Organised Christmas 2008.. The countdown has begun!

JayJay14 · 5 September 2008 at 11:49PM

My DD1 (Ashia) is just as daft about Christmas - she must have got some of it from me!!! I've just texted her about this thread so she might turn up.

I shall put you into my favourites. (I've had the Organised Christmas site in there since last year just waiting for day 1), then I can find you all easier and keep up.

I've not got any pressies yet but have started buying food treats - I've got my priorities in order:rotfl:

Off to bed now but will pop back in tomorrow when I am more awake.

pretz_2 · 6 September 2008 at 12:11AM

hiya pinkladymel

yeah i have to start well in advance to make sure its all ready by november the lastest (big family)

i have already

re-arrange front room for the christmas tree to go in (my daughter hates change so have to prep christmas slowly so now we just have a tree up)

wrote christmas card list

wrote present list

sent christmas eve dinner invites (i know its early but we have a very big family im one of twelve so have to do it early to make sure i have everything in, in time).

gone through and assigned already brought christmas presents.

it may look like im well ahead but there is still so much to do and we are already in september where has this year gone

pinkladymel · 6 September 2008 at 12:25AM

I am loving being in the company of all you christmas lovers

I have just printed off the sheets from 31st august-today so thats me up to date. Got to make a book for organising christmas in now!

Pretz - I thought it was just me who organised rooms around the tree lol. I don't envy you cooking for a big family - what menu have you planned?

JayJay I saw the tins of roses and quality streets in tesco today! I guess there are always plenty of presents to be found but food just races off the shelves for christmas so good thinking on an early start!

Im going to go fill my lists in now hehehehe

SOOOO excited!

pretz_2 · 6 September 2008 at 1:21AM

i dont have much choice about changing the room round its the only way to fit the tree in lol

my menu for christmas eve is kinda complicated there is a choice of 2 for adults and choice of 2 for children. so everybody gets a choice of which one they want.

however i dont cook enough of everything for everyone i send a little card in the invite so when they rsvp they send that back too there is also space to add details on like please can i have xxx instead of yyy and this is for adults and children.

i warned you it was mad lol

but here are the choices

menu 1

starter
Pear with Roquefort, Rocket and Pickled walnuts

main
Chicken and Wild Mushroom En papillote with Butterbean and Tarragon Mash

dessert
lemon and Plum Tart with Creme Fraiche

menu 2

starter
Goats Cheese and Red Onion tart with Salad and Balsamic Dressing

main
Pork Wellington with Apple and Sage compote, served with Boiled Potatoes and Green Beans

Dessert
Chocolate and Stout Ice Cream With Zesty Shortbread

Kids Choices

starter
Crudites with dip
or
garlic foccacia and tomato salsa

main
Mini Toad in the Hole with Mash, Peas and Gravy
or
Roasted Salmon with Boiled potatoes, Broccolli and Hollandaise Sauce

Dessert
Chocolate Brownies and Ice Cream
or
Fruit Salad and Ice cream

all home made now i think i need to get my head tested lol sorry about the really long post

JayJay14 · 6 September 2008 at 10:31AM

Well I'm up and about and have started on my lists - will be going into town later so I am going to look for a really nice new file - OH thinks I'm insane but he has agreed to do the garage week of the Grand Plan.

For many years I have had the house rule that Xmas planning and work finishes the week before X Day (except for F&V). I like to prep as much as pos in the freezer for the holidays as they are my hols too so I want to enjoy them as much as the rest of the family:j

pinkladymel · 6 September 2008 at 12:17PM

Have you done organized christmas before Jay Jay? I did it last year at the last minute and now I am looking at it this year I hope I am doing it right. What I am doing is printing out the page it tells me to each day as it comes. Am I supposed to be doing a grand plan or something? LOL I LOVE the idea of prepping loads of freezer food that is genius. I think I will look for some family meals so that we don't eat so much takeaway in the run up to christmas due to being overtired and short of time.

Pretz - That post is just not long enough for me with all the goodness in it! Everything sounds SO delicious. How will you make it all?! How many people will be coming?

Has anyone done anything about saving money? I have started a savings tin I plan to open in october. When will you be putting your decs up? last year for fun I put them up on October 31st (My weddig anniversary) but this year my oldest is 4 so he knows what christmas is now and I can't make him wait for 2 months! It is his birthday on the 22nd dec too

ARGH PANIC!

pretz_2 · 6 September 2008 at 1:23PM

hiya
i always prep and freeze so it only needs cooking on the day saves so much time on the day and i will be cooking for a minimium of 22+ but last year i think it was more on the lines of fourty but as my dad has a restuarant we always close for christmas eve and have are dinner there otherwise we would never all fit in lol

as for the saving i have a isa account that is for christmas only and i deposit £50 a week into it so i dont even notice the loss when christmas come

JayJay14 · 6 September 2008 at 3:25PM

pinkladymel - if you go to the top of the OC home page it gives a tab to different plans - I'm goiing for the grand plan this year as my house is a bomb site and I would like it to be more homely. I've never followed it to the letter but I have had a go, and this year I would like to make a beter effort.

Perhaps this thread will encourage me to do well this year.

sammy_kaye18 · 6 September 2008 at 3:53PM

Got to say i love soem of the ideas they have - think i may do the brownie jars for teachers etc as nice little gifts from him come christmas.

Have already started - got my budget worked out, got my gift list done and have started buying small bits and pieces to go into gifts, as gifts, part of gifts.

Am tryignt o figure out our menu at the minute - we always have chicken so im not too sure what we'll have yet but ill get there with that one

Me and mother in law have a good system for the food shopping - we both buy a bogof in the run up to christmas and squirrel them away - then the week before christmas we swap - ie she gets the freebie that came in my bogof and i get he freebie that came in her bogof - we did this quite sucessfulyl last year and both ended up doubling our storecupboards which was good and only spent half the money - plus we didnt have to panic and we kept a list at her house so we knew what bogofs each of us had brought so it helped reduce our shopping bill too as we knew 'ok sam has brought teabags bogof so idont need them that week' etc

edited to add: Lol our house is decorated on sunday 1st december - thats when we know that our christmas visitor is arriving because he/she brings the special christmas tree and says how unchristmassy our house looks and they tell benjamin that he needs to go our and get some nice decorations to decorate the tree with and then his visitor will make sure theres hot chocolate and biscuits for when he gets back and they will help decorate the tree later. Reminds me must think of a name for our visitor this year - havent decided what it will be yet either - thinking a white teddy of some sort but cnat be a dog as we have a white dog called bruno so something else.

hmmmmm.................off to google search christmassy names

tessie_bear · 6 September 2008 at 7:31PM

can i please join in.its nice to hear people lovin christmas instead of moaning about it.shops seem to be getting stuff in .good makes it much easier to plan and get started

Organised Christmas 2008.. The countdown has begun!

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