is this ok?

[hunniesugarplum]

DP and i are expecting DC1 30/10/09, obv first christmas not far after. I know full well this baby will be spoilt by all family - mine and DP's and i am a realist who realises that they will not have a clue about christmas this year, i am also realistic to know whilst i say i wont want to go mad this may not be the case!!

Anyway my question is- WIBU to just get baby clothes and one or two toys for the first chrismas? i would be aiming to spend prob around £50 max, more likely less. my feeling being, everyone else will get lots of toys bits for baby, and as a child grows and knows more of christmas, so do there expectations, so the money side of things will surely be made up for over the years, especially when you consider the costs involved in just having a baby, and the current climate?! or am i being a skinflint??

[LIZS]

Sounds pretty sensible to me or buy a keepsake type present (ie set of Beatirx Potter books).

[hunniesugarplum]

thanks i didnt think we were being unreasonable really, We will be getting him / her a reindeer suit for christmas day ( bit of cheese i know but a tradition in our family! also will do for new years as we always have a fancy dress party) and was planning on getting few cheapy bits just trinkets really, as not exactly gong to be flush! has definately made me feel better though!

was going to ask the grandparents for the beatrix potters and HC andersons and maybe the grimms too as they are nice to have.

thanks again!

[diedandgonetodevon]

DS was 3 months old last Christmas & I have to admit DH & I didn't get him anything. He was showered with gifts from everyone else so I didn't really see the point in adding to the mountain.

[stubbyfingers]

YANBU DS was born in October and we didn't buy him anything for his first Christmas except a santa suit which I found hilarious even if no-one else did!

Like you say, the rest of the family will spoil him which is fine.

[SixtyFootDoll]

Can we have Summer first before we start worrying about Christmas?

[oftenpurple]

DD is a September baby and while she did get a few things from us, it was mainly a santa-type dress and one cute Winnie the Pooh teddy. I did ask for practical gifts when pressed but DD was the first girl in our family since my sister and I so she was showered with gifts.

[KingRolo]

Yanbu. DD was born in Oct08 and all we bought her for Christmas was a rattle and a little teddy. Relatives bought lots of toys and clothes and generally spoilt her rotten. We reckoned we'd spent enough already on all the baby stuff we needed before she was born.

This Christmas she'll be 14 months and I don't think we'll buy too much this time either. She's still too little to know what it's all about.

[munchkinpoppet]

Sorry to change the subject but I'd just like to say my birthday is the 31st October, halloween and I Love it! Just in case you were worried about that as I have a colleage who was determined her baby not be born on that date. It always felt a bit more special to me. Sorry for interupting
don't think YABU at all.

[hunniesugarplum]

haha thanks munchkin my mums is also halloween, so im actually hoping for it to be that day! or failing that fireworks night!

[KiwiKat]

Very wise decision, Hunnie.

[proverbial]

Why would you buy anything? The baby won't know, the family will be too busy showerin you with all kinds of crap you don't need or have room for, why on earth would you add to it?

[Fairynufff]

exactly what proverbial said.

[skidoodle]

Yanbu, although I think £50 is quite a lot to spend on a present for a small child. That is around what we spent for dd's first Christmas last year.

Hope you get a hallowe'en birthday

[hunniesugarplum]

proverbial i would liek to buy something as that is what feels right to me, just a small few things, believing that you cannot spoil an inherently good thing, and knowing that my child wont be spoilt i dont see any harm in "adding to the piles" by one or two gifts.

thanks skidoodle i dont think it will reach the £50 mark in the end, also think this baby will have no choice about hallowe'en, my mum has already said if he/she comes early i'll "have to cross my legs" bless her!

[proverbial]

Then why are you asking?

[purpleflower]

Ds was born Oct 06 and only got a couple of bits from us for his first christmas, about £15. The next year he got some clothes and the 3rd some toys coming to around £20.

DD was born Oct 08 and got nothing from us for christmas and will only get needed things this year.

DS will probably get a bit more this year as he is starting to understand but when they are tiny it's a waste.

[hunniesugarplum]

uh proverbial i didnt!!i was asking for opinions on what is considered reasonable to spend, at no point did i ask should i bother, so dont get all !! i wouldnt have taken issue at your comment had it nopt of been put accross in such a weirdly sharp way... i am of course happy to hear from people who didnt get them anything, but for better or worse, i couldnt get absolutely nothing, so i objected to your tone not your statement . most of what i will get will probably be things i would of bought at that time anyway.

[SummerC]

DD was born 22 December and she got NOTHING the first year and very little last year. She had loads of boxes to open, but there was very little in them. She had more fun tearing off the paper than playing with what was inside.

[nickschick]

A wise suggestion I was given was to save any bits of money towards things that the baby will need in between xmas and birthday for example a stroller toy is great thing for a baby of about 8 months but obviously this comes between the 2 dates but if you saved great aunty ethels £10 from xmas come june shed love to know that your dc had spent her gift wisely and was enjoying it.

[skidoodle]

There is no way I could have got dd nothing for her first Christmas. It was a sentimental thing. We got her something kind of ridiculous but cool that will do her for years.

I can quite see that if you're not a christmas person then it makes sense to save the money. I'm guessing that if you're already thinking about presents in august for a baby that's not due for 2 months, then Christmas probably matters to you.

[hunniesugarplum]

yes christmas is important to me, i was orphaned so christmases have been tough at times (have a step mum who is fab and sister etc so no violins required) so want to make babys first christmas perfect! im thinking of it as im sat here with nothing to do, although i am a planner, and dp and i have discussed it as we are both very excited , cant wait!

nickschick we will defo be doing that any funds will be saved for future bits and bobs a very good idea!

[Kayzr]

DS2 was 12 days old and we got him some clothes, little teddy's etc.

[gillybeanie]

i tried doing that when DS was born..but each time i went xmas shopping i ended upbuying presents for him but he was my PFB and now i have two DC xmas is just that little more exiciting

[SlartyBartFast]

my ds had a stocking , as well as a prsent. they were the most difficult presents to buy at that age.
.
but it was for me admittedly, not the presents obviously, just the idea.

however i think £50 is too much, unless you count something useful, next stage clothes, for e.g

[ChazsBarmyArmy]

I gave both DS's nothing for 1st Xmas and virtually nothing for 1st birthday as the rest of the family spoiled them anyway.
However, I did put the money I would have spent away in National Savings Childrens bonds as I thought it would benefit them more to have it later.