Christmas seems to come a little bit earlier every year and this year we need it more than ever before. 2020 has not exactly been a wonderful year for many of us and we’re relying on Christmas to boost morale and finish this miserable year on a high. As such, it’s no wonder that, even in the early days of October, many of us are already starting to think about Christmas. But what sort of things could you start getting for Christmas right now?
Should I prepare early for Christmas?
As soon as the kids go back to school and the last days of summer start to fade, the shops begin to fill with Christmas clobber. Indeed, it’s not unheard-of for shoppers to notice Christmas songs being pumped through the PAs the moment that Halloween and Bonfire Night are crossed off the list. This should underline the fact that the Christmas is something designed to be planned out and considered, otherwise you’ll just end up with headaches later on.
Preparation Tips
Decide who’s hosting – The rule of six has further complicated matters, with larger family gatherings unlikely to be allowed this year. That means more of us are going have to host. The first thing you should be doing is figuring out who is hosting who.
Set a budget – With so many of us having our livelihoods thrown into question thanks to the coronavirus crisis, this year is probably going to be a slightly more low-key Christmas than we’re used to. So, October is the ideal time to look at your finances and figure out how much you can afford to spend on Christmas this year.
Fill in the calendar – December is always hectic at the best of times, so start filling in that calendar as soon as possible with Christmas parties (if they are still happening, of course), school events, trips to the Christmas market and more.
Stock the pantry – The obligatory bottle of Baileys and the luxury Christmas chocolate hamper are, of course, standard, but perhaps consider pushing the boat out a little this year too with some more unconventional choices. Maybe start making your own gin today so it develops an intense flavour for the big day or give some shelf space to some new exciting vegan foods or ethnic festive favourites from around the world.
Get the presents in soon – With so many looking at Christmas as the great potential savior of 2020, there is going to be a mad rush for the biggest and best toys and gifts this year. So, if there’s something you know your kids want, don’t hang around and wait for a Black Friday sale because you might be too late!
