Countdown to Christmas: a handy checklist

The countdown is on! There are now only three months to go until Christmas. This might seem like a while, but it’ll be here before you know it. Many of us are starting our shopping nice and early to help spread the cost, and help us stick to our budget. To help you get organised and stay on top of the planning, here’s our monthly checklist, including a handy graphic to pin or print.

Red House wooden advent calendar, £39.95

3 months to go

This is the planning stage!

• Start your budget planning, and consider buying some items now to help spread the cost. 
• Make a list of gifts you need to buy. As well as family and friends, consider if you’ll need other gifts, such as presents for the kids’ teachers or a secret santa.
• It’s worth doing a little wish list for yourself too, as someone is bound to ask.
• Make a list of anything else you might need to buy or organise, such as food, or kids' activities for the Christmas break.
• Stock up on long-life or freezable foods now if you see a good deal.

Store your early purchases in a dedicated festive jumbo bag. 50s Christmas design jumbo bag, £5.95

2 months to go

Preparation begins in earnest.

• Shop early, shop happy! Early to mid October is a great time to start your shopping, as it gives you plenty of time to find the perfect Christmas gift, without any worries about delivery dates, items going out of stock, or getting everything wrapped on time. 
• If you’ll be making your own Christmas cake, now is the time to start choosing your recipe and buying those ingredients. For maximum, matured flavour, it’s recommended that you start making your cake around 5-6 weeks in advance. Why not store it in a festive cake tin?

Winter Walk cake tin, £12.95

• Make sure you have enough stamps and envelopes for all your Christmas cards. It would also be worth noting any delivery cut off dates in your calendar, particularly if you’ll be sending abroad. 
• If you’ll be getting crafty and making your own cards, this is a good time to make a start. Make sure you’ve got all your supplies, including colourful washi tape. 
• Do an inventory of your Christmas decorations. This will help you decide on your theme, and what items you might need to add to your shopping list. 
• If you'll be doing a DIY advent calendar this year, start planning the little treats and notes to go inside!

Carol Singers wooden advent calendar, £39.95

1 month to go

Time to sort all those last minute essentials!

• If you’ll be having a traditional turkey this year, make sure you order it in good time. 
• If you’ve not started wrapping your gifts already, start now to avoid a mad evening of hasty gift wrapping on Christmas Eve.
• Decorate the house! Dedicated festive fans may have had their trees up months ago, while others might have a strictly ‘nothing until December’ rule. One month is a good amount of time to get the decorations up, and really get the Christmas countdown going.

50s Christmas festive lights, £14.95

• Start to think about plans for the big day, and what little essentials might help the day run smoothly. Perhaps you want to stock up on batteries for toys, prep a Christmas playlist, or plan some fun family games.
• Plan your Christmas Day menu. If you're having guests, make sure you consider any dietary requirements. 

Check out our blog with gift-wrapping tips, including using a pretty tea towel rather than paper!

1 week to go

Hopefully you can start to relax at this point, and simply enjoy all the fun that Christmas has to offer.

• Deep clean and organise the house. Ok, so this bit isn’t exactly fun and relaxing, but you’ll feel much better for it on Christmas Day, and you'll know exactly where everything is.
• Buy any fresh produce you’ll need for both Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Don’t forget some carrots for Rudolph and a mince pie for Santa, of course!
• Go and see some Christmas lights. There’s nothing as magical as enjoying the sight of Christmas lights whether it's a walk around your local neighbourhood or heading to a professional display.

Here’s an at-a-glance checklist we’ve made to help you stay on track. Pin it, print it, memorise it - whatever helps your Christmas run smoothly this year. 

Shop the full Rex London Christmas collection for traditional decor and unique gift ideas.