I really do like this end of the year. It can get a little busy and crazy at times, but it is lots of fun. Over the last couple of years I have had a 10 week preparation plan in the lead up to Christmas. It has helped enormously to smooth out the peak busy periods and let me enjoy the festive season much more.
We are heading to my home town for Christmas this year, so the preparation plan has an emphasis on Christmas away from home. Each week I will be posting about the key activity I have focused on. Also to get into the festive spirit of things, I will be holding a number of excellent giveaways over the next ten weeks – so look out for opportunities to add to your Christmas present stash!
- 10 Weeks To Go – Review Christmas budget (see below!)
- 9 Weeks To Go – Start making the family Christmas cards
- 8 Weeks To Go – Make food packs to donate
- 7 Weeks To Go – Christmas present ideas (ones that are easy to pack)
- 6 Weeks To Go – Finish hand made gifts
- 5 Weeks To Go – Finish Christmas tags
- 4 Weeks To Go – Handmade Christmas decorations
- 3 Weeks To Go – Cooking Christmas treats
- 2 Weeks To Go – Make arrangements for the house
- 1 Week To Go – Christmas celebration with family before we go
10 Weeks To Christmas – Review Christmas budget
I have found the best was to keep expenditure under control at this time of the year is to have a budget and track expenditure against it. This is what our Christmas Budget Spreadsheet looks like:
We have another spreadsheet that is integral to keeping us on budget. It tracks expenditure on all Christmas presents, for family and friends. Also by documenting what presents we buy each year, we have a comprehensive list to refer to, preventing buying people the same thing year after year.
Both of these spreadsheets can be found in the one file and you can download a template here 2010 Planning With Kids Christmas Planning Spreadsheet.
We have kept our family budget the same for the last few Christmases even though our family has expanded. The budget won’t change this year either. Key factors helping us to keep to budget have been:
- Closely monitoring expenditure.
- Buying at sales through out the year.
- Hand making gifts for teachers, friends and family.
How do you keep yourself to budget at Christmas time?
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Nicole, are you one of these mums who buys yourself a present, wraps it and labels it from your husband? Do you buy presents for all his side of the family as well as your own? Do you buy yourself presents from the kids? Do the kids buy each other presents? Do you buy your kids presents on behalf of other relatives? Do you buy presents for other adults in the extended family?
Good questions Gin. I am always interested in what other people do! Here are my answers:
Are you one of these mums who buys yourself a present, wraps it and labels it from your husband?
No. We actually set a small budget for each other ($30) and buy each other something. I have this theory that it is very easy to spend $100 on someone without having to think about it to much eg perfume. Keeping to $30 makes us think about a unique gift for each other.
Do you buy presents for all his side of the family as well as your own?
I generally do all the present buying, so yes I buy for his side of the family. Although each year I think I tell him next year he can do it!
Do you buy yourself presents from the kids?
No. The kids just make us things or the older ones now buy us something with their own money.
Do the kids buy each other presents?
Yes. We have a tradition that each buy each other a book.
Do you buy your kids presents on behalf of other relatives?
No. Any presents bought for the kids are bought my the relatives. My sisters do ask me to put together an ideas list for them for each child, to start them thinking.
Do you buy presents for other adults in the extended family?
My husband and I both have Nana’s which we buy for and for our aunts and uncles that we will see around this time, I have homemade gifts or homemade Christmas food to give to them.
I like to have a bit of an ebay blitz in the months coming up to xmas – get rid of things they have outgrown or just don’t use and raise a little bit towards the next phase. I also buy online from various American shops that deliver. The air-miles irk me…but the savings usually compensate my guilt
And yes, I also try to handmake as much as possible.
Great idea to do a sell off before Christmas Cate!
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