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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not get baby much for xmas?

60 replies

Bouncingbelle · 05/12/2017 07:37

Im on a few fb groups for mums & babies. I can't believe I'm buying into peer pressure but everyone seems to have bought their babies loads (and i mean LOADS) for xmas - even asking for advice on loans to get more(!). Now I'm panicking as i've only got my 15 month old a few gifts - a torch (he loves lights), a pretend aquarium (he loves fish), a toy tractor with animals, a personalised wooden toy box & some books. That's it. Dh has just been made redundant so we dont have tons of cash to spare, i have a large family so he will get lots of gifts & I'd rather get him decent presents for his birthday in the summer as he will be walking & at a different stage then so will be needing new things. Am i being sensible or just tight??

OP posts:

glow1984 · 05/12/2017 08:08

I think you’re also being sensible, don’t bow down to peer pressure!

DS is 17 months and so far I’ve got him a v tech sit and discover/ride and discover/whatever it’s called, a few toy cars and a little wooden train set. I don’t think he’ll be getting more as he’ll probably enjoy playing with the wrapping paper more LOL

AlwaysSpellingMyName · 05/12/2017 08:08

I have a 15 month old too OP. We've bought him a pack of mega blocks, some books and an aqua mat for Xmas. We also have a large family who will all buy him gifts. No need to go overboard especially since our toddler will be too busy wrecking the Xmas tree to notice. Just do what's right for your family.

ShakeShakeTheMuffin · 05/12/2017 08:10

As someone else said. You end up with enough plastic shite in your house. I have a 6 and 8 yr old so have loads of crap. Better to have fewer good quality toys. You are very sensible.

Unexpectedbaby · 05/12/2017 08:11

We have got DD (1yo) an activity table (was going to get her one about now anyway) and some bath toys (hers need replacing) to fill her stocking. I'm fully aware she won't understand the concept of Santa and stockings but we are starting our family traditions this year and this will be one of them.

It's her 1st birthday next week too and we have got her a dressing gown and breakfast set. I'd rather spend the money going out for the day and making memories for me and DP surrounding her birthday.

I just know everyone is going to get her loads and to be honest I'm dreading it. She will play with the boxes more than the toys anyway and they will clutter up the house. Anytime I suggest practical presents like clothes that she actually needs I get looked at like I need sectioning!

CadleCrap · 05/12/2017 08:12

When DS was 15 months at Christmas, he spent about 2 hours playing with a small tube of smarties.

He shook the tube, empti the tube, ate one, then put them back in the tube. And repeat.

You are being sensible.

Cantusethatname · 05/12/2017 08:13

It's cruel to overwhelm babies and toddlers with piles of stuff. They need one or two good things at a time. Your friends know nothing about child development.

WoolyMammyoth · 05/12/2017 08:17

My 6mo is getting a teddy bear (his first, he helped "choose" it - ie, his eyes lit up when he saw it in the shop and he looked at me as if to say "for me?!") - £4
Some small melamine bowls from Superdrug - 8p each
Some new pyjamas/clothes in the next size up - not bought yet, but it's not an expense we wouldn't have otherwise anyway. Will be wrapped for his entertainment.
A book or two - also not bought yet, possibly from the charity shop.

So basically, one thing he wants, and then practical stuff and books - I had books every birthday and Christmas growing up, and want DS to have the same.

He doesn't have much in the way of toys and things generally - I have sensory issues and really dislike anything that makes electronic noise, so it's easy to avoid spending money there. I think some grandparents are getting him educationalish toys (shape sorter, stacking cups, etc) which I can absolutely get behind

CatsCatsCats11 · 05/12/2017 08:25

It sounds sensible, I've gone mad but everything was bought on offer and her birthday is also xmas so it's getting split. It's all stuff to last until next xmas/bday as she is outgrowing her current baby toys. Method behind my madness so I tell myself anyway.

Camomila · 05/12/2017 08:37

We bought DS 2 presents for his first Christmas (one from us and one from father Christmas) a small rocking horse he loved and a toy dog he ignored.

Its his second Christmas now and he properly plays with toys but I'm going to carry on with the one from us one from father Christmas thing for as long as I can!

maddiemookins16mum · 05/12/2017 08:41

On DD's first Christmas we got her...
A lovely Christmas dress and tights to wear to Granny's house for lunch.
A christmas pack of bibs.
A buggy toy.
A book and some bath toys.
That was it. She was nearly 8 months old.
She got plenty of other things from other family members.

