I've started a list, well, more than one really.

Way ahead of you

We're having a Full English for Christmas Dinner. We had one last year and it was the best Christmas Dinner we'd ever had. Bacon, sausages, eggs, hash brown, baked beans, tomatoes and a really good quality 'treat' bread.

We bought the Christmas cake yesterday in Lidl.

Cards are bought and ready to write this week.

Mam's presents are bought but not wrapped yet. The grandchildren just get money.

We have to be careful as to what we buy in advance as we have a tendency to 'test' things like mince pies to ensure they're nice. Then we have to buy them again.

Like you I start early to spread the cost.

I haven’t given it a second thought yet henetha but judging by other threads, a lot of GNs are organised! Many have completed the gift buying, someone said their cards were written and on the GM thread today, there’s been a positive scramble for supermarket (Tesco) pre-Christmas home deliveries.
I might get a couple of Advent Calendars today for my DGSs - I’ll list that on my phone!

Amazing! I'm really impressed. You are wonderfully organised.
I think I will stop writing lists and go out shopping for gifts today.

That was meant for vampirequeen . We'd better get a move on, Georgesgran

I started getting bits and bobs in weeks ago I went shopping yesterday to buy for our GC. I don’t like last minute shopping in case the weather gets bad now it’s done. They only thing to worry about is getting the fresh food in so I’m happy. Looking forward to the 1st of December to put our trees and decorations up.

Have lists, have a lot of presents already for GC, nieces and my sister.

Supermarket slot was secured in September, Turkey ordered (although we are at one of our AS’s I always buy and cook a Turkey for sandwiches, cold cuts and of course Turkey curry for the freezer)

Will buy cards on Thursday write them over the next week ready for posting on 29/30 November

I like to be finished by 1st December so that I can sit back and enjoy the festive season and my (over the top according to DH) decorated house.

Lovely thread oh you are so organised! I’m normally ahead but just doing list now as new kitchen taking up most of my thoughts! Will get organised know what I want to buy have days off planned to do my present shop. Good luck all!

I have a lot going on between now and Christmas, both at work and in the house, so I am well organised. My food is all ordered - Mr Dog will do the booze as I don't drink. I have my daughter's main present and a few extras for her and for my DIL. My son and DIL want a shared present, which I have chosen but not ordered yet, as I don't want extra boxes lying about the house until all the work is finished. I've bookmarked it (set of saucepans) and will order when I can, but the difficult task of choosing it is done. I never know what to get Mr Dog, so there's nothing unusual in that, and I need extras for my son, who is equally difficult - are all men hard to buy for or is it just mine?

I only do a tiny number of cards, and Mr Dog writes them for his side of the family, so that can wait. I have my mum's birthday before Christmas, and the present is chosen - I will get it a couple of days before the day.

All of this is on a spreadsheet (get me! )

In the middle of sorting out who gets what, right now!
Most presents bought[one of earliest years ever].
Even house doesnt look too bad for this time of year.

I dont tend to get the tree up until a few days into December. Else I am a bit fed up of it by Christmas Day itself.

Part of the reason for being earlier than usual, is I have a couple of extra[quite big] things to do before Christmas. So I needed to be extra organised.

* I never know what to get Mr Dog, so there's nothing unusual in that, and I need extras for my son, who is equally difficult - are all men hard to buy for or is it just mine?*

All men! Bit of a joke, but yes in general. Unless they are in to expensive hobbies, or video games.

Last year and this, board games are wanted. So that has been helpful.
One is getting special cheeses and crackers. They have other family coming to stay.

Last year and this, board games are wanted.
I have even got on top of that 😇. I always get a game to play after dinner, but I'm told that my DIL is not keen on the quizzes we usually do, so I have bought UNO, Pass The Pigs and a new one called Shot In The Dark (a quiz, but daft questions that nobody is likely to know the answers to, so everyone has to guess and there is no embarrassment).

I am so far ahead this year that I can almost guarantee that the food won't turn up and there will be a power cut or something.

