36 days and counting!!!

By the end of this week my Christmas Cards will be written and lined up for either posting or hand delivering. I have printed all the labels from a template that I have set up in word, I have a label for every card that I write whether they are for posting or not, as the template of labels is checked and double checked I know that once they are all gone I have everybody covered, this takes the pressure off a little as I can dip in and out of card writing without getting in a muddle.   I have been buying second class stamps throughout the year so I won’t need a mortgage when I get to the post office, the only ones I will have to pay for are four for Australia (they by themselves cost a small fortune so I am always glad I have the stamps for the others in hand).

I have also printed a December calendar page from a word template this is now being filled in backwards from Christmas day, I use it as a meals/jobs to be done log, the 24^th will hopefully have very little in it as I love to relax and enjoy the day, doing Christmassy things without being stressed.

While I am cooking meals during the lead up, I am doubling up on everything, so last night we had Beef Casserole, this was cooked in my slow cooker during the day whilst I was at work so it was easy to do twice as much, I have now frozen half of it in a foil container, allocated the meal on the December Planner and written the allocated date on the lid of the tub, all I will have to do for the meal is take it out of the freezer the day before then put it in the oven to heat through easy and stress free!!

Buy yourself some time and double up your cooking!

135 days to go!! – Yes Really!!

Christmas planning has gone up a notch this week. 

I am lucky enough to have a pantry (good job as I have not got much in the way of cupboard storage in my kitchen), the pantry has however been a source of frustration recently and wasn’t working for me as well as I thought it should be……….so I took it in hand this week and had a major reorganisation and clean up session, I have shuffled stuff around, bought some new storage containers and labelled as much as I could, I have gone through and thrown away any out of date ingredients, likewise with anything else I no longer needed and finally I made a list of anything that needs topping up and replacing so that when the time comes for all my Christmas meal making and baking I (should) have a fully stocked larder (that’s the plan anyway).   I have also bought foil trays and freezer bags in various sizes for freezer meals, tray bakes and sauces.

Earlier in the year I did my dried fruit and spices, but there are plenty of other dry/tinned goods that I can get ahead with now, watch out for special offers on your favourite coffee or other expensive items, tinned meats and fish are often on offer and can be used as a fall back for meals and sandwiches for guests.   Once we get back from our summer holiday I will be doing the stocking up in earnest – at least I will have room for it now the pantry is spick and span!!

Save at least £12.01 and get ahead with that gift buying

Hi

Just a quickie to let you know of a little gem I happened across whilst shopping last week!

Thought anybody that is trying to get ahead for Christmas and do it on a budget would like to see this - here is an opportunity that money savers mustn’t miss – getting ahead and saving money, win, win if you ask me!!

Ted baker Heirs and Graces gift sets are currently £18.00 in Boots and can be bought on Amazon for a cool £26.00!!!

HOWEVER if you have a Poundstretcher store near you, they are currently selling the same sets for £5.99 that’s a saving of at least £12.01 – grab yourself a handful as Christmas gifts, save money and get ready early!!!

I haven’t posted anything for ages (again) which is really bad as I would like to get around to doing it more, so many things going on at the moment!

Anyway we have got to July and not many people will have started planning for Christmas yet, sadly I have!!   To help with finances as the holiday approaches I have been continuing with my buying basics early strategy, I have, as said before now got all the party essentials for laying tables etc. I snapped those up in the sales January/February. I have been building the wine store up, I slip small bottles of wine in with my shopping all year round, they come in handy for all sorts, but can be a god send at Christmas for stocking fillers, raffle contributions, baking and last minute gifts, it also means I have a variety on offer when people are round.   I also take advantage of the Marks and Spencer’s dine in for two for ten offer, my husband and I like to have a relaxed meal on a Saturday evening, we don’t always drink wine but I get the offer and stack the extra’s up for gifts, parties and so on.

Some other things I have already bought for the season are:-

2^nd class stamps – A big expense if you buy them all at once and anyway I can start my cards super early.

