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?

[sparklyskyy]

I'm definitely not looking upon it as everyone else is doing it so I won't need to bother or that I'm boasting about being sensible about it.

I love buying presents and spend a lot of time trying to find special, meaningful presents for people. After reading all your comments I really like the idea of getting him something sentimental for him to keep.

I just did not see the point in buying him lots of toys, probably duplicates, because he is going to get a ridiculous amount anyway. As it is he has loads and still prefers trying to get the remote controls, playing with shoes, harassing the cat etc rather than playing with his toys.

[neontetra]

Having just read Wahia's post, I am now OBSESSED with the concept of a memory bunny. I want one made up of fabrics pertinent to all my major life events.
OP, just buy a little book or something - it can't hurt, will be cheap, won't clutter your house up and will be a nice keepsake if your child proves sentimental.

[ExcuseTypos]

Yes, a small sentimental thing is lovely.

Dd2 was born just before Xmas, she did didn't get a single thing from us. She wasn't actually due until after Christmas, and it just felt silly buying for a baby who want there yet.

She's never asked what we got her for her first Xmas. If she did I think I'd say 'oh I can't quite remember'

[specialsubject]

baby doesn't know it is Christmas, Sunday or whatever the hell day it is. Make the most of the time free from the overpriced tat.

especially as there is going to be an avalanche from elsewhere, let them battle through the crowds.

[bluesbaby]

I loved the mementos my mum kept for me as a child - first book, first teddy, first piece of jewellery, baby bracelet from the hospital, etc.

I've still got those mementos. It's nice to keep a little something! I am a bit sentimental though.

It doesn't have to cost much at all. You could get a baby book from a charity shop, or pick up a small book for less than £5 at Waterstones. Even small teddies aren't very much.

[pigletmania]

Just buy him a little token present so tat he can unwrap it and have photos to remember his first christmas

[loveliesbleeding1]

All my babies were only a few months old around their first xmas's, so I used to buy clothes and pj's, and wrap those up.i still felt like they had some things to unwrap,but I would have needed to buy clothes anyway, especially a couple of sizes up.

[CruCru]

Hmm. Perhaps the issue here is more that others buy far too much - is it reasonable to ask them to go canny with presents? Do you feel that their buying so much kind of usurps?

[LaGuardia]

Poor little baby.

[2tiredtocare]

Yes poor little baby, so deprived

[GillyBillyWilly]

YANBU but why don't you just get something small? A little soft toy or a new outfit to wear on Christmas Day? Doesn't have to be expensive.. Could just be something from Primark!

[GillyBillyWilly]

Or a "baby's 1st Christmas" stocking with a bear inside?!

[kali110]

Yes poor baby who wont have a bloody clue

[Arisbottle]

We have not bought ours presents as babies. I hardly think that makes them deprived - or poor babies

[2tiredtocare]

I was being sarcastic, I thought that was clear!

[TheDietStartsTomorrow]

YANBU at all. First of all, those people who made comments about what others would say/think really need to understand that living life according to what you think others would say is a very sad state to be in. You can have all the presents in the world but what's the point if here given for show.

I wouldn't buy a present if I were you. We don't do Christma but when I do give presents it's because I want to. I would never, ever, give my child anything because ofwhat others might think. Not when when he's 1 and not when he's 18.

[kali110]

It doesnt make op or others tight. At that age it is about your pleasure and def not the baby's.. The baby will have loads of presents to open anyway.

[littleblackno]

Both of my dc's have b'days near xmas. For 1st xmas - DS 11months he got a stocking with his name on it, some wooden bricks and a teddybear (I think!). DD was 6 weeks old and I got her a stocking, teddy bear and a money box. We did have to explain to DS that santa doesn't really bring new babies presents as he was worried about what she might get!

[littleblackno]

Posted to soon - YADNBU. Like others have said it's your pleasure not hers at that age. My DS got SOOOOOOO much stuff from other people he had 2 naps beore he opened everything and he really wasn't interested in any of it!

[bababababoom]

YABU. I only ever spend £20 or so on each of my three children at Christmas, as they have so many presents and just don't need hundreds spending on them - but even as a baby I did a stocking for them. Do you really want to miss out on the joy of choosing something (small) for him??

[honeybeeridiculous]

MY DC's still hang up stockings I bought for their first xmas's, the eldest is 23! They had loads of stuff from other people but the stockings still remain!! You don't need to spend a fortune

[fuzzpig]

For DS (our second) we just bought a little very hungry caterpillar rattle/teething toy, and a 'that's not my penguin' book.

[HungryHorace]

I've bought DD a walker. She'll be 6 months in December.

I've also got a personalised first Christmas sleep suit and Christmas vest plus a personalised Santa's sack.

We won't be buying anything else for her. :-)

[NK493efc93X1277dd3d6d4]

Of course YANBU just sensible. The number of suggestions that you buy something for the sake of it just proves that the commercialisation of xmas is out of hand! I know plenty of people who splurge like mad on xmas presents but then claim that swimming lessons or similar are too expensive for their kids.

[Tinpin]

My son was 3 months old for his first Christmas and had only tiny things from us-and they were so that his sisters didn't think Santa had forgotten him.He was 19 a few days ago and appears remarkably unscarred by this deprivation and doesn't hold it against us!