Spiced red cabbage made and in the freezer. Christmas cake made and regularly fed with brandy. Grandsons gifts bought and others too. I have a list of who gets gifts and update it so I don't replicate gifts each year. I write down costs too. Wrapping paper and gift bags and tags bought. Cards bought and ready to write. I'm going to my daughter's house for Christmas dinner but I'll order a nice ham for me for Boxing Day.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-921161-20231107-110814.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-878606-img-20231106-wa0001.jpg

We have to be careful as to what we buy in advance as we have a tendency to 'test' things like mince pies to ensure they're nice. Then we have to buy them again. vampirequeen

This Christmas cake was made last week, decorated on Saturday, and today is only Tuesday! The excuse, "Oh, I thought it was a practice one!"

Great thread by the way.

My lists are saved on the PC, as are labels.

The saddest thing is updating the lists and labels each year and crossing off names 😥

And I thought I'd booked a Waitrose delivery slot but it seems to have been lost.

Think I'll just hibernate this year.

Grocery delivery slot booked this morning, majority of presents bought for our immediate family, I’m awaiting a list from my son, as usual..
Cards and stamps bought, I’ve just ordered some wrapping paper.
We’re at my daughters on the day for the first time, control has been wrested from me!

All Christmas presents have been bought, wrapped, and put away. DP has to take his family's next month. My family will be here from Portugal this year, so I started early because I'm so excited again. DD has got the alcohol sorted. Christmas meal has been ordered from Cook. We had one from there a couple of years ago and it was so easy to follow the timings and it was delicious. I've got a Christmas slot from Ocado and about to get another from Tesco. I even managed to get three birthday presents for next year, bought and wrapped. I've made lists of what I've got and where I've put them. Never been so organised, although I've no idea what we are having for tea today!

Love a list, but this year I'v bought a note book with dividers and named each section as - plans and dates
projects and crafts
shopping
decorations
recipes
and have taped an envelope inside for receipts.
Trying to at least feel organised! Just off now to add all of
your ideas to my 'Christmas Planner 2023'

Joseann your cake looks delish, looks like you'll need a good hiding place for the next one (or two)...

I’ve started buying DH presents, to spread the cost, and the cards are bought (except a few special family ones). I will be making the pud on stir up Sunday (around the 26 Nov), and the fruit cake the following week as it’s not a rich fruit cake, so can be made nearer Christmas.
The turkey crown is in the freezer, and the red cabbage is cooked and in the freezer, too.
The remaining meat order is in at the butcher.
I will be going to the cheese stall at the end of the month and that will also go in the freezer.
So, yes, I’ve got some things done and other things organised.

As a family, we decided last year to cut right back on gift buying, as we all have what we need or can get it when we do need it, so instead, I will take a few foodie bits round for them to enjoy at their Christmas meal. It’s removed a lot of pressure, wondering what to buy and knowing that in all likelihood it will end up in a charity shop, at a church fayre, or whatever. There’s a lot of us, too, so it was becoming ridiculously expensive. I’m not sure that everyone is doing the same, but we made it clear that that was our intention, and stuck to it.

Cards are done ready to post or deliver. Pressies are mainly money these days so not a problem.

I'm getting a bit nervous about Christmas lunch as it's going all out traditional Ukrainian but on Christmas Day instead of Christmas Eve. I've been eavesdropping on the menu being discussed and MrA and I are wondering whether a midnight feast will be in order. So far the only things I recognise are bread, borscht (which neither of us like but it may depend on who cooks it) and potato and onion pancakes. And stewed cabbage. There was some talk of jellied fish but I hope that's been vetoed.

I broke out the Christmas spreadsheet nearly a month ago. Our usual suppliers of pork and turkey have both closed down, one last weekend, with less than a months notice, so I raced round while they were still in business and the gammon joint, sausage meat and pork pies for Christmas are already tucked away in my freezerand the turkey is on order from a different supplier, still local.

I ordered the cards last week and they arrived today and I have sent out requests to my nearest and dearest for their wish lists from Christmas, so I can start getting in the Christmas presents

Oh yes, I have made the mincemeat and Christmas puddings.

Apart from that I have barely started!

It would be good if anyone starting a Christmas thread would give a warning in the header . There must be many more like myself who just cannot bear the thought of Christmas and find it upsetting . It makes me so depressed and I just long for January 2nd. to come round.

Oh dear, Floradora. It wasn't my intention to upset anyone. Now I feel awful.