Ah, Christmas! The most wonderful time of the year… but if you’re a Mum there’s a whole lot of work to do to keep the magic alive. It can be fun and the joy on their little faces on Christmas morning makes it TOTALLY worth it, but let’s admit it, it can be all consuming and overwhelming.
With a little planning and early preparation, you can turn this festive season into a magical experience for your family, with no (ok, minimal) stress.
When to Start Planning for Christmas?
Fear not, I’ve planned it all out for you! This is a comprehensive guide to planning Christmas for your family. The timings are rough and you can of course tweak as necessary to suit your family.
SEPTEMBER
- Start planning your schedule
- Make a budget
- Book any big events/ shows/ pantos
- Book any travel/ accommodation needed
Planning Your Schedule
If you haven’t already, start planning your schedule for the season:
- Where/ how are you going to spend Christmas Day? With who?
- When will you see other family?
- Are you hosting anyone overnight?
- When can you make time for family days leading up to Christmas? Visits to Santa, Pantomimes, etc. These can get booked up early, so looking now should avoid disappointment!
- When are you seeing your friends over Christmas?
- When are the school Christmas plays, dance shows etc?
- When’s your office Christmas party?
- Do you need to book annual leave? If so, best to do it as soon as you can.
Don’t be too ambitious with your calendar, leave some time to watch Christmas films on the sofa.
Budgeting
I hate to break it to you, but unfortunately, you’re not a jolly old man with a magical workshop full of Elves. How much you want to spend is entirely up to you, but everyone needs a budget to stop from going overboard.
When budgeting, remember to include:
- Presents
- Days out/events
- Activities (crafts etc)
- New decorations
- Food/drink
- Travel expenses
- Outfits (e.g. Christmas party dress, Christmas PJs)
- Any traditions, such as a Christmas Eve box
- Charitable donations
You’ve heard it before, but it is best to save a little bit each month ready for Christmas, if you can.
PSA: You do not need to spend hundreds of pounds on presents for your kids, especially if they are young (if you want to, go ahead!). Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing on Insta. At the baby/toddler age especially, they don’t know if the toys they are opening are Vinted or Hamleys. They’re probably more interested in the wrapping paper or box than the toy itself anyway!
OCTOBER
- Buy and write Christmas cards
- Start present lists and present buying
- Check decorations
Buy and Write Christmas Cards
I like to write cards out a few months early, but don’t send them until closer to the time. If you want to make fancy cards with family Christmas themed photos on, then maybe this task has to wait.
If you have a lot of Christmas cards to post, consider printing out address labels. You can have a ready made file on your computer that you just need to check/ update each year. Print off onto a sticker sheet and there you go! Much quicker than finding everyone’s address and writing them all out. Plus, it looks great!
You can make cute DIY cards with your kids by getting them to draw/decorate, or doing footprints with your younger ones. You don’t need to keep their attention for 50 cards – just do one, then take a photo of it and order photo print cards.
Paper have an offer of £10 off when you spend £20 using my link below (I’ll get a reward too).
https://mention-me.com/m/ol/zg9je-sophie-flack
Buy Presents
Presents for your kids
Start thinking about what you might want to get them/ others to get them now, but hold your reindeer on asking them just yet. The build up to Christmas can be looong, and even longer when you’re kids ask you about it every day. Hold off until around December 1st.
Aside from their list, or for kids not able to articulate their wants, write a list for them to share with friends and family. One easy way to do this is on a website like Things to Get Me. You can create a wish list for any occasion, add gifts with links and share the link with your family and friends. They can then mark the item they have bought to avoid duplicates. Aside from toys, you can add details for paying into their savings account, add clothing sizes and shoe sizes.
Referral link: https://www.thingstogetme.com/?ref=109469ubff14
Presents for others
Some people seem to be naturally great at present giving and buy the most thoughtful, considerate gifts months in advance. I was the opposite. I’d buy a tin of biscuits and a voucher the day before. Don’t get me wrong that’s a great present, but it’s always nicer to buy something personal.
Now, I keep a running list of ideas for presents to give others. Father-In-Law mentions he loves a specific brand of whiskey at your summer BBQ? On the list! This can be continuous, and useful for birthdays as well as Christmas. Also helpful to monitor and spread your budget!
Let’s not forget the importance of generosity at this time of year. Encourage your kids to donate some of their old toys to those in need. It’s a reminder that Christmas isn’t just about receiving, but also about giving.
Presents from your kids
If they are young enough and willing enough, have them make gifts for family members. This not only saves a bit of money but also keeps them occupied. Plus, nothing says “I love you” like a pasta necklace, right?
We love decorating baubles for family each year. You could even create cards or small gifts for neighbours or local nursing homes, teaching them the joy of spreading cheer.
Don’t forget the teacher gifts!
Presents for yourself
Whilst you are busy preparing for your kids to have the most magical Christmas, it’s all too easy to forget about yourself and be caught totally off guard when someone asks you what you would like for Christmas. You end up saying something lame like a Next gift card and then remember things you actually want all too late. I keep ideas of things I see throughout the year on Notion. That way, I have a few ideas when family starts to ask.
I track all my gifts, monitor my budget and plan everything I have to do for Christmas on Notion. Copy my exact template:
Family Christmas Planner – Notion template
Check Decorations
Get up in your loft and remind yourself of what decorations you have, and check if you need to buy anything new. If you have babies/toddlers around, you might need to reconsider those glass baubles, or other hazards.
NOVEMBER
- Order Christmas food delivery
- Make and freeze some dishes for ease over the Christmas period (especially if you’re hosting)
- Start wrapping presents you have already bought
- Prepare advent calendar
- Plan for the return of the elf…
- Photoshoot
Order Christmas Food Delivery
Delivery slots tend to open in early November, so be sure to get in there quick to secure the best delivery slot and the best Christmas specials.
Make and Freeze Dishes
If you search online for Christmas recipes, you’ll end up with a whole host of fancy, overly ambitious, Insta worthy dishes. Remember to prioritise spending time with your kids over being in the kitchen, especially on Christmas Day. Here are a few things you can do ahead of time and keep in the freezer:
- Red cabbage
- Sweet potato mash
- Gravy (yes, really! Jamie Oliver has a great make ahead gravy recipe.)
Start Wrapping Presents
Start wrapping the presents you already have and get the bulk of the wrapping finished by the end of the month, leaving time for the kids presents / last minute presents. Prioritise presents you will need to post. Don’t forget to keep track of the presents you have wrapped!
Prepare Advent Calendar
If you’re doing a home made advent calendar, be sure to source all the presents in time for December 1st. Equally, if buying, buy as soon as they hit the shops before they sell out.
The Return of the Elf…
UGH the elf! Avoid the 10pm panic of what to do, and come up with a plan ahead of time. Scour Pinterest for some ideas and be sure to have all the props.
Christmas Photoshoot
Aim for mid-November – not too early but early enough to order prints in time.
DECEMBER
The final countdown! Are you still with me? It’s easy to loose some steam by now. Let’s break this down into weeks and keep it simple…
Week 1
- Put up decorations. Personally, I like to put my decorations up on December 1st or close to. It falls on a Sunday this year so a great weekend activity!
- Christmas lists. Time to get the letters to Santa done.
- Post cards and presents.
Week 2
- Finish present buying based on the kids lists.
- Christmas Eve boxes.
Week 3
- Last minute wrapping.
- Hand deliver presents.
Week 4
- Enjoy!!
Download my Christmas Planner Notion template to help with all of this!
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