The 12 Days of Christmas Countdown: Day 11

On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a checklist for safekeeping,, , , , ... ... , , and 

There are few things worse than the realization on Christmas Day that you have forgotten a vital ingredient for your holiday feast. 

Somehow, with all the hustle and bustle of pre-holiday preparations, the whipped cream, black olives, extra case of butter, or rolls for dinner never seem to make it into your shopping cart. 

Hopefully, this article catches you in time to double check your grocery and gift lists and get those last-minute items before the stores close! 

Grocery

Believe it or not, the big chain stores are recognizing the Christmas holiday and closing their doors Christmas Day to allow employees to celebrate with family. However, this means that shoppers only have Christmas Eve to pick up those last few items.

Here are the hours of local grocery stores:

• All stores (21 Mile, 23 Mile and 26 Mile) are open 6 a.m.-5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and are closed Christmas Day.
• is open Christmas Eve 8 a.m.-5 p.m., but closed Christmas Day.
• All Meijer stores, including the 24 hours ones, close at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and remain closed Christmas Day.
• on Hall Road at Heydenreich is open 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Christmas Eve, and closed Christmas Day.

And to jog your memory, a few essential, but easily overlooked items:

• Bread: sliced, rolls, crescent rolls, biscuits
• Extra butter or margarine
• Salad dressing and all the fixings
• Gravy
• Napkins, plates, utensils, plastic cups
• Seasonings: nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika, oregano, cloves
• Coffee cream
• Whipped cream, ice cream
• Finger foods: olives, pickles, pretzels, chips 
• Pop (not soda)

Gifts

Whether it's from sheer forgetfullness, or because an unexpected relative showed up for Christmas, you'll want to have a few extra gifts around the house.

For the adults, the easiest "extra" present to have on hand is a bottle of wine or champagne. For the kids and teens, it can be an iTunes gift card, set of bath gels, or fleece blanket/throw. These items – even the wine – can be found for less than $15.

Need more ideas? Check out our suggestions in Day 3's , or Day 8's .