6 things to start doing for Christmas now

With Christmas just over 3 months away now is the perfect time to get planning. Personally I start thinking about Christmas in July/August time but that’s because I just love it so much. I know not everyone feels the same though which is why I’ve held off on this post for a little while! By starting to plan now though it takes some of the pressure off later in the year when things start to get busy. Here’s 5 things you can start doing for Christmas now to ensure you really do have a wonderful Christmastime!

Plan Christmas gifts

I just love buying people gifts and I spend a lot of time thinking about what to buy people are writing down ideas. The thought of rushing out and grabbing any old last minute gift doesn’t sit right with me. Now is the perfect time to start planning out your gifts. Make a list of everyone you usually buy for and start planning out some ideas of what you could buy them.

Personalised hampers go down a treat with some people but these do require some thinking as it’s best to make them up yourself so you can truly pack them with gifts the recipient will appreciate. Rather than buying pre-made hampers I always make up my own with things I know the other person will love. If I’m doing a hamper I write down loads of ideas then as I start buying things I switch it up and add things to the list or take things away depending on how the hamper will look when it’s finished.

Home made presents are another good thing to start planning now. If you’re making or baking anything as gifts it’s a good idea to have trial run at it now so you know you’ve got it spot on when you make the actual gifts.

Make a budget

While I do love Christmas and I do spend a lot of money it’s not anything I can’t afford and I start saving months ahead of time because Christmas is just something I love and it’s what I choose to spend my money on. It’s quite easy to get carried away with spending money at Christmas though which is why I always try to stick to a budget. Set a presents budget, food budget, extra activities budget. Anything basically that will help you to stay in control of finances.

It is important to remember though that Christmas really isn’t about how much money you spend. It’s more than possible to have a great Christmas on a small budget.

Write a Christmas card list

In all honesty I find Christmas cards kind of annoying and I absolutely hate shopping for them so I always make a list to make sure I can get my cards all in one go and get it out of the way. If you send a lot of card though it’s definitely worth making a list so you don’t miss anyone off. I find it useful to make a note of the kind of card you’ll be buying as well as who it’s getting sent to. For example I send my auntie and uncle and cousins a ‘to all of you card’ because we’re not super close and I don’t see them that often.

If you write card for people who you work with too then again a list is super handy because god forbid you miss anyone out in the office! I mean I just cut that problem out by not sending a card to anyone at work but you might be less harsh than me!

Start shopping

If you’ve made a list of Christmas gifts you want to buy, you may as well start shopping! The sooner you start the sooner it will be done and it’s one less thing to think about. I actually ended up buying my first gift in July as I just tend to pick things up as and when I see them. As a result we’ve pretty much finished shopping for one of our nieces already and we have a few other bits stashed away too. The closer it gets to Christmas the more I hate shopping so I’d rather get a good head start on it then I don’t have to worry about cramming it in last minute.

Plan recipes

Christmas food is just the best isn’t it?! Whether you’re planning a full on family meal, or keeping it small then it’s always good to plan out food. Everyone has different traditions around Christmas so it could well be that it’s not just the Christmas Day dinner you have to plan out. There’s also Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day to think about if you have plans for those days too. Oh and don’t forget about all the yummy Christmas bakes too!

If you’re wanting to try out new recipes this Christmas it’s not advisable to make them for the first time on the day itself. Use this time to perfect your new dishes so everything runs smoothly over Christmas. Plan out your meals for all the days you’re celebrating over Christmas and start practising those dishes now.

Get inspired

I love nothing more than heading over to Pinterest the closer it gets to the festive season because it’s just awash with the most fabulous inspiration. From decorations, tablescapes, recipes and more. Pinterest loves Christmas just as much as I do! With 2020 being such a terrible year, Pinterest actually saw a massive increase in Christmas searches all the way back in June. People are going to go all out for Christmas this year. It’s great news though because it means there’s already some fantastic festive content on the platform that will help you plan your best Christmas yet.

I like to get inspiration for new recipes and general festive advice but you will find pretty much anything on there!

Have you started planning for Christmas yet? What advice would you offer for Christmas planning now? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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