There's a secret that we swear by when it comes to staying organised over the festive season: two words: Christmas planners. As any parent knows, the key to any successful holiday is preparation, and let's be honest, Christmas is the holiday of all holidays.
From the endless festive days out to the school Christmas cards, teachers gifts, and let's not even get started on the kid's five-page letter to Santa. So, getting ahead of the Christmas planning early allows you to enjoy the holidays with your family.
When you’re planning your family’s Christmas, you tend to fall into one of two camps – last-minute Lucy or super-organised Sarah. We’re all for anything that causes the least amount of stress possible, which is why we love Christmas planners.
The best Christmas planners at a glance:
Best Christmas planner overall: Rachel Ellen A5 Christmas 2019 Organiser Book View on Amazon
Best Christmas planner for busy parents: My Crimbo Planner view on Amazon
The best Christmas planners are usually split into different sections to help you navigate all aspects of Christmas, from food to presents, your family's personalised decorations and events. The good news is that there are lots of options to choose from so you can really reflect your personal taste and needs. Remember to pick a planner that you love so that you enjoy using it because a planner is only effective if you use it.
The best Christmas planners 2023:
Best Christmas planner overall
Credit: Amazon Description
Don't be put off by the name of this Christmas planner. Although it was launched in 2019, it can be used this year as it isn't dated, and the best part is it can be used for the next five years. The Rachel Ellen A5 Christmas 2019 Organiser Book is a charming and practical holiday planner designed to help you stay organised and make the most of the festive season. This beautifully crafted organiser features delightful Christmas-themed illustrations and designs, making it a perfect addition to your holiday decor. We love that there are even a few pages for those all-important festive brain dump notes!
Customer review: "I am a busy mum of 4 and working full time as a nurse. Every year, I struggle to keep track of time, what we buy and costs. This journal has probably saved me a lot of money as you have sections for gift ideas, what your budget is and if you have brought it/ wrapped it. You also have sections on meal planning, recipes and Christmas card addresses. With these options, I have managed to shop around better and get things cheaper in different places. You can also keep track if you have brought it and wrapped it, so you do not continue to look for the same thing in multiple shops etc."
Pros
- Christmas themed organiser.
- Quality product.
- Lovely and attractive colour.
Cons
- Cover material is made out of cardboard.
Best Christmas planner for busy parents
Credit: Amazon Description
This ultimate Christmas planner is crammed full of everything you could possibly need to make sure the festive period runs smoothly and have plenty of fun at the same time. The A5 book includes lots of extras that other planners don't, including My Festive Countdown, My Festive Selfie, My Traditions, My Festive Movies List and My Festive Bucket List.
Customer review: "I looked at so many Christmas planners before purchasing this and was so happy I did! I’m a big Christmas fanatic and go a bit overboard, so this is so helpful with keeping me organised. It has room for everything you can think of, plus lots of additional 'notes' space at the back. It even includes a space for elf antics, which is so helpful as I can look back on previous years to see what I have done before. I have also always had really positive experiences when messaging the company to ask various questions. Very happy customer!"
Pros
- Elf on a shelf ideas pages
- Combination of memory keeping and planning
- Two design choices
Cons
- The paper is a little thin
Best Christmas Planners for people who like to be organised well in advance
Description
Not only will this handy book give you plenty of tips from author Tiffany Wood, but there are oodles of planning pages you can fill in yourself. In the month before Christmas, each week has its own 'dashboard' for different activities – creating, cooking, eating, shopping, and entertaining. For future years, you can also download extra planner pages to fill in.
Review: "Loved this book. Well written and illustrated. Entertaining and full of ideas. I have bought extra as Christmas gifts for my friends."
Pros
- Hardback planner
- Hand drawn illustrations
- A lot of extra information and tips
Cons
- Some people found the font was too small
Best Christmas planner for large families
Description
This Christmas planner begins with creating your very own Holiday Bucket List so you can start by deciding what memories you want to create during the festive season. It also includes sections for Christmas cards, gifts, budgets and plenty more to get your teeth into.
Review: "This book is a really good idea. Love it"
Pros
- Detailed sections
- Online order tracker
- Plenty of extra space
Cons
- Some found that there are too many extra pages
Best Christmas planner with a traditional design
Description
This sweet illustrated Christmas planner is ideal for keeping you organised and prepared in the run-up to, and throughout the festive season. There are sections for your Christmas card list, present planning, food and entertaining, as well as a handy calendar.
Review: "This planner is beautiful, full of wonderful Wrendale illustrations as well as really practical sections for Christmas planning. Even a cooking temperature guide and suggested food shopping list. Almost too lovely to use. I was a bit disappointed with the packaging as the parcel it arrived in was badly mangled and had to be delivered in a plastic bag. Luckily though, the book was undamaged apart from the tag being a bit creased."
Pros
- Traditional style
- Lovely illustrations
- Lots of pages
Cons
- Limited free space
Best Christmas planner with emotional support
www.notonthehighstreet.com
Description
From planning your holiday feast to shopping lists and Christmas reflections, this planner will take the stress away. As well as having brilliant sections to fill out, this Christmas Planner is also beautifully illustrated.
Review: "Just love my Christmas planner. Laid out well and plenty of pages to plan the perfect Christmas."
Pros
- Space for reflections
- divided into sections
- Cute design
Cons
- Not all pages are lined
Best creative Christmas Planner
Description
This beautiful and pink looking Christmas Planner, will help you stay on top of organising, during the holiday season. Making the festive period a breeze, this planner comes VIP Gift pages for special people in your life to include top gifts and stockings.
Review: "Lovely personalised notebook. I love it. Great quality, exactly as expected."
Pros
- November & December Calendars
- Weekly Calendar with To Do Lists
- Cute design
Cons
- Not many colours to choose from.
What to put in a Christmas Planner:
Budgets: With the current cost of living crisis, it is more important than ever to keep a lid on your spending. As tempting as it is to make all of your child's Christmas dreams come to, make sure it is not detrimental to your bank balance. Set a realistic budget for your holiday spending. Make a list of all expected expenses, including gifts, decorations, food, and entertainment. Stick to this budget as closely as possible to avoid post-holiday financial stress.
Decoration Inventory: Before you start decorating the tree, take an inventory of your Christmas decorations. Note what you have and what you might need to replace or purchase. This will help you avoid overbuying every time you visit the local garden centre.
Meal Planner: Plan your Christmas meals well in advance. Make a list of recipes, grocery lists, and even a cooking schedule to help you stay organised. Don't forget to consider any dietary restrictions or preferences your family may have. When possible, allocate jobs to every member of the family; even little hands can decorate Christmas cookies.
Party and Event Planner: When you are a parent, the list of social events is endless. From birthday parties to Santa's grottos. Keep track of all the details in one place. Include RSVPs, dress codes, and any items you need to bring.
Time Management: Allocate specific times for tasks so you're not overwhelmed. Schedule wrapping presents, decorating the house, and other Christmas preparations. Don't forget that the Christmas holidays are supposed to be fun, and this is where your child will make some of their favourite memories, so be sure to schedule some snuggly chill-out time, too. We love cosying up with the kids to read a Christmas book.
Hannah James is a Senior Parenting, Lifestyle and Home Product writer for Mother&Baby, specialising in product testing and reviews. With three children, Hannah loves testing the latest industry products on her own family.