Do you like to prepare for Christmas months in advance? Or do you have a habit of rushing around the shops on 24^th December? Whichever camp you usually fall in, planning now will take some of the stress out of what could feel like your first proper Christmas in two years.

Preparing early could also help you save money and enjoy more spare time with your family and friends. You won’t be alone either – a recent study found that 41% of Brits will finish their shopping before December, while 25% planned to start in August.

So what steps can you take to get ahead and enjoy an easier Christmas?

Start budgeting now

With all the presents, food and socialising, the Christmas period can do serious damage to your finances if you’re not careful. Factoring it into your budget now will help you put an appropriate amount of money aside in the run up to December.

Checking your accounts from last year will help you judge how much you need to save. There are various ways to spread the cost of Christmas too, including credit cards when used responsibly.

Make a shopping list

It’s not easy coming up with present ideas on the spot. Noting things down as they come to you will help make your gifts more thoughtful, even if you still don’t plan to buy anything just yet.

Spend quality time with loved ones and see if any gift ideas naturally come up in conversation. This way you won’t have to directly ask or guess later down the line.

Take advantage of sales

Preparing for Christmas early could help you take advantage of seasonal discounts as the seasons change. This is especially true for clothing retailers moving from summer to autumn and winter lines.

Black Friday is another big sales event to look out for. While it officially takes place on 26 November this year, you can expect retailers to start promoting deals as early as October.

Start DIY projects

Sometimes the best gifts are handmade, especially if you have a certain skill or craft to offer. DIY presents can take up serious time though, so starting now will allow you to make them as impressive as possible.

Cross-stitching and knitting are two examples that require the maker to devote a large chunk of time in advance.

Get Christmas cards ready

It’s difficult to judge exactly when to send your Christmas cards. But with infamous Christmas postal backlogs to battle with, it makes sense to have yours ready to go in late November or early December.

You could take the time to create your own cards this year – perhaps with a family photo or personal designs for each receiver.

Christmas still feels a long way off right now, but as the nights draw in and the weather turns colder, you’ll soon thank yourself for getting in the festive spirit early. So why not prepare for Christmas?

Image Credits:
Banner: Photo by Chad Madden on Unsplash
Dean Xavier on Unsplash
Tanya Trukyr on Unsplash