Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6

Original poster

to not buy DD a Christmas present?

150 replies

Pippaandpolly · 09/10/2011 18:13

This is my first post in AIBU

DH thinks I'm mad because I don't think there's any point in buying DD a Christmas present. She'll be 3 months old and I imagine will be very happy playing with wrapping paper. He thinks it's mean because in years to come she'll ask what we gave her for her first Christmas and be upset it was nothing. Family are sure to give her lots of presents so it's not like I'd want to sit her in the corner with a lump of coal...

I simply do not see the point of forking out on anything expensive (unless, I suppose, it's a 'forever' present - jewellery!? Seems ludicrous) and I don't want to buy tat simply for the sake of buying something. So, AIBU, or is DH?

OP posts:

Princessescanclimbtreestoo · 09/10/2011 19:10

ooh, I couldn't not buy a first Christmas present.

all mine got a small, token present of the kind you end up keeping forever as a desktop toy/paperweight etc.

but you could do Christmas decorations, or a charm to start off a charm bracelet, classic storybook (some of them come with small toys - my dd got a Beatrix Potter gift set for her Christening, with a toy Peter Rabbit and a copy of the book in)

otherwise: cutlery sets, plate sets, or as others have said, something you would buy anyway, but wrapped up and bunged under the tree.

moanymandy · 09/10/2011 19:11

My ds was 3 months old last Christmas and I got him the box set of Beatrix potter books. Didn't wrap them or anything though!
I think it's nice to give them something but you're right she will never know!

Original poster

Pippaandpolly · 09/10/2011 19:14

Books are also a great idea-thank you to the poster who suggested them! I am more than happy to buy lovely books she'll appreciate when she's older (and I can stroke lovingly and read in the meantime!). And they fall between expensive and tat too

OP posts:

Original poster

Pippaandpolly · 09/10/2011 19:16

moanymandy I have also told DH I think wrapping presents for her is a waste of time as WE will unwrap them, presumably while she looks over her shoulder at the cat/granny/something more interesting. He thinks I am lacking the 'magic' of Christmas; I think he's sentimental!

OP posts:

hippoCritt · 09/10/2011 19:21

It will be 9 months until her birthday so you can buy things she may like in future months, I loved opening things later in the year when dd could play more. Also fabric books or bath toys would be good.

hayleysd · 09/10/2011 19:23

Maybe get something she can grow into through the year? My sons birthday is 27th dec so he gets things that will last the year as he doesn't have the birthday in between, make the most of it now though before the expensive lists start!

Peachy · 09/10/2011 19:25

Sentimental is NOT a character flaw

manicinsomniac · 09/10/2011 19:27

No, YANBU.

My first child was 1 month old on her first Christmas and I was a skint student - no way was she getting a present from me, I was having to buy her things most days anyway!

Second child did get presents but only because older child was 5 by then and would have thought it strange. Second child was 8 months old on her first Christmas though so at least appreciated the packaging I suppose!

Ifancyashandy · 09/10/2011 19:28

YANBU. I am 41. I've never asked my mum what she got me for my first Christmas and if I did, she would look thus: .

Hungrydragon · 09/10/2011 19:30

YANBU but you could get something lke this?

guthriegirl · 09/10/2011 19:31

My son was 3 weeks old last Xmas. I bought him a few inexpensive gifts which I wrapped up Xmas Eve and then......unwrapped Xmas morning. Best Xmas ever!

ImperialBlether · 09/10/2011 19:32

I think you are really mean, OP! I know she'll never know, but it's just so against the spirit of Christmas.

GumballCharm · 09/10/2011 19:32

I just think it's bizzarre that you have no desire to show the baby her gift....they can SEE them you know....they like bright colours and shny things....you could open a little rattle for her....or maybe a mobile that plays music or something a 3 month old can enjoy....

I think it's v odd that you have no desire to buy your new baby some toys.

A bear?

ChippingIn · 09/10/2011 19:33

I agree with DH - you are missing the magic of Christmas

I can't understand how you don't want to buy her things and put them under the tree for her .

As you have said you can buy books - you can also buy a few things you'd buy for her for the coming year. Maybe a walker (push along thing), stacking toy, bucket, bumbo (brilliant things)... just stuff you'd get anyway.

But no - it wont be the end of the world if you don't - but I wouldn't stop DH, there's no way you'd stop me

GumballCharm · 09/10/2011 19:34

Both mine LOVED these and the one we got, gave me precious time.....DD stared at it for minutes!

ChippingIn · 09/10/2011 19:35

Oh & there's NOTHING wrong with sentimental - nothing at all.

You never know how long you have got on this earth - take every opportunity to celebrate life & enjoy things. Make memories - don't just pass the time away.

faxittome · 09/10/2011 19:35

ImperialBlether, so what is the spirit of Christmas? Spending money?

Gumball, then OP could just draw her a picture or something. Why should she need to BUY her something?

StopRainingPlease · 09/10/2011 19:36

Yes Fabby, I'm sure OP's baby will be very upset if she only gets clothing .

twinklytroll · 09/10/2011 19:36

The magic of Christmas has nothing to do with presents and certainly not presents that the recipient is not aware of. It is also not about wrapping something up you have already bought.

faxittome · 09/10/2011 19:37

And plenty of memories can be made without having to buy things.

veryconfusedatthemoment · 09/10/2011 19:38

I bought my DS a silver snowflake Xmas decoration from a local jewellers. It was quite thin so was not expensive. He loves now (age 6) putting it on the tree. I wanted to start a tradition of every year buying him something hand crafted/special. That was the only 1 we bought!

maxybrown · 09/10/2011 19:40

Bloody hell, DS is 4 and he was 3 months old at Christmas time too - I haven't a clue if or what we bought for him and he is our only so not like I can mix it up with others! I do remember us having the converstation of is there any point in it? I think we may have gotten him something little, I honestly have no clue. Actually, I think we videoed it so I might have to find that now to see

ChippingIn · 09/10/2011 19:41

Each to their own as to what constitutes the Magic of Christmas isn't it?

For me, I love to see the pressies under the Christmas Tree, lights sparkling, knowing the things I have bought are going to bring a smile to the people I have bought them for, knowing they'll know how much I listened when they said they'd 'seen x', 'would love to read y', were saving up for 'z' or just the sheer pleasure on a small childs face.... for me that's definitely part of the Magic.

It is not up to you, twinklytroll or faxittome - to tell me what is or what isn't the magic of christmas.

blackeyedsusan · 09/10/2011 19:42

why not buy her a lovely cloth book to chew and suck on. they love the crinkly pages and the rattles.

we bought dd christmas presents and a my first christmas stocking and a my first christmas teddy bear. we took lots of photos of her unwrapping them as well. (mainly holding it and scrunching the paper) we did not spend a lot, but thought it was about making memories and traditions.

maxybrown · 09/10/2011 19:42

I let DS choose a decoration each Christmas - my Mum bought him a my first Christmas bauble and he knows that was bought for his very first Christmas as a baby. I pinched the lovely idea from someone on here of a decoration each year then when they leave home handing them a box full of their own Christmas decorations for their first tree

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6