**This is a collaborative post**
It’s under 100 days until Christmas 2022. For some, it won’t even be on the radar as yet, I’m sure…but there’ll be others who have been getting ready for the festive season for months already.
I know some people who have pretty much finished this year’s gift shopping – while I’ve bought and stashed away a few gifts, I’ll never be that organised! With utility bills, food, fuel and everything else costing so much, though, it makes sense to start doing things a little earlier and spread the cost of the festive season.
It’s not just about starting the gift buying early, though. There’s plenty you can do right now to make December less stressful – both from a financial and an organisational point of view.
1. Cards, gift wrap and decorations
Leave buying your cards, wrapping paper and Christmas decorations until December, and you run the risk of shops selling out of the options you really want. So why not buy them now?
When it comes to gift wrap, don’t forget to check that the wrapping paper you’re buying can be recycled: it’s estimated that over 83 square kilometres of wrapping paper end up in our bins over the Christmas period. Where you can, opting for reusable gift bags and boxes instead – or making your own wrapping paper at home – can help to reduce some of this waste.
Shopping for decorations now allows plenty of time just in case those you choose are out of stock or have long delivery times. Whether you’re buying on the high street, in an independent shop or online, buying early means you can get your festive look organised well before December begins.
For some people, Christmas cards are an element of the celebration that are left until the last minute – or forgotten about until the first few arrive through the letterbox. Get them bought early so they’re good to go when the time comes – and don’t forget to buy extras for those recipients you may have forgotten to add to your list!
I love to choose cards that have some relevance to the person I’m sending to, rather than buying a generic box. The Christmas cards at Boomf are great for this, with a whole host of different themes and cards suitable for different types of recipient. I love that you can create your own card via the Boomf website, too – as well as the fact that they’ve got various cards with a foodie theme!
2. Start your Christmas food shopping
You’ll probably have spotted the Christmas 2022 food ranges starting to appear in the supermarkets already…I need to avoid the 2 for £7 chocolate tubs in Tesco, as I’ll just end up eating them all before Christmas actually arrives!
If you’ve got more willpower than me, why not start stocking up on Christmas goodies now? You’ll find that many of the products that are already on the shelves – from chocolate to mince pies and Christmas puddings – have best before dates well after Christmas, so adding a Christmas item or two to your shopping each week may be an excellent way to spread the cost.
Meats etc can be frozen for the big day, so if you’ve got freezer space, why not buy when you see something you need on special offer? And don’t forget the condiments – from cranberry sauce or jelly to the pickles you serve with your Boxing Day meal, there’s lots that can be done in advance.
I’m already eyeing up some of the Christmas food from Aldi (like their Venison Wellington), and Waitrose, whose three-bird pig in blankets, pear & fig mince pies in triple cheese pastry, and burrata & ‘nduja profiteroles all sound incredible…
3. Make your Christmas puddings and cakes
Making your own Christmas cake this year? If it’s a rich fruit cake, then two to three months before Christmas 2022 is the ideal time to start. It gives the flavours time to mature and develop, as well as allowing you to “feed” it with plenty of booze before it’s served.
Traditionally, Christmas puddings are made on Stir up Sunday (the last Sunday before Advent), which this year falls on November 20th. However, if you want to start earlier, go for it: just like Christmas fruit cakes, it’s good to give the flavours time to develop.
If you’re thinking about homemade foodie gifts to save a little money this year, you could also start making jams and marmalades any time between now and December, too.
4. Organise your existing Christmas stuff
I don’t know about you, but all our Christmas stuff is in boxes and bags in the loft. It’s not until it’s brought down in early December that we realise how many sets of lights need to be untangled or have bulbs replaced, how many things are broken and how much more we need to buy.
So why not sort everything out and take an inventory in advance? It’ll save you from spending money thinking you need something when you actually don’t, and help you to work out what you need to get your house and tree looking incredible when December comes.
Are you planning on doing anything in advance to plan and prepare for Christmas 2022? Will you just wing it when December comes? Let me know in the comments!