Christmas can be one of the busiest times of the year. I find the best way to cope is to plan ahead. That way you can prepare and hopefully glide through Christmas without to much fuss. There is always so much to be done before the big day but if you are organised it makes the whole day easier. Nowadays I’m all for easy and not chaotic. Therefore I thought I would share my 5 top tips to preparing for Christmas.
Firstly my husband Howard and I work out a budget. Every month Howard and I put money into a savings pot from our bank account and then we have an amount to work with. The amount we save will cover the cost of presents, food, decorations, Christmas outings and even postage stamps for the cards we send to friends and relatives. We try to include all the things we will need for Christmas.
Next we often have points to spend on our supermarket cards. It means we can save money on certain presents and any food we buy from the supermarket. Although we save money each month into a savings account it’s still good to cut the budget any way we can. Especially when it comes to food and presents.
Thirdly I like to write down a list of all the events we are invited too. It means I can also plan my weekly menu around these dates. In the run up to Christmas I will often use the slow cooker to cook our dinners. We are always busy at this time of year and knowing that we have a hot meal on the table in the evening is a weight off my mind.
Now decide who is hosting this Christmas. This was and still is very easy for my little family and I. When my Dad was alive we would take it in turns to host Christmas. My Dad would cook one year and we would cook the next. Now my Dad has passed we cook every Christmas. It’s just my mum who comes for dinner now. If you can rotate who cooks the Christmas meal every year it does make life so much easier.
Once you have decided who is cooking, if you have a large family, then make sure you invite the guests early. There is no time like the present. It’s never to early to invite guests to your party. That way you can also make a note of any allergies and any vegan or vegetarians you may be inviting as well.
Finally my favourite part, prepare any food you can before the big day. I always find it helpful to prepare any food you can in advance of a meal. This could be anything from making and freezing the gravy, parboiling the potatoes and freezing them as well. Plus making any Christmas presents as well. If we have a party I like to make pickles or chutneys to give as gifts. Biscuits also store well until the party too.
Christmas can be one of the best times of the year. As long as I’m prepared for the big day I find it’s a lot less stressful. For many just dealing with friends and family at this time of year can be a challenge. If you can make your life easier then at least that’s one thing you don’t need to worry about on the day. However you decide to celebrate Christmas, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx
Googies Kitchen Life 