Have you started planning for Christmas 2015?

I've bought all my cards and gift wrap in the sales for at least half price-I've been doing thus for over 20 years now. I don't do any other advance buying but always get the cards.

Still got my decorations up but have bought cards and paper for next year which are much nicer than I could afford next December. They will be put away until next Christmas. I have also bought some reduced gifts for birthdays throughout the year.

I bought a nightie half price for my daughter I'll give it her for her birthday. I haven't bought any cards etc because I like to buy from a particular charity every year. My youngest daughter is planning already as she is hosting next year and she's a bit OCD about everything being perfect she,ll have a spread sheet going on her computer for most of the year (she works in finance) She,s already bought outside Christmas lights in John Lewis sale!

Nothing wrong with a good spread sheet TwiceAsNice. Your daughter sounds like a girl after my own heart . I do think it helps to do your planning in the winter months; you are in the right mind-set. I do all my prototype decorations up to about March and then have a break.

I confess: I have a Christmas spreadsheet. In fact I have several and I have had them for years. The main one has shopping lists for the months before and week of Christmas, a week by week advance cooking list and timings for the Christmas lunch (this went badly wrong this year, I have a very new cooker and hadn't got the hang of the ovens. The turkey was somewhat over-cooked!). I also have a spreadsheet listing what presents I have bought people each year to stop me giving them the same thing two years running.