Any Christmas tips?

For the last couple of years I've been making fabric gift bags so they can be used indefinitely, year after year, gradually building up a stock in different sizes. I use red and green and gold patterned fabric so it looks very Christmassy, and the fabric is usually on sale in January! After all, it used to be just pillowcases, didn't it?

M0nica

My main tip is plan in advance and then enjoy it.

I'm with you, Monica!

Great idea 💡

I bought a small chest freezer for the garage early 2020. I already had fridge/freezer in kitchen, but wanted extra space at Christmasses. Turned out great timing as we were hit with covid lockdown a few weeks later, so was able to do bigger shops. During the year I use it for extra bread, rolls, ice cream and other bulky items. But pre Christmas I let the normal items run down and gradually replace them with extras such as stuff for buffets or nice desserts. It is now completely full of Christmas stuff which I couldn't have fitted in my normal freezer. It's spread the cost and one less part of festive food to have to think about. I can honestly say it's been one of my best ever, most useful buys.

kittylester

SueDonim

With four DC and six GC, I’m just so fed up of present-wrapping! This year I’ve bought inexpensive gift bags (From Card Factory, Aldi etc) and label one for each family member. Their gifts get put straight into the bag, I artfully(!) place some decorative tissue paper on the top then seal the bag.

All done in a quick shake of a Christmas lamb’s tail! 🎄

I do that too. And the bags are reused year after year.

I've copied your idea SueDonim and will be copying Kittylester for DH and myself.
I have one big bag that says birthday boy I have had for years which I have used for DH right after Christmas, but never thought of doing it at Christmas.
For his birthday I wrap the presents in tissue like fish and chips used to be corner to corner,I saw that somewhere. It is much neater and only needs one piece of sellotape. instead of my usual yards. I also bought some three-sided ball points which I now find much easier to write labels with than the round which makes my writing terrible.Thank you both.

I so love Christmas but this year are definitely behind. Normally I pick thing up all through the year so means I dont have a big rush towards the end. If I can buy wrap and label at the same time then put in an old suitcase on top of the wardrobe. Only buy for immediate family if 8 but that’s bad enough.

I second frozen roast potatoes, which I've only just discovered.

But for present-wrapping I shy away from tips that 'show' and look as though I find the whole thing a chore.

I’ve cooked the turkey and pigs in blankets already. Just need to get what I need out of the freezer on the Friday eve and bung it in the microwave. Aunt Bessie’s yorkies and parsnips make life easier. Guests are bringing some nibbles to add to leftover meat for a buffet tea. A shop bought cheesecake and ice cream for after.
The days of seven different veg and making fancy puddings are over. I don’t have the energy and I’d like to enjoy more of the day with the family than spend most of it in the kitchen.

If you have multiple children/grandbabies wrap each child's presents in a set colour.
Red for Fred
Blue for Stu
And so on, doesn't matter in the pattern if the paper
Unless you have 475 then it's no problem

Yes I second the frozen roast potatoes in goose fat, from Tesco or Lidl. If there’s a way of reducing the workload I’m all for it. I’ve made my cranberry sauce and frozen batches in clean yogurt pots which I then take out from the yogurt pots and put in plastic bags in the freezer. I’ve got all our fresh veg and it’s stored in the garage where it’s cold. Just a turkey crown to buy from M&S or a chicken. Only the two of us on Christmas Day but after that we are going to DD so I don’t want loads of leftovers.

I go around all the sale’s after Christmas for cards bows paper decorations and gift sets and Christmas T-shirts etc whatever I can use the following Christmas I’ve 4 suitcases that I store everything in plus some things I use for birthdays etc thoughout the year. Then in Sept I go through everything I’ve got over the year and who is getting what etc and then go out and get what I couldn’t buy in jan like Chocolate etc lol saves me loads

Never did, and still don't do multiple extra vegetables, lots of desserts , as seen in every supermarket advert. I do not even do pigs in blankets. Just turkey, ham, sausage meat, sage and onion, roast potatos and sprouts, followed by Christmas pudding and Yule log for those who do not like Christmas pudding Simple quick and easy to do, with minimum preparation.

Many years ago I went through the Christmas eating, asking of every dish: Will anyone miss it if I do not cook it? The answer to many of these Christmas questions was no. I get a lot of salad veg in and once the main meal has been served, I leave everyone to get whatever extra they want when they want it. It is usually only family and they know where I keep everything

I do not bother with crisps sweets or other incidentals. If people want them they bring their own.

I go for quality rather than quantity except in the time I get to enjoy Christmas without being exhausted,

For the last couple of years I've been buying cards and wrapping paper that can be recycled- no glitter or foil decorations. I might sound a bit sad, but I love wrapping presents and it's a bit of a joke with the children that everything is double wrapped, first in tissue then wrapping paper. So in January I shall be looking for paper in the sales.
I make and freeze mince pies, uncooked so they can come out anytime and we can eat them warm from the oven. Had some several months later and they were fine.
Prep the veg the day before.
BIG TIP! Write down the time you put the bird/joint in the oven. So easy to have a couple of sherries and or glasses of sparkling wine and lose track. Mind you I was quite happy and I don't even think that my lovely Mother in law noticed the turkey was a bit overdone. M&S gravy a life saver.

