is this an ok thing to do?

[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- is it appropriate 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??

[filchthemildmanneredjanitor]

you are being very sensible!
ds2 had a stocking because ds1 would know so it contained things like dummies, socks etc a couple of little teether things

we got ds1 a few presents-but he ggor so much from everyone else and won't have a clue that it's christmas!

[Bellsa]

I had same feelings about ds' first christmas, and did exactly what you're suggesting. No point in having a massive present fest for him/her when they won't know the difference!

[melpomene]

Absolutely OK. Baby will not understand what Christmas is, and you will be inundated with toys and gifts from friends and family.

Save your money for later, when it will be needed.

[melmog]

If it makes you feel any better, neither of my dd's had first christmas or birthday presents from us.

They had so much stuff from family and friends and everyone was so generous.

We felt awful but I'd given up work to move to a different area of the country with dh's promotion and his wage wasn't as good as promised so we were really struggling to make ends meet.

Noone knew except us and the dd's obviously didn't notice.

I'm sure they'll make up for it in years to come!

[ttalloo]

We had DS1 in October 2007, and while everybody else around bought him heaps of presents, DH and I didn't, for the same reasons as you - DS1 would be too little to remember any of it, and it wasn't as if we weren't constantly buying him stuff anyway. For his second Christmas in 2008 we did buy him proper presents, but we only spent about £50. As long as they are little enough not to be demanding things, they are satisfied with few and inexpensive gifts, so we're going to make the most of it for as long as we can get away with it!

[JRocks]

I think it's perfectly reasonable - DS was only 5-6 weeks old at his first christmas and we thought it was totally unnecessary to go out and buy lots for him as we were still being inundated with new baby gifts.

The only thing I could think of that might be nice is a keepsake sort of thing, something that's not for right now?

[alicecrail]

We bought DD a book of fairy tales (HC anderson) more as a keepsake really as she was only 6weeks old. She got a lot from other people.

[SoupDragon]

Buy a keepsake gift.

[ChasingSquirrels]

ds1 was born 24 Sep. We didn't buy him anything for his 1st xmas, or his 1st birthday, or his 2nd xmas come to that.
He got tonnes of stuff from other people.

[hunniesugarplum]

thanks all 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!

[HeadFairy]

We bought ds some flashing led lights for his bedroom for his first Christmas (he was three months old) for the princely sum of a tenner. That's all we got him. He still loves them today and falls asleep watching them fade on and off

[Indith]

I didn't get anything for ds for his first birthday because it is in January so he had just had heaps from everyone else for first Christmas and birthday! Don't think I got him anything for his second either come to think of it He didn't notice. I might have to get hime something for his 3rd though as he will be old enough to notice by then!

Dd didn't get anything from us for Christmas, though she was born on the 23rd December and I hadn't wrapped my head around the fact that she might arrive in time for Christmas!