Have you started planning for Christmas 2015?

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.

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 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!

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'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.

granjura, I never thought to give the unused wrapping paper to the charity shop, I could have done as I took a big bag of clothes and toys the same day, I simply thought that paper is so cheap nowadays it was easier to recycle it. I really do take lots to the charity shop normally though.

thatbags I must admit I am a bit Christmas-centric but really, I could be making and selling all year in order to buy Christmas presents which, in essence, is what working is about and that wouldn't seem so odd. I do like to give people things that will last and create memories where I can.

One of the best memories of this lovely Christmas was crafting with the children (with everything wrapped an packed) - I hope is one of theirs too.

That will be wonderful Sunseeker. I am going out in November for my son's 50th birthday.

My mother will be 90 next December and I plan to visit her and the rest of my family in Australia for her birthday, Christmas and New Year.

Oooh no the uninhibited one sounds much more fun

Or even an uninhabited one!

Yes, I'm looking for an uninhibited desert island I can go to at the beginning of December and not leave until the 5th of January (if then!)!

Have say sounds very sensible to me too, perhaps I should get more organised. Every year I intend to start getting presents etc in October but somehow it doesn't happen! I have 11 birthdays and anniversaries to buy for between November 1 and Christmas Eve, let alone Christmas presents!
Perhaps I do need a New Year resolution after all!

Very sensible if you ask me.

Thanks for all the comments. I can feel the horror and shock of some of you

I mainly do it because I have to budget very carefully and I need a lot of wrapping paper due to having young DC and an ever increasing brood of DGC, Toy manufacturers seem to think the bigger the box the better and they take some covering.

I've also started buying my food saving stamps.

My aim is to have most things sorted by the beginning of November partly because it lets me use money on Christmas treats like the cinema or pantomime but mainly because I know myself and how I would be swept up into the spend, spend, spend hysteria.

Definitely not on my agenda until December.

I have to admit that I am about to buy a lit decoration to go on our balcony next year, as they are affordable now and will not be next December. The children love it when we put something like that up - both our children and those in the village.

I also buy some of the children's birthday presents for the rest of the year as they are so much cheaper in the sales.

Is this what might be called making one's life revolve around Christmas? That's not a criticism, btw, though I don't really understand it. I used to make my daughters something for each xmas when they were small (jumper, rag doll, etc) but I think I'd feel I was being a tad excessive if I had to start in January.

Still, each to their own

I have bought the crackers for next year. I have enough cards as I send fewer now. If I see some lovely paper reduced I will get that and ribbon too.

I have also started to think about Christmas presents. As I make a lot they have to be started early. I shall be finishing my quilt in the new year (for me) but will be doing something else towards Christmas along side it.

I think I will stay OFF this thread until December 2015, ok?

I give all the Xmas cards to the local infant's school in a shoe box- they love to have them for cutting and pasting/collage (tear off the message side)

what a shame you didn't give un-used wrapping to charity shop instead of throwing (: - sorry but I hate waste that can be useful for someone else- my bug bear. Only 4 days to go ....

NO NO and NO.
I have just put my cards in recycling bin and rolls and rolls of unused wrapping went in too. I am having to reorganise the house to accommodate toys and equipment for DGD. Tree has gone in the big cupboard that is rarely used and lights, baubles gone too.
I lit candles last night to use them up and they set fire to my garland over the mantelpiece, I grabbed it and chucked it all out. The house is tidier now and looking a bit bare but I will buy some daffs tomorrow and that cheers the house up.

Oh dear - I have not recovered from this one yet!!

NO, are you mad ?