Christmas packing: this is what you need, according to a fashion editor

Buy sincere but non-showy gifts for the heroes at nursery; wrap-up room diffuser thingamajig for Auntie Carol; WhatsApp friends regarding suitable time to exchange gifts (discover there isn’t one); panic eat; watch Love Actually; get more gift tags; ship toddler’s stocking-fillers to mum’s house (easyJet will never accept them); panic-eat some more; diarise a 10-minute slot for uncontrollable weeping — no cancel that, there’s no time.

Ah Christmas, don’t you just love it?

I do, actually, and yet am dreading the seven days that lie between me and that sweet spot on Christmas Eve when I can pounce on my mother’s cheese haul with the enthusiasm of a teenager bombing the slow lane of the local swimming pool.

Undoubtedly, this is peak to-do list season — a period that must be faced with resilience, determination and a whole lot of Deliveroo expenditure because if you have time to cook during this mayhem your name should be first in line on the New Year Honours list.

But let’s go back to the to-do lists for a second because there’s a high chance you’re missing one: you’ve got a bag to pack.

For those of us set to exit the capital between now and the Big Man’s estimated arrival time on Christmas Eve, the matter of deciding what to take with you may well push you over the edge. Let alone packing everything in a bag alongside your present haul.

Certainly, it’s the task that pains me more than all the others. Christmas, after all, is quite literally a mixed bag with sequins and a bit of sparkle as necessary to proceedings as prime telly-watching sweaters and boots to walk the dog/baby/booze off in.

To make life just a little bit less stressful, I prescribe a streamlined list and a capsule Christmas wardrobe that can flex — and grow — as you do. Key to this is that you start with the outfit you plan to wear on Christmas Day then work from there.

A sling-it-on and go dress are ideal.

Next on your list is denim. Jeans are a seasonal saviour.

Take two pairs — a light-wash and a darker alternative — and make sure everything else you pack can be worn alongside them. A tuxedo jacket, perfect over a white T-shirt and worn to the pub on Christmas Eve, is an easy win. On the matter of knitwear, roll necks are a good idea. Take two or three lightweight options (if you have easyJet baggage costs to contend with) in neutral shades. Shoe-wise, you’ll be indoors a lot so don’t stress about this bit. I’m thinking hiking boots — perfect for walks and wearing to the pub — and a pair of ankle boots in case the mood takes me.

Which coat to pack? Make sure you settle on one and one only. As we’ve established, this holiday should be more about hibernating than anything else so a hybrid coat that will keep you cosy while allowing you adequate mince pie space is really all that’s required.

Got all that? Good. I’ll leave you to your to-do list.