to wish people thought about seasons

[guiltynetter]

...when buying clothes as presents.

hopefully I'm not sounding mega ungrateful here but it was DD1 christening at weekend. got lots of lovely presents, I was really overwhelmed with the amount of stuff and how generous people were. the only thing is, we received lots of clothes, that are 2 sizes too big (18-24 months). I know people probably thought that was the best thing to do but they are really summery things - a white sundress, some sandals, a couple of rompers - and by the time she fits in them, it'll be winter! so she won't get to wear them. i feel like it's just such a waste of money, I feel gutted as the clothes are lovely but will just drown her. when I'm buying kids clothes as presents I try to think of the weather! so not buying wooly jumpers 2 sizes too big when it'll be summer... I don't particularly want to go back to all these people and ask for receipts because I feel cheeky!

[LibrariesGaveUsPower]

Oh yes. It is so sad when that happens. Most shops understand and will exchange though.

I always say to friends buying presents for other kids (ie not mine! ) to buy season neutral if you size up!

[LibrariesGaveUsPower]

ps you generally won't need receipts just to change size.

[CrohnicallyAspie]

You could exchange, or will it maybe fit next spring? If 18-24 months is 2 sizes too big that implies she's in 9-12 months now, so that should be right for next year. Besides after a year they don't grow out of things as quickly, DD is 2 1/2 (and not small, up to now she's always been in a size bigger than her age) she still fits in some of last summer's 12-18 or 18-24 month ones along with the age 3-4 I bought her to grow into!

[guiltynetter]

she is 1 and still fitting comfortably into 9-12 now and the odd 12-18 month (mainly because I want her to wear them, they're too big really!) I'm guessing when she fits into 18-24 it will be winter! I think I will try and swap a few sizes it's just hard work - 4 different shops 1 really out of the way. ah well!

[2tired2bewitty]

The only solution I have come up with is to make sure dc2 is born at a slightly different time of year and hope they can wear them instead

[Sirzy]

If she is 1 now and still fitting into 9-12 month clothes then you will probably find that the 18-24 clothes fit for so long it will cover most seasons. Dresses in particular I would have thought would be fine (I have a boy so may be wrong but don't dresses go on forever as them getting shorter is fine to a point?)

[ObiWanCannoli]

You could buy thick vests and tights and keep them. Put a pullover on top. I think we got some thick vests from verbaudet or Jo Jo mamen Bebe. Mind dd is 8 now so that's a long while ago.

[AGnu]

We tried that approach 2tired but ended up with a skinny DS1 & chunky DS2. Now at 3.5 & 2y their clothes are interchangeable!

We were given a 12-18m snowsuit for DS2 that he would've fitted in this time last year. We'd even had lengthy discussions with the gift giver about what we needed for him & what size we wanted. Then they bought something that was the wrong size because "it was so cute & they didn't stock it in the right size". We squeezed him into it for a quick photo last winter despite it not really being cold enough to warrant it & him not being able to move because it was so tight!

[MaximumVolume]

The trouble is that all babies are different. My best friend bought some lovely fleece-lined dungarees in age 6-9 months. DS will be 6 months in September, so they'd be perfect then. Except he's a porker (he's actually really long as well) & they'd fit beautifully now but it's too hot.

[steppemum]

I found baby shops were amazingly good about swapping for another size. Even without receipts and sometimes even without tags as long as they are definitely new and unworn.

[zoobaby]

Oh yes. DD born in April. We received 0-3 suit in the thickest hottest material going. Hmmm. It was 0-3 so it's not as if they even had to count months/seasons to get it correct. Granted it was coolish for first month, but nothing worthy of this behemoth of cosy warmth.

[Fatmomma99]

Oh, just me then. I didn't like the original post.

[WinterOfOurDiscountTents15]

Churlish to complain. Summery stuff you can just add tights and a cardi and now its for winter. Or regift to someone else as appropriate.

[Fatmomma99]

Thank you, Winter, for use of word "Churlish". Didn't want to be mean, but agree with you.

Also wondering if there's an engagement party/wedding/baby shower back story.

I'm obvs horrible though!

[JadeJaderson]

Yanbu op.

I've had this lots with my two - when ds1 was born at the end of January we got lots of 6 month clothing. Which would have been lovely if they hadn't mainly been long sleeve tops and jumpers, considering he was the right size for them in July/August!

[NormaStits]

Just exchange size. I think the customer services staff in M&S recognise me now, I've been in loads to exchange baby stuff in the wrong size. I've done it in next, h&m, asda, tesco,mothercare.

It is annoying though. I tell people she's wearing 12-18 month clothes and I think all they hear is 'big baby' and buy 9-12 as it's the next size up. My MIL bought her something which is really thick and warm and it doesn't even fit her now, never mind in 4 months time.

[SycamoreMum]

Yep I wish they would kind of calculate first. Bless them. If you cant exchange them, do like I did and sell them on eBay for a pound or two less and use the money to buy her something else. Charge for p&p too.

[guiltynetter]

fatmomma99 what the heck is an engagement party/baby shower backstory?! I've had neither. i hate baby showers and when we got engaged we did a grand total of...nothing

winter some of the items it's gonna be pretty impossible to add tights to, unless she's going to be dressed in a very odd outfit! quite pleased the majority of people agreed with me, I was certain everyone else going to say I was an ungrateful cow ;)

[SwissArmy]

I agree, OP, but I can honestly say its not something that would have occurred to me before I had my son, was given a slew of clothes, and realised there were loads he would never wear, because they were cotton sailor suits that would fit him in midwinter, snow suits he would grow into in summer etc and some he would never wear because they were scratchy matinee jackets in a virulent shade of mint green...

[absolutelynotfabulous]

I've just bought a new baby some shorts for 3-6 months (for this summer); a top for next summer and a top for the summer following. I thought it made sense.

Was that not the sensible thing to do?

[makeminea6x]

It's really hard to get it right unless you know the child well though? My son is huge and in clothes several sizes "too big". We have been given lovely presents he could never fit. I just think how kind and pass it on to a normal sized child or send it to the charity shop. Sometimes it's the thought that counts.

[Purpleball]

It all sounds quite ungrateful to me YABU

None of this would occur to people who don't have young children
I would imagine many of the grandma generation have probably forgotten about it too
Take things back and swap for different sizes, or add tights/cardigans/vests

[AggressiveBunting]

I dont think you sound ungrateful. I know what you mean as I am still upset/ guilty at all the beautiful dresses that DD was bought as a baby which were never worn because I just didnt get a reason to put her in a dress. It's more that I feel bad for the giver because they obviously put thought into getting something lovely, but didnt appreciate the practicalities.

[Fallout4]

If your child is a year now (and fitting into 9-12 stuff) then surely 18-24 months would fit fine for next spring/summer. Problem is there isn't any winter stuff out now and I would presume to get summer stuff for next year. Maybe they didn't have the cute summer baby stuff in 2 - 2.5 years? Anyway you can always swap it for something else, a different size or even store credit.

[guiltynetter]

thanks for the people pointing out she may fit it next year, you might be right! I'm used to clothes going up in 3 month increments but over 12 months they go every 6 months don't they? we are going on honeymoon in April and she'll be 19 months so maybe we'll get use out of the summer stuff then. good thinking!