With just 10 weeks to go, these handy tips will help you with your planning for Christmas 2023!
The next 10 weeks are sure to fly by and if you haven’t already started planning Christmas, this is the week to get things underway.
Planning is the key to any great event, and Christmas is no exception to the rule. So here are five simple things that you can do this week to help make planning Christmas 2023 easy.
Plan your Christmas budget
Ideally we’d all start planning a Christmas budget much earlier in the year. But let’s face it, this isn’t an ideal world so if you haven’t done so yet, this really is the week to tackle it.
A well planned budget will help you to decide how much you can afford to spend on Christmas and what you want to spend it on. And then as the big day gets closer, your Christmas budget will also make it easier to keep track of what you’ve bought and what you still need to purchase.
So set aside some time this week to go through our guide to planning a Christmas budget. It will lead you step by step through the process and once you’ve completed it, you’re sure to feel much more in control of your Christmas planning.
Order your Christmas turkey
Or beef, or goose… Basically, if you’re planning to serve meat at your Christmas dinner, now is the time to get your order placed. With all of the additional pressures on deliveries during winter, it’s a good idea to plan ahead for anything that you would hate to go without on Christmas Day.
You might want to serve the traditional Christmas turkey, but you could opt for something a little different like roast beef, goose or even salmon. Or if you’re only cooking for two, you could prepare an indulgent roast duck or steak recipe.
Of course the cost of living is impacting on every aspect of life, and Christmas dinner is no exception. You can still serve up a celebratory meal without breaking the bank, either by picking up one of the many excellent supermarket options or by cooking something using a cheaper cut of meat.
If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can be a bit more relaxed about your Christmas dinner centrepiece. But it’s still a good idea to start thinking about what recipe you will be serving so that you can have a trial run if necessary. Or you could order a gorgeous plant-based centrepiece to wow your guests – there’s such a fantastic selection available these days!
Book online shopping slots
And while you’re thinking about Christmas food, this is also the time to book your online grocery slots for Christmas week.
The major supermarkets have already started releasing their online shopping slots for the week leading up to Christmas. So if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the supermarkets in the days before Christmas, you need to get your slot booked now!
Don’t worry about making a full list now, you can usually check out and reserve your slot with just a few items in your basket. But make a note in your diary or set a reminder on your phone to go back and update your basket before the cut off date.
Otherwise you could see the supermarket van turn up two days before Christmas with just a couple of bottles of Champagne.
(Yes, that really did happen one year. No, I was not amused…)
Buy Advent Calendars
Although there are still six weeks to go until the start of December, Advent calendars are starting to turn up online and in shops.
Whether you’re looking for a countdown calendar that’s filled with chocolate treats, beauty products or something a little more unusual (pork scratchings calendar, anyone?), buying them now will avoid anyone being disappointed on 1st December.
Book a Christmas Treat
If you’ve included a Christmas day out or event as part of your Christmas budget, don’t leave it too late to book your tickets.
You might be planning a visit to the pantomime with your family, a relaxing pre-Christmas spa break or a trip to a traditional Christmas market. Booking your tickets now means that you can relax in the knowledge that they won’t sell out, and it also gives you something else to look forward to.
Don’t forget to book any travel or hotel rooms for your treat as well!
Enter my first Christmas 2023 Giveaway
I love running giveaways, especially at Christmas, and my Christmas Countdown calendar giveaway has become something of a festive tradition.
So why not pop over and enter my giveaway today for a chance to win this gorgeous Yankee Candle Advent Wreath. It’s packed full of festive scented tealights and would make a gorgeous gift for someone special – or you could just keep it and treat yourself!
The giveaway is open until Friday, 3rd November 2023 and there are social media entries you can use daily to boost your chance of winning.
Tick these jobs off your list this week to bring you one step closer to a wonderful Christmas 2023. What jobs are on your to-do list this week?