Think of a perfect Christmas. It’s probably one that finds you making Christmas dinner whilst listening to your favorite Christmas music, or if you’re the dad, putting up the Christmas tree. Who knows, maybe this year it’s the dad doing all the cooking and the mom, well who knows what moms’ favorite activities are when given time off cooking.
Come November and in some families it’s already the countdown to Christmas. Because they don’t want to spend the holidays frazzling and stressing over holiday buys and stuff, some people start organizing things for Christmas from as early possible.
Of course to some as early possible means no sooner that 15 of December or thereabouts. But since stores have already introduced holiday merchandise specials, here are five things that you can find decently enough priced to buy right now for the festive period.
Cards and wrapping paper
You may still be waiting for next week to start buying presents, but make sure you have holiday goods like Christmas cards and wrapping paper bought before. You know how things get during Christmas week and with having to buy gifts for family members and friends plus all things for kitchen use, it’s easy to forget simple essentials.
As an easier alternative that will also save you time, you can choose gift bags over wrapping paper.
Pre-baked Cookies
You won’t make these the staple at the Christmas dinner, but just in case some friends or family members decide to show up unexpectedly, you’re well prepared with some freezer-friendly bakery goods.
Cheesecake bars, ginger or jelly cookies, peanut and chocolate balls, and shortbreads store quite well in the cold.
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Good Stock of drinks
You’ll have to be very thoughtful about this and go through your mind to remember what everyone had to drink last year for Christmas. Not even Santa could remember that, but if you’ve been friends long enough with the people in your life, it shouldn’t be a problem figuring out what to put on the table.
Think mulled wine, holiday punch, cocktails and let’s not forget beers. It may be Christmas, but there’s always a beer fan around.
Decorations
It may be time to update decorations and ornaments, and if so take out your decorations before Christmas week and check what needs to be replaced. In some families, decorating for Christmas and setting up lights is really important, perhaps in yours too and you can find holiday décor items with fair prices from as early as late November.
If you are selective with your Christmas tree ornaments and would rather pay more for collectibles than go cheap, it’s definitely a better idea to buy them in advance and not in a rush.
Christmas tree
You’ll want to wait until closer to Christmas week for a live Christmas tree, but if your family has decided for an artificial tree starting this year, shop early for it so you check one other thing off your list.
You can make a better decision and a better purchase when you don’t hurry into it and an artificial Christmas tree is meant to last you years, if not a lifetime.