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“It sort of caught up on me!”

Did you say this by any chance last year around the second week in December when you realised Christmas was close and you still hadn’t got anything?

Unfortunately most people do. Christmas, it strikes a certain note of panic into your thoughts doesn’t it? Each year you say to yourself I am going to get myself sorted out earlier this year, but you don’t. Just like every year you find yourself running at the last minute trying to get those presents and last items you need.

So I thought I’d do a post that would maybe help you plan ahead and get started with your Christmas shopping sooner and avoid all that Christmas stress.

Guess who works the hardest at Christmas guys? Yes, you’re right she does. So try to be a little more understanding in the next few months eh?

A lot of the girls on Christmas Day feel a little let down, because instead of a day of joy and happiness, they feel tired, exhausted and a little depressed from all their preparations. So here are some suggestions which may go towards helping the big day go smoother.

Plan early (which I know is easier said than done), but if you can plan to start your shopping the first week of November (or earlier). The big rush starts mid-November, and if you start now not only do you have a good chance of getting the things you want but you also will pay a lot less.

The chances are also that you will have a good idea which family members have their eye on what products. If this sounds rude forgive me, but if your credit card tends to get hit hard at Christmas, then maybe it’s time to think exactly what Christmas means to you and your family.

Christmas is about sharing time together, not going into huge debt and having to pay for it for the rest of the year.

People complain Christmas has become very commercialised. Yes it has. To a lot of people who own small businesses this is their most profitable period. Can you really blame them for trying their best to make as much money as they can over this profitable time, which may help their own businesses and families through leaner times later in the year?

Never forget you have the power of choice.

Christmas becomes commercialised and expensive only if you let it do so. It is unreasonable to spend hundreds of dollars on your kids, and a few dollars on your mother or father. It’s much better under these circumstances to give your kids some money and teach them the value of things.

Let them save and buy the very expensive present they want for themselves. It really makes no sense does it to stress yourself out knowing you’re going to have to pay all this money back into your credit card in the New Year?

So what can you really do to make Christmas less stressful?

Start with buying all the tinned and packaged foods that you can in the first two weeks in November paying particular attention to the food expiry dates of course. Save one particular cupboard for these items so that you don’t mix them up and use them by mistake. Basically you are building a hamper to ease your last-minute shopping worries.

Add to it a little every week, until you only have the major food items left. Set aside one day before at the end of November to get all your Christmas cards written and addressed. Then all you have to do is post them. Set another day aside when you have a bit of privacy, and get those Christmas presents wrapped up and stored in a box in the roof space.

Remember, undesirable people also shop later at Christmas, keeping a watch for when you go out.

To help you prepare more for Christmas, I’ve put together a list of common items you may need. Feel free to print it to a text file and amend it for your own use.

Have a great Christmas!

Here’s what you may need:

……….Turkey…………….Carrots…………………….Tomatoes…………….Fresh Soup Veg
……….Gammon………….Parsnips…………………..Mushrooms…………Garlic Granules
……….Streaky Bacon….Potatoes…………………..Asparagus……………Stock Cubes
……….Sausage Meat…..Brussel Sprouts………..Parsley………………..Gravy Mix
……….Sausages…………..Sweetcorn………………..Onions…………………Oranges
……….Stuffing Mix……..Mixed Lettuce Leaf….Cucumber……………Cranberry Jelly
……….Pate………………….Butter………………………Sugar…………………..Alcohol
……….Wheaten Bread…Fresh Cream……………Coffee………………….Christmas Pud
……….1 Pan Loaf…………Cheese…………………….Tea………………………Christmas Cake
……….1 Plain Loaf……….Mayonnaise……………..Mineral Water………After Eights
……….Bread Rolls………..Milk………………………….Fruit Juices………….Matchmakers
……….Turkey Foil………..Kitchen Roll………………Pavola………………….Sherry Trifle
……….Cocktail Sausage Sticks

Prepare for Christmas early this year, and sit back and relax in December knowing that you have it sorted!

I wish you a very Merry and Stress Free Happy Holidays!