The ultimate Christmas planner: part 4

Your day-by-day guide to making this the most stress-free Christmas ever - print out and keep!

 Second week of December

 

Take the headache out of Christmas this year with the ultimate Christmas countdown planner to download, print out and keep to hand. Organised as a day-by-day checklist of what to tackle when, it's packed full of helpful hints, inspiring ideas and an invaluable address book of contacts - your complete guide to a stress-free Christmas.

 

Book a grocery delivery slot

 

Most online grocery retailers allow you to book your delivery slot three weeks in advance, so if you are planning to order your Christmas groceries online and want to guarantee you get a delivery slot, don't leave it any later than now to book.

 

Marzipan your cake

 

Covering a cake in marzipan is just like rolling out pastry. You need to make sure you roll it out using enough icing sugar otherwise it will stick to your counter. After the cake is marzipaned it needs to be left for one week before you ice it; this simply allows the marzipan to dry out and was traditionally done with royal iced cakes to stop moisture from the cake seeping through the icing and staining it. If you are nervous about rolling out your marzipan why not opt for ready-rolled.
TIP: Home-made marzipan is delicious and very easy to make - see our marzipan recipe here.

 

Decorate your home

 

Every family will have a time in December when they like to decorate their home. For some it's Christmas Eve, for others it could be 1 December but whenever you choose to do it, it's fun to involve the whole family. As well as the wreath, tree and garlands you may also want to stock up on candles and logs for a real fire.

Be inspired by our great home decorating special.

 

Gift shopping

 

There are only two Saturdays until Christmas Day so make sure you've started your shopping. If you're still in dire need of inspiration, see the All About You Christmas gift guide for loads of great gift ideas for all the family.

 

Buy a Christmas tree

 

Once you've got the tree home saw a 5cm length from the base of the trunk and stand it in a bucket full of water for a couple of hours before fixing it into a stand. Always avoid positioning a fresh tree beside a radiator, and remember to top up with water regularly as a cut tree can drink up to one pint a day.
TIP: Many councils a Christmas tree recycling service, as do some DIY and garden centres. You could also visit the Recycle Now website and enter your postcode for details of your nearest recycling centre - www.recyclenow.com

 

Make a Christmas wreath

 

Although there's a huge range of wreaths available in the shops, they are simple and enjoyable to make and the kids can help you scour the garden for the bits and pieces you need. For creative ideas and step-by-step instructions to creating a variety of festive wreaths, see our projects special.

And why stop with a wreath?! We've got over 100 ideas for creative crafts for Christmas, see them all here.

 

Order your food shopping

 

You booked your delivery slot in advance so now place your order for your grocery shopping.
TIP: You could make substantial savings by using price comparison website www.mysupermarket.co.uk. You simply list the items you are planning to order online and it tells you the cost of the shopping basket with Ocado, Tesco, Asda or Sainsbury's. You can then choose to see the cheapest and click through to make your order.

 

Buy an extra bed

 

If you've invited guests to stay, work out where everyone will sleep. The garden sunbeds might do for one night or for a child, but if your guests are staying for any longer they'll need a more substantial and comfortable bed.
See 12 of the best bedsteads here.

 

Check the guest list

 

If you are hosting Christmas lunch, with a week to go it's worth ringing family and friends to double check their attendance and find out about any possible dietary requirements or food allergies.
TIP: Check your menus and prepare anything that can be made in advance and frozen; search our huge recipe database in our Food channel. Or be inspired by our Christmas food special for your Christmas Day menu, post-Christmas easy dishes, party food and much more - see it all here.

 

The big day approaches!

 

• Part 5: final countdown - the week before Christmas

 

---

 

You might also like ...

 

Great ideas for Christmas - festive food, crafts, home decorating and more

All I want for Christmas - inspiring Christmas gift guide, with something for everyone

Tone up for Christmas - how to beat the bloat and look slim