30 Christmas top tips
30 handy Christmas tips advance planning is the key to a
smooth-running Christmas.
1. Cash in your rewards
My tip is to save your supermarket savings stamps! Now that most
supermarkets do more than just food; it really is worth filling up
some cards with stamps through the year and saving loyalty points so
that in November and December you can go on a spree with "free" money,
and obviously get more of what you want/need!
2. Get cracking!
I buy my crackers just after Christmas when they are all reduced, and
usually get a couple of really nice boxes of luxury ones dirt-cheap. I
then put them away with my Christmas decorations for use the following
year. The same also works with tableware (papercloths, napkins etc).
3. Remember what you've bought!
If you buy presents through the year like I do, make sure you keep a
list of what you've bought and who it is for. This saves buying a
present for someone you've already bought for.
4. Get sprout and about!
Last Christmas we did our food shopping in the early hours of
Christmas Eve morning (we'd been to the cinema and everyone was wide
awake!). The place was empty, the staff were chasing each other with
silly string, and it was a dream of a shopping trip. Of course this
only works if you've got older children and a 24-hour supermarket near
by! Certainly beats fighting for the last bag of sprouts on Christmas
Eve morning!
5. Cut costs the easy way
I save all my Christmas cards from the previous year, get a pair of
pinking shears and cut up the cards to make instant gift tags!
6. Make a list
Avoid a stressful supermarket scrum by planning ahead. Make a list and
try to buy non-perishable items on a normal shopping trip in advance.
Things in tins or packets will happily keep in the cupboard. Making a
list is the best shopping tip.
7. Sneaky shopper
We cook the Christmas cake in November and buy most of the
non-perishable food, chocolates, tape, cards and paper throughout the
year. We don't see most of the family until after Christmas so we can
shop in the Boxing Day sales and nobody knows!
8. Military operation
I hate Christmas shopping and treat it like a military operation. Last
year I compiled a gift list noting which shops to get them in, and
even planned my route to ensure that the heaviest items were bought
towards the end of the 'spree', to avoid carrying stuff around
unnecessarily! I might sound completely obsessed but I did get all my
Christmas shopping done (including wrapping paper, bows etc) in under
three hours. I then took myself off for a celebratory glass of
champagne.
9. Festive brainstorm
Brainstorm all the Yuletide jobs you need to do, then put them on your
noticeboard. Mark them off as you do them, or add if required. Have a
countdown with final dates too, and always give yourself an extra day
to get everything done.
10. Shop online
Buy your children's Christmas presents online. I find it hard to shop
with my little boy in tow. By shopping online there's no way he can
see his presents! Plus I can't drive so it saves time having things
delievered.
11. Homemade advent calendar treats
I get my children involved with the Christmas experience by digging
out all the child-friendly utensils such as small wooden spoons and
Christmas biscuit-cutters. We spend an afternoon making little edible
goodies to go into the advent calendar.
12. Collect boxes
All year I save interesting, useful-shaped and plain but beautiful
boxes to use for present wrapping. I refuse to buy expensive Christmas
boxes.
13. Early bird
I shop for the small stocking fillers ahead of time - even as early as
the January sales. I stick them away in dark cupboard so the kids
can't find them!
14. Stock up
Always buy plenty of indigestion tablets and cold remedy - and a few
small extra presents for the people you forget! And for the perfect
Christmas, always have a smile at the ready!
15. Luxury tip
I always buy luxury Christmas cards just after Christmas and every
year friends remark how expensive they look. I just grin and say
nothing. This year I don't mind sharing my tip!
16. Stitch-in-time
I make cross-stitch decorations throughout the year. I always plan my
gift list and budget well in advance. I try to shop as early as
possible - last minute shopping for me is in November - and always
wrap all the presents as soon as I get home, so I'm not temped to give
them away before Christmas.
17. Avoid the big shop
From late September onwards I start stocking up for Christmas. I buy
extra loo paper, bread rolls, cling film - anything that can be bought
in advance. This way I avoid that really big Christmas
grocery-shopping nightmare.
18. Puddings with a punch
Start making your puddings and cakes now so you've plenty of time to
keep topping them up with alcohol.
19. Save the date!
I make a date in the diary at the end of November for writing
Christmas cards. On the day, my husband and I sit down with the cards
and a motivational first glass of the season's sherry.
20. Freezing - a cook's best-friend
I like to prepare and freeze lots of comfort food like stews and soups
that can just be defrosted and heated up in the microwave in the
run-up to Christmas. These are especially good to eat after a late
night shopping trip when you don't want to come home and cook. I also
like to make and freeze individual treats like souffles and sticky
toffee puddings in one-portion sized ramekins - for Christmas Eve, or
when friends come over in the weeks before. Freezing is the
think-ahead-cook's best friend.
21. Perfect gifts
I go blank for present ideas at this time of year, so every time
someone mentions something they like throughout the year I write it
down. This way I avoid the panic of trying to think of things at the
last minute.
22. Overseas posting
Send all your overseas parcels by mid-November. There's nothing worse
than standing in the post office queue on the last day of overseas
posting. Alternatively buy your prezzies online - that way you avoid
all the hassle of postage.
23. Book a day-off
Save a day's holiday for December and use it to finish off Christmas
shopping and treat yourself to a lie-in or haircut. The streets are
much emptier in the week than on the weekend. Take off Christmas Eve
to get in the mood.
24. Stock up with power
Buy a stack of batteries - especially if you have children. There's
nothing worse than not being able to get a new toy going because you
forgot the batteries!
25. Use cook's cheats
Cook as much as possible in advance - and don't be afraid to use
convenience foods.
26. Buy wine
Buy plenty of wine! The only reliable way of being prepared for
Christmas is to have large quantities of wine to hand!
27. Recycled Christmas cards
I buy so many Christmas cards that I generally get by with what I have
from previous years. I keep the cards I send my friends abroad
separately from the one's to friends at home - so I can switch them
around the next year... Boy am I cheap!
28. Advance ordering
I order a Christmas dinner hamper in advance from the milkman, which I
pay for over the year. I also save up the discounts from my regular
mail order catalogues and use them to order big presents for kids.
This year I've managed to save up £80 on each catalogue.
29. Treat yourself
Beauty stuff keeps me cool during the festive season and I've already
scheduled a leg wax, pedicure and manicure along with a full body
massage, for a few days before Christmas Day.
30. Closing Christmas tip
I pick sloes from the hedgerows while walking the dogs and make sloe
gin that will hopefully be ready for Christmas. A tipsy cook is a
happy cook!
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