Christmas Countdown Guide – November

By Karlie Simmonds

Welcome back! Our Christmas Countdown guide this month focuses on food preparation, Christmas cards and delegating tasks. There’s no need to be the bearer of all the hard work, sharing is caring as they say!

If you’re having a traditional and cosy Christmas, now is the time to begin making your cake and fill the air with the scent of Christmas. Take time to stock up on essentials to make sure there’s no last minute panic on Christmas Day. Let the Christmas Countdown for November begin!

Ready Steady, Bake!

Kick-start your Christmas spirit this month with a few hours of making your own Christmas pudding and baking mince pies. Remember, mince pies can go into the freezer and be defrosted as required. We have the perfect, easy to follow Christmas Cake recipe for you.
Decide what traditional food you will go for, perhaps your guests would prefer a chocolate Christmas cake instead of a fruit cake?
As the spicy smell of mincemeat fills your kitchen, finalise your plans for Christmas dinner. Once you’ve decided which dishes you’re serving, check your guest’s dietary requirements in case you need to consider including alternatives.
Make a list of all the ingredients required and cross-reference against what’s already in your store cupboard. There may well be three jars of cloves tucked away behind a bottle of brandy! If there are any recipes you’re unsure of, do test runs over the next few weeks. Look for dishes which can be made in advance and frozen, the less you have to do on ‘Christmas Day’, the better.

Get by With Help From Your Friends

You’re looking for as easy a Christmas as possible, so don’t be afraid to cheat. Check out supermarket versions of your chosen dishes, flick through their Christmas goodies booklet or check out their online Christmas pages: remember some items are snapped up almost as soon as they become available.
Don’t be afraid to delegate, where would Santa be without his little helpers? Hopefully, several of your guests will have offered to help or bring along a dish. Accept all offers with open arms!
Update your Christmas card list so you know how many cards you need to buy and check you have the correct addresses for everyone. If you’re short on time and money, sending Christmas greetings via social media is becoming popular – and can actually have the added benefit in that it often leads to online catch-ups.

No Batteries Required?

Look out for handy stocking fillers as you go round the shops and remember to buy cards, gift tags, wrapping paper, gift bags for wine and awkwardly shaped gifts, ribbon and sticky tape.
No batteries required? On the contrary, there’s always a present left discarded because of lack of batteries. Stock up on these make-or-break items now.
When you go Christmas shopping, keep your gift list handy so you can update it with the presents you buy – and if you see something that’s perfect for someone and is within your budget, buy it!
If you can, pop a few extra items into your basket for unexpected gifts you receive. Perhaps someone has their eye on the perfect present for you right now, but they haven’t made your list. Toiletry sets or alcohol based gift sets always go down a treat.