The festivities seem to already be in full swing- decorations are up around the shops, and all the adverts are out and giving us that warm Christmas feeling. It’s a busy (or hectic) time of year (well, they don’t call it party season for nothing) and there’ll be plenty of places to visit and faces to see over the coming weeks. However with everything happening so fast the weeks and days seem to be disappearing at an alarming rate before the big day arrives- along with the week following Christmas in the lead up to New Year. Therefore you’ll probably have a list as long as your arm in your head with things you need to organise, complete and sort out in good time so that you can relax and enjoy celebrating as much as possible.

It can be a challenge getting through all your tasks however big or small they are with time left to spare to relax and enjoy watching Home Alone, or thoroughly let yourself go at the office Christmas party. However the more you prepare and plan the next few weeks the more you’ll (or yule) have a fun and carefree Christmas ahead of you. Ensuring that you have everything on your list is the first step; so you’ll need to make sure that’s out of the way first so that you can begin working through it methodically and effectively. The following are some tips, ideas and inspiration for the ultimate Christmas admin list and will ensure that you’re the most organised elf this festive season.

When you go through the festive season you’re likely to have to decorate, wrap presents and you might even be partial to a spot of Christmas baking. Therefore there’s no time like the present to ensure that you have all you need in your cupboards to see you through each task. If you haven’t already it’s worth gathering an array of different wrapping papers, ribbons, cards, and more importantly, plenty of sellotape so that gift wrapping becomes a little easier. You don’t want to be buying one sheet of wrapping per present and running out to the supermarket to grab more sticky tape at 9 pm- this will only waste your time and money and send your stress levels up when you should be relaxing in front of Strictly. Brown parcel paper and washi tape can go a long way and create a beautiful-looking package so make sure that you have everything you need to be as creative and decorative as you want.

The same goes for anything that you want to create in the kitchen- stock up on the basics first, like flour, sugar, colouring, icing, spices and butter (you can freeze this) so that you can whip up a festive biscuit or cupcake whenever you want to. You can start looking through some of your favourite cookbooks for festive recipes- decide when would be a good time or great occasion to make things and begin to gather your cupboard and freezer ingredients so that you just have any fresh items to purchase nearer the time.

Thoughtful Gifts

When it comes to presents it really is the thought that counts, and it’s not about the size of a box or the cost of the gift that your recipients will appreciate. Therefore write your gift-giving list and have a think about what each person may enjoy and why. For your dad or boyfriend check out some unique gift ideas for men so that you’re not wrapping up socks again or aftershave. Perhaps you haven’t spent a great deal of time with your mum or bestie this year so you could book a spa day or an afternoon tea to enjoy together in January. Whatever you decide to get them make sure it shows you’ve taken the time to think of something special and meaningful.

Time To Prepare

The most crucial thing (that you might be lacking) during the upcoming weeks is the gift of time to do everything on your list. Therefore sit down for an hour or so and take a detailed look at your calendar. Prioritise social get-togethers with friends and family, utilise your free evenings and weekends to get your shopping, decorating, wrapping and cooking done and ensure that you get to see everyone you want to. Be the organiser= you can plan a couple of get-togethers with different groups of friends and visit a Christmas market or meet for dinner so that you’ve seen them all and can hand out cards and gifts. Make the most of the festivities and enjoy yourself knowing that you’ve got everything under control this season.