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23rd December 2016
03:21pm GMT
You've been buying presents since September, you have the Christmas cake iced and ready to go - you're pretty much Betty Crocker and Martha May from the Grinch combined into one perfect Christmas hero.
But even Organised Oisín's get caught out when the big day rolls around. All the pre-Xmas stress can mean you forget to buy the most basic of stuff - and before you know it you have to blame dear old Santa Claus for forgetting to put the batteries in with the new toy.
Uh oh.
Follow our essential list (check everything twice now), and you should be sorted for anything that comes your way this year.
There's nothing worse than going to make a cuppa in the morning and finding out that the last drop has already been used. Stock up on lots and lots of milk because you WILL need gallons of it for all the teas and coffees over Christmas weekend.
The table is basically all set, candles are lit and you've even popped a homemade wreath in the middle of everything - bravo. The only thing missing is probably some fancy paper napkins to finish the whole scene off.
Chances are some random neighbour will call over in the morning and *shock horror* you realise you have feck all to give to them. Wrapping up some emergency boxes of chocolates or wine will always be a good call.
Either you finally get around to the last of the present pile late on Christmas Eve only to find there's no wrapping paper left, or some family member arrives at your house with unwrapped pressies expecting to use your giftwrap. Which leads us to...
The holy grail of all Christmas essentials, discovering that you have no sellotape is a real nightmare. Buy in bulk people, buy in bulk.
Whatever you do, DO NOT forget this bad boy. Essential for wrapping up leftovers, covering the turkey to safeguard it from the cats and pretty much useful for a whole heap of things. Clingfilm is a handy one to have too.
God forbid please don't forget to buy the beverage of choice for dear Grandmama. She'll only get cranky if she doesn't have "just the one glass" of her favourite sherry. And if you somehow buy the wrong brand? We feel for you.
No one ever says how much they love the crackers on Christmas day, but it seriously wouldn't be the same without those cringey and often inappropriate jokes, plastic puzzles and bright paper hats. Buy some extra for the CRAIC lol.
You just can't have a piece of pudding or a mince pie without a good lashing of double cream. Add it to Irish coffee, normal coffee - heck add it to everything and make sure your fridge is full of it.
You would think this would be a given that no-one in their right mind forgets to buy batteries for all those fancy electro toys that Santy brings, but somehow it happens every year. Buy lots, no even more than that, and buy a good variety of different types and sizes to avoid tears.
There's always that one freak who is like "pass da mint sauce please" when you don't have any. Mint sauce, cranberry sauce, mustard; any sort of condiment you think someone could like it's best off to have.
100% needed for all those slops and spills in the kitchen throughout the day. Not having kitchen roll is a punishment that no man should have to face on Christmas Day.
Olives, crisps, crackers, more crisps. People looooove to snack at Christmas, fact. Make sure you have enough nibbles to keep the crowd from getting hangry while they wait for the feast.
It's always nice to have a Christmas card to give alongside a gift (or instead of a gift). They're the kind of thing you feel like you have millions of, until the time comes and you learn you actually have like, zero.
For the love of baby Jesus do not forget to buy this sacred cotton cloth. The house will be jammed of guests all in and out of the toilette, and there's ALWAYS one annoying person who uses an entire roll in one go. You can literally never have enough of this.
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