To not buy my 11 month old any Christmas presents?

[sparklyskyy]

My baby will be 11 months at Christmas with his 1st birthday a month later.

We have a large family with lots of grandparents, aunts and uncles and friends so he is going to receive a huge number of gifts.

Due to this I decided to not buy him anything because he's not going to have a clue about presents and who from. I'm not doing it to be a tight wad just because he's going to have loads as it is plus we'll be getting asked left, right and centre what everyone should buy him.

Anytime I've told anyone this they have been horrified, including DP to begin with, which has now made me think I am being unreasonable to not buy my son anything for Christmas.

What do you think?

[TinyTear]

I was in your position last year (birthday end of January)

We got a £20 activity table, then wooden puzzles, a shape sorter and books.

The table was a waste of money, only now she likes the puzzles and shape sorter, she always loved the books...

Her favourite thing last christmas? two cardboard boxes full of shredded paper/newspapers/packing paper. she would go in and our and throw the paper about and go back in and out...

So, go for it, get her a little something to open - books are always good... but keep the majority of stuff for the birthday/later on... even though a lot of things say from 12 months, often they don't show interest till later

[oscarwilde]

What about one of these? They are fab - much nicer than they appear on the website.
www.newbridgesilverware.com/present/XMASHANG/SC026/SteamTrainChristmasDecoration

[DesperatelySeekingSedatives]

I'd maybe get him a keepsake and do a stocking for him and let other people get the toys and stuff. You might get away with getting him something for the garden to play with in the summer? swing or sand and water table or similar.

I personally couldnt not buy my DC anything at all certainly not with my addiction to shopping

[NewBlueShoesToo]

When mine were little we just used to wrap up some wet wipes and other bits you would buy anyway. Especially good to wrap in tissue paper which they love. They were always inundated with books, clothes and toys from relatives.
If you feel bad just think of the fortunes you'll spend in years to come and start saving!

[skyeskyeskye]

We got DD a little wooden chair for her first Christmas, with her name on. She loved it and it was really useful too. It cost about £15. We didn't get anything else as didn't see the point.

My friend put money in their bank accounts for her DC first Christmas.

Christmas doesn't mean anything to them at that age. We have pictures if DD fast asleep. She was 9 months old.

A stocking with little board books and a soft toy and a bits and pieces, maybe a Christmas bib , tree ornament, might be a nice idea.

[Norfolknway]

I will have a newborn.

I will still buy books, teddies, clothes. Things like that...stuff that'll do for the next few months.
I'd feel rotten buying nothing!

Each to their own though

[MmmmWhiteWine]

Well, he's 11 months old so will not know one way or the other. In our house the kids don't get presents from us...their presents are from Santa. And they do still ask what Santa brought them for their first Christmas. So you might want to be prepared that he might ask in years to come!

[Squitten]

YANBU

We never bought our kids anything for their first Xmas (they were much younger though - 3mths and 3wks!) The baby won't know what's going on and will have plenty to open from other people anyway. He won't understand the concept that you bought him anything and will likely just lay with wrapping paper all day!

First Xmas stuff is really about you - not the child. The kid could care less so do what makes you happy!

[StuntGirl]

Christ, of course YANBU.

YWNBU if you did either, so do whatever you think.

[80sMum]

YANBU at all. If you buy Christmas presents for an 11 - month old, they are for the pleasure of the giver, not the recipient. Your baby will be completely oblivious of the date and it's significance. So, if s/he is already going to be receiving lots of gifts from others it's far better for you to wait till later in the year before buying anything.

[SmokedMackerel]

I didn't get anything for my baby's first christmas. She was a few days old, so I would have had to unwrap stuff for her anyway. I don't feel remotely sad or guilty about it, it seemed daft to waste wrapping paper. And I did buy her some Christmas baby grows for Christmas day, I just didn't wrap them.

But an 11 month old can rip paper, so I think it is a bit different. I would get a small token for him to unwrap, even something tiny like Christmas socks. It is just a token, but it acknowledges his important place in sharing the celebration of Christmas within your family.

[FeckOffCup]

I got my DD a couple of small presents when she was 2 weeks old on her first christmas. I did find myself thinking WTF did I do that for after wrapping them as she was in no way capable of opening them so I took them to my parents' when we went for lunch and got them to open them, and she had some from them that I opened. It's nice to get them something and at 11 months you could do a little stocking of small toys, bath stuff and chocolate coins that he would love.

[raisah]

No big deal, if anyone asks say you have put £xxx in the bank for him later. That is much more important than spending the equivalent in plastuc tat which will get dumped or broken.

My friends son is going to uni next week with zero in the bank & she cant afford to give him anything because she spent £5k on a holiday over the summer. With a bit of sensible planning & less money spent on treats he should have gone to uni with a financial buffer.

[forceslover]

Nothing? Not even a bib for Xmas dinner or a new plate and spoon? Do you need anything? No? Then maybe no one should buy you anything either! Is your middle name Scrooge

[Edendance]

Oh I think that's so sad. Why wouldn't you want to buy him presents? I always see toys and little clothes and think how I'd love to buy them for my own babies one day and though I know in reality it's not always so rose tinted as that but I think it's sad that you wouldn't just want to get something.

[sheeplikessleep]

We are doing a mini-stocking for our 4 month old at Christmas (but more so his older brothers don't question it) and one small, probably v practical gift from us. However, I am keener to put money in his account, to at least attempt to even it up with his brothers!!

[Fresh01]

Or say you are getting x for the garden in the springtime as a belated Xmas present.

Our DC4 has her birthday 3 days after Xmas and we will be away over the actual day. So I have got her a poncho peppa pig towel and a book to open then will tell her 3 siblings she is getting a slide for the garden for her birthday but we will get it in the springtime. She has something to mark the day and then something to enjoy over summer instead of more inside toys.

[WinteronPluto]

YANBU.

No brainer.

Didn't get anything for my dd for first Christmas (she was 2 months) for same reason. She got so many presents and took no notice!

In fact the following Christmas she didn't really understand opening presents either so I needn't have bothered then either (although I did).

[2tiredtocare]

My turns one in December and we won't be buying anything specific but will put money in his account. He is our third though so we already have a house full of crap

[2tiredtocare]

Edendance because they wouldn't have a clue, best save your money until they are aware of presents. I doubt the ops 11 month old has made it to this age without a whole stack of clothes and toys already

[Lj8893]

I'm due end of oct so my baby will only be about 2 months! But we have decided that as we will be getting her one anyway, we may as well get a playmat/gym as a Xmas present. the excitement of her first Xmas present is more for me to be honest

[mrsjay]

it is his first christmas I think if you dont get him anything you will regret it he will get cards from people saying babies first christmas and all that get him a few bits and pieces you dont need to go mad about it but get him something to unwrap and also a very tacky christmas outfit so you can tease him with when he is a grown up

[OvertiredandConfused]

We still don't do big presents at Christmas for our DC (now 10 and 12) because grandparents, godparents and aunts and uncles spoil them rotten. I get a few inexpensive bits that I know they want plus stockings, chocolate and a smart outfit that I know they will also like and be happy to wear.

[Herisson]

When my DD was tiny, I bought her some useful things that I would have bought anyway and let her unwrap them - spoons, a nice cup, a melamine bowl with bright pictures, clothes etc. She loved unwrapping them and still uses the bowl for snacks. She likes knowing that Father Christmas brought it (she's 7 so may get the hang of it not having been FC soon).