The festive season is just around the corner – if it hasn’t already arrived. The time to start preparing for it is right now!
It’s easy to expend a lot of energy (and money) during this time. But if you take preparation seriously, then you can get the best possible results without having to break the bank. So, what does the process look like?
Your Christmas Budget
Before you get started, you’ll need an idea of how much money you intend to spend. It’s difficult to enjoy Christmas if you know that you’re being set up for trouble further down the line.
Split your overall budget into different areas of spending. You can readjust things if it seems like you’re going to go over in one area, but stay under in another. Food, gifts and travel might all be considered separately.
When it comes to food, it’s worth buying as early as possible. You don’t want food that’s going to be past its best when Christmas Day comes, but in some cases this isn’t a problem. For example, things like Christmas teas can be bought as well as other things well in advance.
When budgeting, it’s always worth leaving yourself a little bit of extra wriggle room. That way, if an opportunity does come up, you’ll be able to seize it.
Reassess your inventory
The chances are that you have a good amount of stuff left over from last Christmas. Make sure that you have taken stock of it. Wrapping paper, decorations and other reusable items are all worth looking at. If any item is looking worse for wear, then you might wait until after Christmas and pick up a replacement in the clearance sales.
Getting travel plans sorted
If you’re going to be away for any reason during Christmas, then you can avoid stress by setting your plans out. Check the weather regularly, and for any disruptions caused by road closures or strike action. This is a hectic time of year where travel is concerned, and it’s worth doing all you can to avoid trouble.
Get the recipes sorted
Christmas just isn’t Christmas without a few choice home-cooked dishes and treats. To get the most from the season, you’ll want to road-test those recipes before you offer the results to your friends and family. This will provide you with the confidence you need when you’re cooking under pressure.
If you’re going to be cooking close to, or on, Christmas Day, then you’ll need to be sure that all of the ingredients are bought and available. If you run out of flour once the shops have closed, then it might be too late to do anything about it!
