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Christmas Planner — gifts, budget, guests, checklist
A gift list by recipient — idea, bought, wrapped, given — with a budget per person against what the gifts cost; a holiday budget for food, decor, travel and cards; guests with dietary needs; and a checklist from the gift list six weeks out to the wrapping three days before.
Starter checklist
7 tasks, dated back from the day
- Write the gift list45 d before
- Send cards30 d before
- Book travel30 d before
- Put up decorations21 d before
- Buy the gifts14 d before
- Plan the menu7 d before
- Wrap the gifts3 d before
December has two budgets that get mixed up: the gifts, and everything else. Here the gifts are a list — each with a recipient, what you meant to spend, what it cost, the shop, a priority and a status from idea to given — and the list opens with one line per person: how many of their gifts are bought, budget against spent, red when over. Food, decor, travel, cards and outings are budget lines with an estimate and a real cost.
The checklist counts back from the day: the gift list at 45 days, cards at 30, travel at 30, decorations at 21, shopping at 14, the menu at 7, wrapping at 3. Guests carry a party size, a meal choice and dietary needs, so the head count and the vegetarians are one line above the list.
What the holiday plan holds
A holiday budget
Gifts, food, decor, travel, cards, outings, giving — each line with a plan, the real cost and a paid state; the analytics show where December's money goes.
Gifts by recipient
For whom, a budget, the price, the shop, a priority, a link, a needed-by date — and one line per person: bought of planned, budget against spent.
Guests with dietary needs
Party size, children, meal choice, dietary needs — the head count and the allergies in one line above the list.
A checklist from six weeks out
Seven dated tasks from the gift list to the wrapping, grouped by overdue, this week and later.
Budget categories
The categories a holiday budget opens with
The categories the plan opens with. Add your own on any line; the analytics group by whatever you use.
GiftsFood & drinkDecorTravelCards & postageOutingsGivingOther
Budget analytics — where December's money goes
A donut by category, planned against actual, the biggest lines and spend over time — all from the same lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the gift budget work?
Each gift row carries a budget (what you meant to spend) and a price (what it cost). The list opens with one line per recipient: how many of their gifts are bought, budget against spent, red when over. Gift prices stay on the list — the plan's budget is its budget lines.
When does a gift count as done?
From 'bought' on — wrapped and given come later, but the budget question is answered at the till. The list shows both counts.
Can I use it for other holidays?
Yes — the 'holidays' kind is not tied to a date. Any celebration with gifts, guests and a day works the same way.
Start with the date and the gift budget
The plan opens with the holiday categories, the checklist dated back from the day, and the gift and guest lists ready. List the gifts first in the Gift Budget Calculator and it hands them over with recipients and prices.
Guides
How-to guides that use this tool