What to book now for Christmas so you don’t miss out

Yes yes, we know it’s only October, but the sound of jingle bells can already be heard over the horizon. Christmas is coming, fat goose and all. For those who want to ensure the Christmas period is as stress-free as possible, we’ve created the ultimate checklist to remind you what to book now so you don’t miss out.

Jump to

• Transport
• Food
• Christmas lunches, dinners, afternoon teas
• Christmas theatre
• Carol services
• Special events

Transport

Trains

Train bookings tend to open 12 weeks in advance so tickets for December have been on sale for a few weeks. According to booking platform Trainline, advance tickets are an average of 61 per cent cheaper than booking on-the-day. Remember that trains don’t run on 25 and 26 December. 

Buses

Bus and coach travel is often a cheap option, and it’s worth booking in advance. “It depends on the route, but those starting or ending at major cities like London, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow tend to be the most popular and likely to sell out,” says a spokesperson for Flixbus which operates routes around the UK and Europe.

Planes

If you’re travelling a long way to visit family and friends at Christmas, chances are you’ve already bought your tickets. If not, don’t wait a moment longer. “Most airlines start selling flight tickets around a year in advance, but prices will go up because seat prices are tiered,” says Telegraph travel expert, Greg Dickinson. “The later you leave it, the more expensive it becomes, because the cheaper band of seats have gone.” 

Supermarkets

If you plan to get a big order of food delivered ahead of Christmas, now is the time to book your delivery slot. Some supermarkets, including Waitrose, are already starting to become heavily booked, especially in the days leading up to Christmas. 

Various supermarkets – including Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco – offer priority booking for those who sign up for their annual delivery pass plans. 

Food

Meat is usually the centrepiece to Christmas dinner and it really pays to get an order in early. 

“I encourage consumers to pre-order their turkey in October, but we usually see ordering pick up after Bonfire Night,” advises Susan Richmond, marketing expert at the Traditional Farm-fresh Turkey Association. “If you’re looking for a particular size turkey (i.e. the smallest or a particularly large bird) these are often in limited supply and tend to go out of stock quickly – usually selling out by mid-November. It’s also better to order soon because some producers offer early bird discounts.” 

The same goes for Christmas hams, says Mark Thomas, owner of specialist ham manufacturer, Emmett’s Store in Peasenhall, Suffolk, which begins taking Christmas orders over summer. “For our signature products – Suffolk Black ham and Christmas ham – they tend to sell out by the end of November. For other flavours, our last order date is 16 December, but if people want them cooked in advance that can affect timings. The earlier people order the easier it is for us to ensure they get what they need.”

“Customers need to place orders by early November to secure their chosen meat, poultry or game order,” advises Robert Unwin, owner of luxury meat firm, Roast Mutton. “Quite a few products are sold out by the second week of December.”

For those who prefer to order their entire Christmas meal in a box, these tend to sell out even faster, says Aktar Islam, chef patron of Opheem and founder of Aktar at Home (whose all-in Christmas boxes sell out every year). “We work with top suppliers to get the best ingredients and have to speculate figures to make sure everything is ready in time. We expect to sell out by the first week of December at the latest.” 

Christmas lunches, dinners, afternoon teas

If you’re planning to let someone else cook your Christmas lunch and haven’t booked it yet, don’t wait a second longer. “Leaving it beyond October is asking for trouble,” says Dougal Sharp, founder of Innis & Gunn pubs. “We had our first enquiry in July. Now we’re seeing lots of bookings. We may have some space left by early November, but don’t count on it.” 

Even if you’re not planning to visit a pub or restaurant on Christmas day itself, but want to organise a Christmas party with colleagues or friends, now is the time to do so. “Historically, it is the highly organised people who come knocking on the Christmas door first, around late August,” explains Jack Nimmons, group operations director at upmarket Folkestone restaurant, Rocksalt. “From this point onwards, the more casual festive get togethers and less proactive work dos trickle through in a steady stream. By December 1, the reservation sheet is bursting at the seams.” 

If you do miss out on a Christmas booking, think further away as a solution for a get-together. “New Year’s Eve is the last date to fill up, because people leave it as late as possible to commit to a plan, so you can try to book something then,” says  Nimmons.  

The bigger your party, the earlier you need to book. “For smaller tables of two or four, we’re usually not getting many inquiries until mid-November,” says Kate Baldry, manager at luxury Glasgow restaurant Hazel. “If you do make last minute plans, snag a walk-in before 7pm or after 9pm. Fridays and Saturdays in December are always the busiest but Thursdays and Sundays are busy too, with working from home making it easier to hide the sore heads.”

If you are struggling to find a table, there is one final thing to try, says Gabriel Gonzalez, co-founder of London’s sought-after Peruvian spot, LIMA. “Either book your table early (now) or late in case of cancellations,” he says. “You will get better results in person or on the phone.  If customers call, we will always do our best to find them a table, even at our busiest times.” 

Christmas theatre

“Generally, this time of year, shows get busier, and ticket prices can increase as availability goes down,” says Ryan Woods, commercial director at London Theatre Direct, which runs Telegraph Theatre Tickets. “On average, most people book around 25 days ahead of their visit. Booking earlier usually means better prices. Rush tickets aren’t guaranteed and often don’t offer seat choice. Checking for last-minute cancellations can sometimes work, but it’s always better to plan ahead.”

Data from booking platform Eventbrite shows that ticket sales for pantomimes pick up from early October onwards, though the majority of people tend to buy tickets to these events only one or two weeks in advance. 

“Most pantos are already selling tickets, but most people only book in November,” says Eventbrite’s Sebastian Boppert. “Get ahead of the crowd and snap up panto tickets now when supply is high, but competition with other ticket buyers is low. It’s likely your options will steadily decrease as sales heat up in November.”

Demand for these events does tend to drop off after the big day itself, but often the runs of these Christmas shows extend into January. If you’re prepared to wait a little while and defer some of the festive feelings, you can often get discounted tickets at a later date. 

Carol services

While most local churches and cathedrals will host carol concerts in the lead-up to Christmas, competition can be fierce for tickets to the major events at big centres of worship – especially in the days immediately prior to Christmas. 

Check free booking platforms like Eventbrite, which organisers often use for smaller events like charity carol concerts. 

Special events

There are all manner of Christmas attractions and events popping up around the country, most of which tend to sell out well in advance of the big day. 

However, Eventbrite’s data shows that you’ve got some time to book a Santa’s Grotto experience or ice skating rink, bookings for which only start picking up in November. 

“We’ve been staging our signature experience, The Great Christmas Feast, in London for six years now – every year, the prime dates in December sell out the day they go on sale,” says Natalie Waddell, chief sales and marketing officer at immersive theatre company, The Lost Estate. But just because something has been a sell-out in years gone by doesn’t mean you can’t pick up tickets if you’re cunning and flexible. 

“We have added matinees and more shows during the week, and are extending performances from November 1st through to mid January,” Waddell adds. “These early November and January dates are when it’s often easier to get a choice of tickets, especially for larger group bookings. We also offer peak and off-peak pricing to make these dates even more accessible.”