I have a blackboard on the side of my fridge. I write up a time plan for most meals with more than a couple of elements A niece who was visiting one Christmas loved the Christmas dinner time plan and photographed it and put on Facebook. I’m a great believer in setting a timer too.

Something I have been doing for years. I have a roll of brown paper, loads of pretty brown tags with a heart cut out and a roll of gold ribbon. I wrap all the presents using these things. Cheap but quite classy looking. You can draw gold holly leaves/berries on if you want. Paper can be recycled unlike all those glitzy papers

My tip: do the garden before the snow and ice arrive. Lovely.

I’ve used different paper too for each grandchild

None of our visitors like Christmas pudding. Our Christmas dessert consists of lots of different ice creams for guests to help themselves to, different flavoured sauces and masses of toppings - smarties, chocolate buttons, marshmallows, sprinkles etc. Many years ago I bought tall sundae glasses and beautiful, multi coloured long sundae spoons. Everyone creates their own ice cream sundae and they love the whole ritual and I’ve put zero effort in!

Buy the gravy

Keep it simple prepare veg in advance it's a roast dinner we have been making them for years!

My tip .. When the families grown
We jump on a plane to somewhere little bit warmer, have lovely meals out, stay a week, then return when the madness and over inflated prices is over.
It’s not because we don’t love them all, as have family get togethers around every eight weeks, taking it in turn all year round, with games etc for the little ones, and adults alike, BBQ in the summer months weather permitting and everyone loves it. … especially us Ho ho ho free !

Wetnosewheatie

I’ve used different paper too for each grandchild

I buy generic paper - most places sell plain gold or silver (recyclable of course) or stripes/dots etc which I can use up for birthdays xx

There are only three of us on Christmas Day this year, and I am the only one eating meat, so I plan to cook the chicken on Christmas Eve and reheat it (sliced) in the gravy just before serving. I'll cook the nutroast ahead of time too, as that will have separate vegetarian gravy. I'm going to do both the goose fat potatoes and the veggie ones ahead of time, and heat them (separately) in the air fryer just before serving. The vegetarians will have to make do with ready-made stuffing, and I'll shape mine into balls to heat in the gravy with the chicken. All of that will just leave the vegetables to do on Christmas Day, so it will be a lot easier than the usual juggling with different trays and pans to keep the meat things separate from the vegetarian ones.

My other tip is foil wrapping bags from Amazon. I bought them last year and have reused them this time. It took well under an hour to 'wrap' everything and separate the presents out into 5 santa sacks to go under the tree - one for each of us. In the past I've wrapped using a different paper for each person for ease of sorting, but this way has the same effect but was so much quicker, and will prove more ecological if the bags last for ages, which it looks like they will do, as they don't crease or get tatty like paper ones (or not yet, at least). The bags were about £15 for lots in assorted sizes, and the sacks £1.99 each from Yorkshire Trading, so an outlay of £25 or so last year, but nothing will need replacing for a while. You can get much more upmarket and understated sacks from Not On The High Street for about £20 each, but I am a firm believer in Christmas being tacky, and mine are felt with elves on . I just gathered up the bags and sacks after everything had been opened and put them away with the decorations until the tree went up this time.

M0nica

Never did, and still don't do multiple extra vegetables, lots of desserts , as seen in every supermarket advert. I do not even do pigs in blankets. Just turkey, ham, sausage meat, sage and onion, roast potatos and sprouts, followed by Christmas pudding and Yule log for those who do not like Christmas pudding Simple quick and easy to do, with minimum preparation.

Many years ago I went through the Christmas eating, asking of every dish: Will anyone miss it if I do not cook it? The answer to many of these Christmas questions was no. I get a lot of salad veg in and once the main meal has been served, I leave everyone to get whatever extra they want when they want it. It is usually only family and they know where I keep everything

I do not bother with crisps sweets or other incidentals. If people want them they bring their own.

I go for quality rather than quantity except in the time I get to enjoy Christmas without being exhausted,

**

I love all the different colour veggies on the plate and with at least one vegetarian in the family they are an important part of the meal. I go for a rule of thumb of one kind of veg for each person present. I'd draw the line at 10 types of veg, though. We are never more than about 8. This year I've decided on veggies I can prepare and blanche in advance - starting tomorrow, doing a couple a day. Roast potatoes being unknown ( and not even really understood) here in Germany, as a Sunday roast is just not a "thing", I have to make my own. I have heard that they can be allowed to cool right down so I may well peel and pre-boil them on Christmas Eve.

We don't do Christmas pudding - no one would eat it. So I disagree with MOnica on this point too. I shall be serving plates with dolly-sized portions of four or five little desserts, either made in advance during the week, or ready-made, such as ice cream.

I hope that only leaves the chocolate mousse to be made on Christmas morning.

One Gran's meat is another Gran's poison. I would feel physically ill to see so much food on a table for a family meal, even eating small portions.