I don’t need to buy for a newborn baby, do I...?

[TheHappyHerbivore]

My first baby is due in December. It hadn’t really occurred to me to get them a gift until a friend of mine asked this week what I was getting them. I said I wasn’t getting them anything and she was horrified - she said I’ll never get back the chance to buy my baby a present for their first Christmas.

Is she right? When I am doped up on hormones and sleep deprivation will I suddenly regret not buying them a ‘first Christmas’ gift? Or is that a completely mad thing to worry about for a baby who will be days old when Christmas comes...?

[Shaniac]

You dont have to but i would. Jt doesnt need to be loads or lavish but dont you want to get them their first ever christmas gift? Even if its you wrapping and unwrapping it you could get a lovely photo of them next to it and its just an all round nice memory. I would get them something even if its just an outfit or a teddy. Is a first memory. The baby wont care or notice but you might look back wirh fondness. But christmas is still 3/4 months away you have loads of time to decide.

[Heidyx]

I didnt get mine anything and she was 8 weeks old and her first christmas. It will get more exciting as they get older and more fun to buy them presents then

[Willow4987]

It’s totally up to you.

I got DS1 keepsakes we could use again for his first Christmas. He was 4 months old at the time

So I invested in a really nice stocking and added on a personalised name tag, a personalised Christmas Eve box, the night before Christmas book to read to him every year and some wooden blocks to play with that are inscribed with his name, DOB and weight etc

[NeutralJanet]

My DD was a December baby and with all the drama around her birth, hospital stay etc it never occurred to me that I was supposed to buy her a Christmas present until a couple of days before Christmas when I dashed out to Mothercare quickly to get a 1st Christmas sleepsuit and rattle, and a couple of toys like stacking rings for when she was older. To be fair, she got so much at birth from friends and family she didn't even need anything but I did feel like a bad mum for almost forgetting .

[Frazzled13]

I'd probably get a teddy or something - tbh it would probably be something I'd buy anyway, but would give as a first Christmas present rather than just as a "your first teddy" that might be given at birth.
I might also get a "my first Christmas" onesie or something. Not really a present for the baby, more for me for the pics.

[WineTheBobbin]

I'd probably buy something small like a first christmas tree ornament or christmas babygrow / outfit. Just in case you do change your mind. It might be hard to get something last minute and may be better to have something just incase rather than potentially getting upset.

[Sweetmotherofallthatisholyabov]

If it's your first a Christmas book is a gorgeous idea and something you'll buy at some stage anyway, you can write a message inside it and it becomes a tradition- get one suitable for children rather than babies/toddlers. I wouldn't go crazy though.

My second was due at Xmas and I wrapped some bits I'd already bought so my eldest saw everyone got something. Another due now and I'll be doing the same, Santa brings nice muslins and teethers too apparently.

[MissRabbitIsExhausted]

I got dd a lovely personalised reindeer from my first years for her first Christmas. She was only 6 weeks old so I got her a couple of other bits too but wanted something she could keep too. I also got her a lovely personalised tree decoration. I would register not getting anything but I'm quite sentimental about things like that

[DriftGames]

My DD was 5 weeks last Christmas and DH and I got her maybe 1 or 2 toys and family got her things she would need as she got bigger such as a bouncer. The dog got more than she did! She'll be 13 months this Christmas and we're still only getting her a few developmental bits like books, an activity she can start doing etc but nothing too extravagant!

[DuckonaBike]

Bear in mind that other children (if you have nieces/nephews round for example) may ask what Santa got your baby! DD2 was born a week before Christmas and we didn’t feel we could say to DD1 that Santa couldn’t be arsed as she was only a week old. So we had to get her a present.

It might be nice to get something as a little memento anyway.

[WhenTwoBecomeThree]

DD was born 2 weeks before Christmas last year and we just bought her a personalised fairytale book for when she's older. It has a message from us in the front mentioning her first Christmas and is personalised throughout.

[Changedmynamelots]

My DD was 4 months by the time Xmas came around. We didn’t buy her anything! She got tons of presents of everyone else so really wasn’t needdd

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

For our DDs first Christmas we got a nativity set (a chunky wooden one that could take toddler playing but still look nice), a little elf outfit and a book.

You don't have too... But it's nice to look back at.

[gonewiththerain]

I bought ds (4 months old at first Xmas) a hand made stocking. I did fill it with presents but can’t remember what!

[Megan2018]

We got a couple of small presents, but nothing major. A book and a couple of small toys.
It’s a long time until their birthday and second Christmas so can be things they grow in to.

[whirlwindwallaby]

DS was 7 months at his first Christmas and I bought him a second hand toy. I wouldn't think to buy for a newborn.

[reefedsail]

You don't have to... but I bet you do!!

[Dinosaursdontgrowontrees]

My dd was 4 weeks on her first Christmas I bought her a sling. It was a gift for me really I suppose but she loved it and we got lots of use out of it together.
Mil got her a gorgeous wooden nativity set which we still put put out every year 8 years on and I’m sure we will continue to for many years to come.

[Minimumstandard]

I'd buy a small something...

I definitely think "baby" should be buying for you, though, given all the sleepless nights and nappy changes you're going to be doing. I'd drop a fairly heavy hint with DH about your favourite chocs/some DVDs to watch while doing night wakings and feeds so he can pass the hint on to baby ...

[bookmum08]

You have to get a selection of My First Xmas/Elf/Reindeer onesies to dress baby in.

[JinglesWish]

I had a 3-month old at Christmas and bought presents of baby toys and books. All things I would have bought in the following 9-12 months or so. It made for a really fun morning with our new baby

[Blankiefan]

When your DC is older, they might like to be told the story their first Xmas and what they were given. Of course, you can bluff through it but a nice keepsake could be bought in advance.

I bought dd a special wooden rattle which is now in her memory box. She is 6 now and loves to look through her memory box and be (re)told stories of the things in it.

[happylittlechick]

Mine was 1 week old. I got her a snow globe and a bauble.

[DianaT1969]

I wouldn't. You'll have photos as keepsakes.

[Yesterdayforgotten]

My baby was born around a similar time and we just got a little book with his name on and a special bauble for the tree. Some little keepsakes for a memory box will be nice for when they're older