Christmas food shopping - when do you?

I get up at 3.00 am in Christmas Eve and head off to our local Tesco (cos they're open all night).

No traffic on the road.

The car park is virtually empty.

There's only the shelf stackers and a couple of check out staff, myself and a couple more lunatics one or two others with the same idea, in the shop.

The staff are friendly.

The shelves are full.

I do my shop, there are no queues at the till.

I head home. Unpack shopping. Have a quick cup of tea and go back to bed for a few hours.

Job done.

Family arriving from uk on Saturday- so will do big shop on Thursday- to avoid crowds, and cook a stew, and maybe a bolognese on Friday and finish the cleaning and make beds on Friday- mince pies on Saturday.

Then will do another shop with daughter on 23rd- with other daughter arriving on 24th at Geneva airport, which will be mayhem (1h30 mins from here)- DH will go perhaps with Sil, whilst others do cooking and look after kids.

I may possibly join you then. I am on my own and have dry goods in but like yourself, I need fruit, veg and bread but in smaller quantities. I also want to choose my own because I do not trust supermarket "pickers" from past experience. I have not even decided what to have for my meal, possibly a sirloin steak or maybe a boiled egg? I am not bothered.

I tend to do perishables on the 23rd with the idea that I can always dash out on Christmas Eve if I forget anything. Nearly 20 years ago when our local Sainsbury's had started 24hr opening I went along one night after visiting DH in hospital. I thought it would be a good chance to get all the Christmas vegetables and save time next day. I was greeted by rows of empty shelves and had to shop next day anyway!