Share your tips for staying organised this Christmas

As we inch closer to the Christmas break the to-do list seems to get longer by the day. Shopping for Christmas presents, decorating the tree, mailing cards – where has the time gone? It can be a very stressful time of year, especially if you’re hosting a Christmas party at your house.

We’d love to hear your tips for keeping things simple during the silly season! Share your ideas in the comments section below.

Our top 5 tips for staying organised this Christmas:

Start baking early and you’ll be ready for Christmas. Sweets like Christmas cake, puddings, fruit mince pies and biscuit dough can all be made well in advance and stored in a cool, dry place or in the freezer.
Avoid the last minute supermarket rush and buy your groceries online, place an early order at butcher or fish monger, and stock up on non-perishables in the weeks ahead.
Make a shopping list and check it twice with all the ingredients and amounts needed for each recipe. Group items by what can be bought now, in a week's time and on Christmas Eve. As you buy your items, cross them off so that you can clearly see what's missing.
Choose a menu with some old faithfuls. Christmas is not a time to try a completely new menu that you've never cooked before. Try practising new dishes in the weeks ahead of Christmas to perfect new techniques. Or opt for at least a few of your family’s favourites from last Christmas and try only one or two new recipes on the day.
Edible gifts make easy presents for school teachers, hostess gifts and unexpected visitors. Get the kids involved and create big batches of gourmet food gifts like home-made spice mixes, shortbread, chocolate truffles and rum balls.