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

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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.

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.

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.

* 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.

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 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! )

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!

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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.