Christmas can be a magical time of year, but it can also be extremely stressful. In order to get ahead of the festive season and stay as relaxed and calm as possible take a look at some of our tips to help prevent any last minute panic. Most importantly, preparation is key!
First, give your fridge and freezer a good clear out to make room for Christmas food and to avoid stockpiling food you don’t need over the festive period. By arranging your fridge properly you can utilise all the space needed for leftovers. Follow the hygiene rules. This will also enable you to utilise all the space needed for leftovers. Just don’t forget food hygiene rules. Food that doesn’t need cooking on the upper shelves, dairy in the middle shelf, raw food at the bottom, fruit and veg in the drawers and condiments and drinks in the door.
Buy more canapes than you need in case you have unexpected guests dropping in and check out special offers in supermarkets in the run up to Christmas.
Start buying Christmas food now and freezing it to avoid the big shop just before Christmas Day. You can also pre prepare many items and freeze them including gravy, bread sauce, cranberry sauce and even par boiled potatoes!
It’s too late now to book a Christmas food delivery slot from one of the major supermarkets so the best thing is to start buying non perishables now – and if you do want to do a big shop, consider visiting a 24 hour supermarket late at night so that you aren’t queuing for longer than necessary.
Buy plenty of ice so you have enough for drinks and take advantage of wine and spirit offers when you see them.
Have you considered hiring everything you need for Christmas Day? You can hire everything from tablecloths to glasses and plates to serving platters. Hire of glasses from supermarkets is often free and you just pay for breakages.
If you want to avoid having to get rid of your Christmas tree and worry about recycling, you can hire a tree, and have it delivered/collected when it will be replanted for hire next year. It’s not only hassle-free but environmentally friendly.
To avoid the last minute dash to the shops for more wrapping paper, stock up on brown paper which can be used throughout the year. Simply pair it with some pretty ribbon and you’ll be giving a stylish gift.
Organise your space and ensure you have somewhere for guests to hang their coats and bags and organise a hang-out room if your visitors will bring children with them. This will avoid a last minute rush to clear an area in your home.
Stock up on spare cards and presents in advance in case you have forgotten a friend or neighbour who pops round with something for you! Even just a voucher, wine or chocolates that you’ll use yourself or gift during the year will suffice.
Finally, make sure you are prepared for spills and stains! Whether it’s for clothes or carpets get in the supplies so that you can quickly and effectively keep stains at bay.
Once you’re prepared you can sit back and enjoy the festivities!