Your 2021 Christmas Eve Checklist

Santa may have checked his list twice, but have you?

You ordered the turkey weeks in advance, the gifts are flawlessly wrapped and scattered under the tree, and stockings are stuffed… at least you think they are! With the mad panic that ensues in the lead up to the holidays, it’s easy to forget one (or two) things as Christmas Eve approaches. There’s so much to remember, but don’t fret – we’ve put together an ultimate last-minute to-do list to help you get through it all.

Read more: How To Celebrate Christmas With Loved Ones Virtually

• Presents
  A lot of us have turned to online shopping this year to check off our Christmas list. If you ordered your gifts well in advance they should have all arrived by now. Now all that’s left to do is make sure they’re all wrapped and tagged! Oops, forgot a relative abroad? Deep breaths, we’ve got you covered with these last-minute gift ideas that won’t cost the earth. And if the package arrives a couple weeks after the 25th, you can blame it on slow shipping due to Covid-19 (we won’t tell).
• Turkey
  We may not be able to return to our favourite restaurant for this year’s festive feast and it might be too late to order a bird for your at-home banquet if you haven’t already… But thankfully, there are plenty of great takeaway options to turn to. Looking for something a little more fancy? Hit up one of these Michelin-starred restaurants for a takeaway spread fit for a truly special occasion. Why not have a couple bottles of booze delivered to your door to cap off the night? Christmas Day only comes once a year, after all!
• Christmas cards and outfit
  Just because you won’t be having the regular guests over for the holidays doesn’t mean you should skip on the festive décor! Hang up some tinsel, turn on your fairy lights and position your tree behind your dinner table for your family Zoom call. Don’t forget to don your best Christmas jumper or fancy frock for that perfect screenshot.
• Music
  Right, you’re nearly there. All of the above has been double and triple checked. The only thing left is to update your Christmas Spotify playlist with the latest seasonal tracks. As much as we love the classics, there’s only so much of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” one can take each year.

Read more: 3 Mulled Wine Recipes To Try This Christmas

Christmas Eve Check List:
☐ Presents: Track down any online orders, make sure everything’s wrapped, finish up any holiday cards and stuff the stockings.
☐ Food: Double check dishes, take stock of your alcohol and treats, and buy your perishable goods.
☐ Decorations: Get out all your ornaments, candles, wreaths and décor, and make sure you have extra batteries for non plug-in lights.
☐ Last checks: Picked up fresh flowers? Charged your camera? Is your outfit pressed and ready? Have you scheduled your family Christmas Zoom meeting?

Read more: The Best Christmas Movies And Shows On Netflix To Watch Now

And finally, sit back and relax! The moment we’ve been waiting 365 days for is here. No matter how (dis)organised you may be, what’s important is that you’re celebrating good cheer with the ones you love most (whether in person or virtually). After the year we’ve had, we deserve to have a good time. A toast to you all. Have a very merry Christmas!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in December 2015 by Lexi Davey and most recently updated in December 2021 by Team Sassy.

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