Christmas is a time for celebrating and enjoying the festivities with friends and family, without having to worry about things going wrong.
With this in mind, you want to make sure your Christmas day runs as smoothly as possible and you don’t run into any hiccups along the way. Christmas Eve can feel like a mad panic getting ready for the big day, and it’s easy to forget some things.
To help ensure your Christmas runs to plan as best it possibly can ATV Today Lifestyle has spoken with experts at MyJobQuote.co.uk who have consulted with a whole host of Christmas and home experts to create this ultimate list of things you should do on Christmas Eve. This will ensure nothing gets missed, and you can spend your time relaxing and enjoying yourself on Christmas day.
Plan Things Early
“One of the best tips I can offer is to plan ahead,” says Billy Parker, director at GiftDelivery.co.uk. “Start planning your Christmas Eve activities early to make sure everything is ready for the big day.” This is the best thing you can do to ensure everything is prepared, and nothing is missed.
“Make a list of all the tasks that need to be done, such as wrapping presents, preparing food, and setting up decorations. This will help you stay organised and ensure that everything is done in time,” Parker adds. Preparing everything in advance will help to make sure your Christmas is as stress-free as possible.
Prep The Food
Preparing all of the food in advance is one of the best possible things you can do on Christmas Eve. This will help to speed up the cooking and serving process on Christmas day. If you’re hosting a lot of guests, this preparation can be invaluable.
“Prepare as much food as you can in advance. Desserts and cold dishes can be made and stored in the fridge. For the main meal, chop vegetables and set aside, ready to cook,” says Charlotte Wood, chief information officer at REIInsiders.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
It’s important to prioritise a good night’s sleep on Christmas Eve. “A well-rested you are a calm and present you, ready to tackle Christmas Day with a smile. Bonus points for indulging in a relaxing bath or reading a calming book before lights out,” says Connor Ondriska, CEO of SpanishVIP.
As long as you get plenty of sleep, you’ll be able to tackle everything that Christmas day throws at you, including opening presents, having your Christmas dinner, and enjoying the festivities with your family and friends.
Set Alarms and Reminders For Important Tasks
It’s a good idea to set some reminders and alarms for important tasks. Have a full plan in place for Christmas Eve so that you don’t miss anything, and make sure everything is done properly.
Consider setting timeframes for getting things done and setting some alarms so that you can make sure you can get everything done on time. We’ve already mentioned that it’s important to get enough sleep on Christmas Eve, so you need to make sure you get everything finished on time so that you’re not up all night with the preparations.
Set The Christmas Table
We all know laying the table can be a tremendous task at Christmas – especially if you’re hosting for a lot of people. So why not save time and lay the Christmas table in advance? That way, you can make it extra special and festive.
“Lay out the Christmas Day table the night before. It saves time and lets you focus on food and family in the morning,”says Michael James, owner of thegiftbags.co.uk.
Charge Your Devices
“Make sure cameras, phones, and toys that will be gifted are fully charged. You don’t want to miss capturing those special moments or deal with a disappointed child,” says Charlotte Wood, chief information officer at REIInsiders.
If you are buying gifts that need batteries, be sure to provide batteries with the gift so that they can be used right out of the box. If you are gifting anything that needs to be charged up, make sure you charge it before wrapping so that it can be used as soon as it’s been unwrapped. Also, make sure you charge things like your phone and cameras overnight so that they’re fully charged for the morning.
Get The Entertainment Ready
It’s important to get all of the entertainment ready for the big day beforehand. This includes sorting out any games that you’ll be playing, getting everything prepped, and keeping your family entertained on the big day.
“Creating a playlist and having some entertainment ready is like setting the mood for a great time. Imagine a house filled with your favourite holiday tunes and maybe a few movies or games that everyone enjoys. It’s about making sure there’s something fun to do together. After all, Christmas is about joy and spending time with the people you care about,” says Karina Newman, home expert at iBuyers.
Arrange The Gifts
If you have children, it’s essential that you lay out the gifts the night before once they’ve gone to bed. After all, you don’t want your children to sneak downstairs before you and think Santa hasn’t visited them.
Lay out the presents in piles for each child. Assign them their own space in the room to make things easier so that everyone knows which gift belongs to whom. This will make the opening process quicker and less stressful.
