Guilty! I’ve just ordered 3 🎄items

I've bought a few things already. It helps to spread out the cost.
Some cards, a couple of calendars, a few gifts. Nothing edible of course.

Cossy

Norah

Hidden the 10s of Advent Calendars away. Purchased the 2024 bauble. Purchased more inflatable tat for Santa's grotto and hold downs.

No other progress.

The trouble with me is I try to be organised but…

Sweets bought early get nibbled, ditto Christmas cake!

Presents bought early get put away in hiding, never to been seen again until 5 Christmas’ later

I once bought a very big bag of mixed nuts for dh’s stocking - he’s a great lover of nuts. Hid them away somewhere in late October - this was at least 3 Christmases ago and they’ve never come to light!
He swears blind he hadn’t found and scoffed them, and I believe him, at least partly because he can hardly ever find anything even when he’s looking for it.

We were in M&S last weekend and bought cake and pudding. Also bought tin of biscuits for mother in law.
This year we're only buying for family we actually socialise with, which will drastically reduce amount we spend. Will also reduce sending cards due to cost of postage.

Read this morning that supermarkets sell thousands of boxes of mince pies every September and October.Who doesn’t like a mince pie?😄Anyway the date on the boxes means you can’t keep them until December.

Dont feel guilty Witzend I bought myself an Advent card last year in the sale.🤣
You've done me a favour reminding me of it

Crafters start thinking about Christmas in July if they're making things.
Today my local toy shop were doing special deals, so all the kids' toys are sorted (Smug face emoji!)

I will probably make the Christmas cake in a couple of weeks. I need a new fairy to go on top of the tree so I’ll keep an eye open.

have just bought some candles and wax melts to put away for christmas and bought jigsaws in the argos sale. My christmas drawer is getting full!

Witzend

3 x small-ish, just-little-pictures Advent calendars for the Gdcs.
They went down very well last year. Wanted to get in early so as to have enough choice for 3 different, but equally appealing.

Goodness, I ordered them only the other day - 2nd class Royal Mail delivery, and they’ve arrived already!

I like to get ahead and start now just little bits but eases the pressure on December money. I always started early because I had three boys and money was budgeted. Even now I buy things ahead. Just ordered two rington hampers for the start of my presents a family tradition that I’m carrying on.

These 3 - I’m very pleased with them!
Hope the Gdcs will be ditto.

I've not bought any gifts yet but I have bought my Christmas tree! It's a really nice one, bought for half price

I forgot, I’ve bought a big table centrepiece, half price, haven’t taken it out of the box yet!

Have ordered Christmas cards , and not really given much thought to presents.

I always buy late December, Jan & Feb and pretty much complete my shopping for all both Christmas & birthdays - I’ve done this for decades! However, I’ve decided no more I’m getting to stiff to be climbing ladders up into the loft hunting for all the gifts throughout the year. After this Christmas I’ll buy as and when needed

When MrJ was putting the new baubles away (with initials on for family), he found 3x boxes of crackers, 1x box of cards and 1 box of ordinary baubles!!

Christmas drawer is a cupboard now I've snapped up so many items. Spreads the cost and I think gives a better selection if you start early. Also does away with fancy Christmas packaging which often disguises the contents.

I buy Christmas gifts all year round. I haven't a clue how much I spend, I like giving.

Noticed the section in the supermarket last Wednesday with many various biscuits done in Christmas box decoration also all the large tubes of sweets mainly for the younger children's stockings. Did I buy any? of course I did carefully put away in the cupboard for now. I feel sad about the Christmas card situation I came from a large extended family with many relatives and many of them have now died so sending out my Christmas card list has dwindled to a few. I loved the full thing about Christmas meaning cards decorations all the foods it is a much smaller affair for me now.

Made a Christmas cake last week, bit late really as not much time left to feed it with brandy. Have got 1 Christmas present but as usual no idea what to buy anybody else. Really wish I could persuade DS and family not to buy presents for me, would make it a lot easier.

I've bought myself a beauty advent calendar. I deserve it 😎

Manom1, I agree with you, I like giving, and I don’t set amounts of money for anyone, just buy what I think they’ll like.
Much easier with the the girls than the boys though.

In the past when I had many to buy Christmas presents for and only a low income, I started my Christmas shopping in September too, buying some presents, and stocking up on the foodstuffs that would keep, plus necessities such as washing-up liquid and toilet paper to free housekeeping money in December for the foodstuffs that cannot be bought in advance.

I see nothing wrong or odd about doing this, I honestly thought than any provident housewife on a low income did this, just as we put money aside if possible for holidays and the Sales.

Made a good start. I want it all bought and wrapped by mid November.

I bought my Christmas cards from the National Trust shop about 3 weeks ago along with some lovely mini Advent calendars, and was feeling very smug till I read this thread...
I started making some presents for family in July, but knowing I had "plenty of time", I didn't hurry. Now I'm panicking as 3D mini Christmas cross stitch houses always take much longer than I think!!
Then there are the Fellowship groups who ask me along each year to show members how to make a Christmas craft item each. But I love Christmas