Your tips please for a hassle-free low maintenance but still nice Christmas

[OliviaIsOffTheGinMumsnet]

I am trying to get organised much earlier than I normally would.
We have started some of the shopping (though I am worried about the fickleness of 5/3 y/os in terms of what they currently like/may like in the future)
But any other tips gratefully received.
(we are not planning much in the way of entertaining, but will have pop in visitors I reckon)
(am expecting twins some time in December)

[curiousgeorgie]

Congratulations on the twins!!

Try to wrap as you buy, so you're not left with a massive pile of time consuming wrapping to do with new babies in the house.

Get all your Christmas cards written by December.

Book a shopping slot and have all usual shopping delivered, including lots of special snacks & treats to keep older DC happy.

Do low key decorating? Fake tree so no needles to constantly Hoover up & can put it up well before your due date and easy to take down when you need to..

[dramajustfollowsme]

Write out cards now and stash them away for posting when you get the decorations out.
I've done an M&S Christmas dinner for the last few years. That has been so much easier. We don't eat that much so the leftovers do us a couple of days and it isn't much more expensive. Even better would be inviting yourself to a willing relative - no cooking!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

YY - everything that can be done in advance (like cards) do early.

For adults, gift bags and tissue. Present wrapping is a chore but it seems a bit mean to deprive the DC of the ripping off paper.
Best wrapping tip I read was- good scissors. A heavy tape dispenser and quality sticky tape (no split tape of trying to find the end)
Get big rolls of thick paper (Costco are brilliant. They have double sided paper too) and choose one colour/pattern per person so you don't need to label.
Use the ironing board to wrap presents on. Much easier than table or floor.

Online shop as much as you can.
Supermarket online.
And this year just say enough when you've had enough.

[everydayaschoolday]

congratulations Olivia and family! I recommend delegation!

[Huffpot]

Congrats olivia

I highly recommend cooking everything in disposable baking trays - no scrubbing pans makes it much much easier!

[everydayaschoolday]

Y Y to disposable roasting trays - I do this and don't even have a justifiable pregnancy/newborn excuse . Good call Huff

[BikeRunSki]

Lower your expectations! A lot.
I have tried to do perfect Christmases for a couple of years, but really, DS (nearly 5) didn't care.
Fake tree, ready made food, low key decorations. No cards. With newborn twins you have the perfect excuse not to do any. My dad died in early December about 20 years ago. My mum didn't send cards. Hardly anyone noticed. Those who did didn't mind.
If you are the type of person who maes their own cake/pudding, then I guess you could do that now, but Aldi has never let me down. German Christmas food is lovely!
Gather stocking fillers as you go along from now on.... must start this myself.

[rosieposey]

Ok i only had one newborn this December just passed but i was getting ready from August onwards ( we moved house in October unexpectedly though on top of everything else ).

Buy all of your gifts before October, yy to wrapping them as you buy. As soon as the Christmas delivery slots come out with your supermarket make a list of everything you need and get that booked.

Basically just try and get everything done by October (maybe earlier as i was knackered with just one so you are going to be super knackered being pg with two ) Congratulations - I think having a baby in December is lovely, fwiw DS was due Christmas day but came on Nov 30th so as its twins you might be a bit early too, just delegate as much as you can and enjoy every (double) newborn minute... ahh you have made me feel all Christmassy ( and broody) Congratulations!

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

M+s is your friend for Christmas dinner.

[bigbuttons]

I had one due on the 5th of Dec, but she came on the 22nd, very tardy. If I remember I got all my shopping done in August and it was all wrapped by October.
Family did the actual christmas stuff. It was a lovely time with a new born on Christmas day.
Congrats!

[Dilidali]

Congrats!!!

I would seriously consider hiring a cleaner, beginning of Dec for a massive 'christmas clean' then another 2-3 sessions on the run up to Christmas.

Save a drawer in your freezer for christmas entertaining. Any canapés, things you can just tip on a tray, pop in the oven and blissfully entertain.

For family/friends presents, keep to one theme: eg books.
I wrap in brown paper and use coloured ribbon to differentiate.

[fuzzpig]

This is what you need for easy present wrapping.