Matches/ lighter gas/candles and tea lights – These things don’t go off. We have a log fire so use loads of matches, I love candles and tea lights and so I have stocked up – another thing I don’t have to think about come December.

Dried fruit and spices – I now have all the fruit that I need for cakes and holiday baking, again these have a long shelf life and can be a big expense at a time when money needs to go as far as possible.

All these small steps help with not just finances but with organisation as well.   Next things on the stocking up list are –

Toiletries/Medicines

Cleaning products

Hand soaps and air fresheners for the bathrooms.

Sellotape, Blu-tac and drawing pins etc

The present buying and planning is now underway too, I am compiling lists and have a few stocking fillers ready but from here on in I start in earnest, the plan is to be ready for mid-November!

Well I haven’t posted anything on here for a while, but that doesn't mean I have forgotten about Christmas, in fact I am here today because I have just done some Christmas shopping!!

The grand plan this year is to have craft stall at one of our local fairs, hopefully sometime in November, with that in mind I have just bought a load of very summery looking drinking jars!!

                                          Just like these

I intend to use them as containers for biscuits in a jar, dressing them up with a nice label, baking instructions and pretty Christmas Ribbon, I think I will buy some red and white stripped straws too as they come with summer coloured ones.   Hopefully with a couple of nice recipe options they will be a big hit, and won’t require time sat at the sewing machine, in fact I can get the dressing up bits and bobs well in advance, then I just have to fill them with the ingredients nearer the time – happy days only 225 days to go!!

Short but sweet (sweet meat that is!!)

Hi everybody

I have been absent for a while, but have been busy.    I am in the process of setting up some templates for some of the filofax pages that I use for Christmas planning, I am hoping to get them up and running and available for downloading from etsy.   In the mean time I thought I would mention Mince Meat for your mince pies, it’s very often on sale at a reduced price at this time of year, due to its nature it keeps very well so buying ahead can save money and later on when you fancy mince pies you are ready to go I got some this week, in fact I bought 3 big jars cause I use it most of the year round!

Crackers!!!!

Hi…….just to let you know I did a bit more yesterday, you might be able to find some stuff yourself if you have a scout around.   I got a lovely box of Marks & Spencers Crackers (£2.49 for 12 Bargain!!!!!), then lo and behold I was grabbing a few bits in the supermarket when I went past the party stuff, packs of Christmas paper plates 38p for 20, matching napkins 50p for a pack of 100, napkin rings (cardboard ones that match – never seen those before) 20p for 20 and a matching table runner on a roll 70p!! Not bad for the money, that is the table sorted for the annual family tea time get together anyway, and some lovely Crackers for the main Christmas Dinner, as sad as it may be I love to be able to cross things off the planner this early in the year!!!

It's over and only just beginning!!

Hello and happy new year to you and yours.

So Christmas 2014 has sadly passed, but hey Christmas 2015 planning and organising is under way!!

Yesterday I started taking the decorations down and packing them away for next time, always a sad time for me as I think a house looks so loved decked in all its Christmas finery.   I have a large box for each area of the house and I always have a pad and pencil handy for this process so that I can make a note of things I really liked or disliked, things that I need to buy and replace and things that I have seen that I would like to do for next year, for instance I have a wreath that I put up on one of our internal doors that is now looking a little sad it needs some attention before next year I have made a note and will write it in my planner for about the beginning of November to get it down and get to work (I also have a massive collection of pins on Pintrest for Christmas idea’s) This years notes will go in my planners Christmas section to be referred to as and when needed.   When I get to the stage of putting the boxes back in the loft I also use this as an opportunity to have a rifle through everything, throwing out any rubbish, or donating for re-sale if things are still in good condition but not to my liking any more. I take great care packing things away carefully and putting the boxes and bags away in some sort of sensible order so that come next year I can do a bit at a time.

If you have read my previous post about cards…………yes I have bought cards, wrapping, boxes and bags in the sales, done the label templates and printed them off and have packed them all in a super-size Christmas gift bag so that I can grab and go come November.

So roll on Christmas!!!