Just wondering who’s ready for Christmas?
Obviously the cost of living crisis is effecting people in different ways, so I know for a lot of people they just want Christmas to come & go as quickly as possible. But unfortunately I am a CHRISTMAS nut & my family can’t stand it 
On a serious note though I started taking our youngest daughter to buy some toys for the families who struggle at Christmas we donate them to mission Christmas on Magic 
does anyone do anything similar?
Hi @FD1 brilliant that you are so thoughtful and involving your daughter in giving presents to the less well off !
We have been ready simply because I had to go into hospital in November and we weren’t to sure on my mobility after my operation so we sorted big presents for all before the end of summer and added what they also wanted online 
On the giving for others I have 2 / 3 elderly ladies that we are involved with checking on them well-being visiting them through the week and have been for a while ! I have them a little something which we also do through time to especially as they are both on their own, my way of making sure that are alright and safe .
Absolutely not ready. Usually I am but not this year. However we bought a pretty pricey car (collect on Tuesday) so I told hubby I’m going to stick a bow on it and that’s our present to each other.
Children are getting older so fewer presents to buy anyway. I have also reduced who we buy for.
We have donated to the local food banks (I’m currently trying to set one up in my local town!!) and shelter 
The fact I’ve made it through this term is a present in itself!!
All prepped well in advance as my OH had an operation last month and is incapacitated. Minimal decorations this year as i don’t need the extra hassle what with Christmas workload and looking after my OH.
We are all ready, we are a massive Christmas family and always go to town on it. This year we have 4 trees dotted about and the biggest is 20ft tall 
We usually make sure we do something charitable so this year as our nearest food bank has experienced a real drop in donations we went and did a shop specifically for them. Also our eldest daughter came to the toyshop and we picked out a few toys that she thought another little girl might likes so that we could ‘send them to santa’ for them to open on CHristmas morning.
All fully sorted.
Presents bought.
Tree up.
Christmas cake baked.
Lebkuchen baked.
Tesco delivery slot pre-booked.
What could possibles go wrong?
Pretty much, just need to wrap gifts. We’ve not done much in the way of decorations this year (mainly because of new dog and freaking her out).
I’ve cut down on gifts and used small independent businesses as much as I can.
When I do a food shop, if I can, I’ll pick up a few bits and pop them in a donation station (most supermarkets seem to have them). I don’t usually use Morrisons but I do really like that they have paper bags with bits in them and a price on already that you can pick up to buy and donate so I tend to pick up a couple whenever I’m in one.
All sorted for a strange non-conforming sorts of Christmas.
May sound a grinch post, so blurring to give people option to pass me by
I have to say, I love the traditions of Christmas, but really not a fan of lights and tree’s up in November, so I’m making a world changing one man stand (that obviously no one gives a monkeys about).
The typical social media pics of loads of stuff under the tree and the ‘oooh I think we’ve over done it again’, with the same people then complaining rest of year they cannot afford blah blah (I have a very close family member doing exactly that, and likely to then want people to bale them out with help come Feb).
To me, thats not the spirit of Christmas, and something I have took a little personally I think.
So yep, bought for my grandson, no decs to put up (I’m visiting him over the season, so no issues there with no decorations).
Adults in the family have agreed we won’t buy each other stuff for the sake of buying stuff, we’re going to enjoy the day together and make it about the company.
All feels a little weird, like there’s loads I need to do, but really nothing to be doing. Interesting how the pull of ‘should be doing this’ works, and nice reflecting on how it feels.
No where near, the tree is still in the loft as I type, hopefully today is the day that it all starts coming together.
Yep all sorted. This year we have reduced things down a bit. So the kids are getting what they put on their list for Santa (which was reasonable) and no extra ‘surprises’, which they don’t really want anyway.
We have a Christmas lights show at a stately home booked, so looking forward to that. I’ve managed to cut down on the number of people we buy for too and all their kids! Most people are relieved when I’ve suggested doing that…there is so much pressure and then there’s the cost of living crisis on top.
Small family dinner at our then a chill on the sofa stuffing my face with Christmas food, can’t wait 
How thoughtful 
we have a toy thing here where they donate to the children ms ward at the hospital or theirs a good thing in the supermarkets where you can give to the homeless or struggling 
I’ve everything bought that I’m going to. Just need to wrap them, though I normally just them in a gift bag unwrapped. I feel like I should make a little more of an effort.
I’ve offered a donation to a local-ish butchers, who put up a post on fb saying they do IOUs so no one goes without for Christmas. So I offered some money so that they can give some meat to people who might need it, because I thought they had made a really generous offer to people. They’ve not replied to my message yet but I’m pretty sure they’ve seen it, hopefully they get back to me soon 
Not organised, have a super busy work week and don’t know how I will get there, but I am sure it will all.come.together some how. Have most pressies, still a few to get but nothing else sorted.
We don’t really do Christmas. For all sorts of reasons, but mostly because it is my husband’s birthday round then and I don’t want to overshadow that. Birthdays have always been more important to me anyway.
But we do the village Christmas Ball and a couple of other village events, do the odd work event and a few parties, and put some lights outside on the tree. That’s mostly it, so we are all prepared
Yes i am…started super early this year.
Not even close…lol
We take as little notice of it as possible, will just ponder the winter solstice tomorrow. 
Have a cool Yule! x
I can imagine you going to all these Christmas events with a big smile on your face thinking “If you really knew what I get up to when i’m aware from here” . @KinkyMira