my GC's main present online last month because I was worried about stock levels, but that's all the Christmas shopping I've done.

Oh! I did buy a packet of frozen prawns today...

Oh no ! they are special , VERY special.

Frozen prawns eh ? funny you say that !
Did you like all Mums , go to Iceland ?
have a glass of with me !! X

Nonu - you have guessed my guilty secret...

Cheers!

Did you really go to Iceland, Ana? The shop, I mean? Haven't been to one for a long, long time. Worth a visit?

The blue lagoon makes it worth the visit!1tchgrin]

It does indeed. We intend to go to Iceland and spend the whole visit there .

As for lists....I have them for everything. I have a whole computer folder devoted to Christmas lists. There is THE PLAN, updated and tweeked every year. The Christmas card label file, the present archive so I do not give the same thing two years running etc. If there was a degree in list making I would have a PhD.

Oh good lord... I haven't even finished writing my cards yet! I have bought a few presents over the past year but now can't find them... I did post off a few last week, but for all the rest I am hitting the shops on Monday.

Ariadne, I did indeed go to Iceland (the shop!). It's the only food shop in our local retail park, and while I was waiting for DH to finish browsing around Halfords I had a look. Felt a bit guilty walking out without buying anything, so I picked up the prawns.

I used to shop there quite a lot 20 or so years ago, but tend to buy any frozen food I need in Asda or Tesco. There isn't a Sainsbury's, Waitrose or any of those posh stores anywhere near us!

In the dreaded DM this week, was a comparison between Iceland, Tesco, Waitrose, M&S etc. and Iceland came out of it very well indeed!

But surely only for frozen food, Lona? They don't do much in the way of non-frozen, at least in the ones round here...

The Iceland shop that used to be fairly close to me has long since been supplanted by M&S Simply Food. Does that say something about the local demographic?

Malcom would be very , very pleased that his store is being discussed on G/N . more power to his elbow .