Christmas shopping checklist: what to buy and when

Make a Christmas gift list, budget for the extras and work backwards from the dates that matter.

Six to eight weeks before Christmas, write down who you are buying for and set a spending limit for each person. Make room for postage, wrapping and any gifts you need to send abroad. If family members are buying for the same children, share a shortlist so nobody buys the same thing twice.

Four weeks out, order anything personalised or made to order first. Record the retailer, order number and delivery estimate next to each gift. Save the price you were willing to pay before sales start so you can judge whether a discount actually helps.

Two weeks out, check which orders have arrived, make a note of returns deadlines and set aside an evening for wrapping. Check each retailer’s Christmas delivery dates before ordering; leave a little time for delays instead of relying on the last possible dispatch date.

In the final week, switch any outstanding ideas to local collection, a digital gift or a day out you can book later. For Christmas dinner and hosting, keep a separate list: what is already in the cupboard, what can be bought early, and what needs picking up fresh.