What christmas advice would you give?

QueenB.

I was thinking the other day about what christmas advice i would give to a new parent.

I think my first piece of advice would be to buy two identical stockings and have one of them prefilled.

I have spent too many christmas eves sneaking around in the dark trying to find stockings, which are never where they got left, and fill them in silence. Having an indentical stocking prefilled would have been so much easier:D

What piece of advice would you give new parents/a new couple/anyone?:)

vikki_louise

My Christmas advice to anyone is to relax, it's just another day so don't try and make it perfect. If your busy trying to make everything perfect you are far less likely to enjoy the day. Don't go mad with shopping, do kids really need a giant pile of presents (especially expensive ones) and then have their parents struggle for months after to pay them off. Also shops like supermarkets are only closed for a few days so don't get too caught up stock piling on your Christmas shop, you still eat the same amount of breakfast cereal as you do the rest of the year and most people go longer than 3 days without shopping anyway.

Most of all relax, have fun and enjoy the magic




This is a great thread, love the 2 stockings idea

roosterbean

Vikki-Louise you are sooooo right - if you relax into it and take everything in your stride, you will enjoy it more. Most supermarkets are going to open Boxing Day and New Years Day this year.

My advice is to have all your wrapping done about a week before the big day - I left it until xmas eve once and was up until late and then ran out of cellotape! Arrghh

I know that opening pressies is the main attraction for kids, but if the build-up to xmas is exciting, fun and in a relaxed atmosphere, the pressies are just the cherry on the cake. My boys are already on the countdown to putting the tree up and putting on some xmassy music lol xx

Gleek

• Christmas shopping advice - go early (ie be in the shopping centre as it opens at 8/9/10 etc)
• Go without children/buggies to avoid toilet break diversion/'are we done yet?' and upset or bored children and stress for you.
• Start with the shops you know will get unpleasantly busy early - ie: Poundland/world, Primark etc]
• Make a list of a few present ideas for each person you're shopping for to try and avoid the last minute panic buying when you're tired and have had enough. Also to stop over-buying.
• Look at the websites of some of the shops you'll be visiting for ideas or things you want to buy.
• Make time for a break, even if it's sitting on a bench in the middle of the shopping centre or a treat of a festive coffee.
• Be as early as possible - make use of online shopping if you want but make sure that you check up on the weather to look out for snow... you don't want to have to buy again if things get held up and you feel guilty because it's not there on the day.
• Don't fixate on a 'perfect Christmas' it NEVER ends up like it and you just get upset, tearful and wish you'd done something different and let it overtake your day. You can't control what other people say or do, just relax and have fun spending it with the family/friends.
• Remember that it's just a 'day' retail wise. Many shops are open Boxing Day. In certain places [like our Costcutter on the corner behind our house) they're open Christmas Day!
• Most of all relax and enjoy the magic as mentioned above. Christmas is an awesome time for many people, everyone seems happier and there's nothing like being all wrapped up inside or outside and enjoying the atmosphere.

Sewsosew

One year I looked after a friend's three girls on Christmas Eve whilst she had a whole day shopping on her own. (Yes, I know it was very last minute but she's that sort of person.) This meant I had three live-in babysitters for my small son and I got LOADS done at home.

QueenB.

Loving all the advice.

I have been guilty of christmas eve wrapping

Christmas is all about relaxing and enjoying those we care for so we really do need to stop trying to make it perfect.

As from the 1st of December my kids start doing daily seasonal activities and then we celebrate yule around the 21st, on xmas eve we normally go up London and then Boxing day we spend with extended family. But on the day itself it is just me, my OH and our kids. No phones on, no computers just us doing what we want to, when we want to. Sometimes we have just spent the whole day in new PJs:D

My piece of advice would be, make a list, after lots of research, stick to it and then tick it of as you go. Once wrapped it can be difficult to remember what a gift is, especially if you have brought it months ago.

Another piece of advice would be to pick a colour of wrapping paper for each child and wrap all their gifts in it to avoid confusion. One of my sons always has green paper, the other always has red and my daughter usually has silver. I even wrap the stocking gifts in the same paper.

Martha-Lou

dont rush your shopping if you do you will forget something

and dont go buying a load of food, like some people i know does, the shops are only closed for 1 day (altho over here the major supermarkets are close boxing day)

roosterbean

Queen-Bee - loving the advice about using different coloured paper for each child - definitely going to do this so that I can tell the difference from the other side of the room!! :T

QueenB.

The different coloured paper for each child also saves on tags LOL which of course any i do need always get made from old christmas cards.

teacherandmum

as regards wrapping, I always wrap Father Christmas Gifts in wrap[ping paper with Father Christmas on and then throw out any that's not used. incase dd/ds wonders how you and FC have the same wrapping paper

We take the toys etc out of the boxes, get rid of those fiddly ties and the extra packaging, pop in batteries and then pop the toy back in the box before wrapping. Means that they can rip out the toy and get playing straightaway rather than waiting for it to be taken out the packaging, looking for a screwdriver, finding batteries etc!!!!

defrost your turkey in plenty of time/make sure it'll fit in the oven!!

use disposible foil trays for roasties and turkey. Cheap and saves on washing up

Sallys_Savings

We always used to have our christmas dinner on christmas eve and started our christmas from then on. It meant that on christmas morning i could spend time with my four children rather than spending it in the kitchen
We would then have sausage sarnies for brekkie and then have a late lunch/tea buffet or with salad.