Sunshineface123 · 05/12/2017 08:46

My 10 month old will be getting a little wind up toy, a book and possibly a wooden xylophone. Your presents sound lovely, definitely don't get more.

AnonEvent · 05/12/2017 08:53

Sensible, I totally agree.

DD is 13 months old and we've got her:

A music box (like the one from my childhood I admit this is a present for me, really).

Some Duplo.

Some wooden vegetables that you cut in half with a wooden knife.

A toy dog (in a little dog carrier).

A baby doll - she's just got into hugging things.

The complete set of Julian Donaldson books (£13 from bookpeeole!!)

She has loads of books and toys, other people will buy her things and she hasn't got a clue about presents.

BootsCats · 05/12/2017 08:56

I think you're being sensible. Definitely not tight!
We've got our 7mo a play remote control as she's obsessed with our sky one, some stacking rings & a sit to stand table, the rest of the stuff is things she needs that we would have to buy anyway like Muslins, new dummies, some clothes in the next size up as she's starting to grow out of her stuff now. The best bit for her will be the wrapping paper and the lights on the tree - she finds lights amazing, even the bedroom light bulb!

MoodyOne · 05/12/2017 09:11

I have a 1 YO and have only got him a second hand trike (thanks FB selling site) and some wooden blocks 😂 I have bought two rolls of wrapping paper as I am sure he will enjoy that more ! 😂

theotherendofthesockportal · 05/12/2017 09:12

My DD will be 10 weeks old at Christmas. I've bought a teddy which says "my first Christmas, 2017." And a copy of the night before Christmas, and I've written inside the cover for her. This is all we are getting her.

She doesn't know it's Christmas or care! But in tears to come she can look at these gifts and know that we did buy her something.

Sugarcrystal2002 · 05/12/2017 09:22

My niece will be a month old at Christmas and I'm planning on getting her a box of baby wipes and some decent hand-me-downs that our dd wore.

SexLubeAndAFishSlice · 05/12/2017 09:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pickleypickles · 05/12/2017 09:25

I was having this exact stress about my 9 month old before! This thread has made me feel much better thanks MN!!!

Hatstand · 05/12/2017 09:51

Have bought 5 mo DD a first Christmas book and a festive babygro. Then her stocking has a few hand me down bath toys, some new dummies and a first cup. I'm expecting the GPs to go a bit overboard though! I don't think it's kind to overload kids, and I doubt they'll thank us for it in 50 years time when they're dealing with the environmental fallout.

mindutopia · 05/12/2017 10:39

I think that's absolutely fine. Actually, I would say that almost sounds like too much for me. Our dd is about to turn 5. She is getting old big-ish present (a doll house, not an expensive one though, like a £60 one) plus some dolls and accessories to play in with it, then we always get her some books and some clothes, plus a stocking with chocolates, smaller bits like stickers, hair clips, art stuff, etc. That's it. We can perfectly well afford more, but we keep it simple as other family members buy her things too and we don't want it to be completely over the top.

Topsyloulou · 05/12/2017 10:43

My DD will be 6 weeks on Christmas Day and so far she has a pack of Christmas bibs. I'll probably buy one or two more small things but mainly so DS can see she has presents too & it's not all about him! People keep asking me what they can get her & im really struggling. We've got all the baby toys we need from DS & she's too young to really appreciate most of those yet too.

I think you are being very sensible, not tight at all. There is no point spending loads & getting into debt at any point but particularly when they are so small.

Original poster

Bouncingbelle · 05/12/2017 15:03

Phew! Glad you have all talked some sense back into me as i was really starting to doubt myself. I'll do a wee stocking with a tangerine, and wrap up some old shampoo bottles (he loves them!) & a ball from his ballpit and that can be a game of skittles for him. Also going to cover the door to the living room in wrapping paper on xmas eve so he has to burst through it on xmas morning - tbh i think this might be the highlight of his day

OP posts:

Highpeak · 05/12/2017 15:16

DD (5 months) is getting a second hand jumperoo which I would have bought anyway. I am also buying her a few books as I want to build a small collection of classic children's books for her and future siblings. Other people (looking at you, Granny! ) will get her plenty despite us asking them not to go mad!

Abetes · 05/12/2017 15:18

I think that you have bought loads anyway. Any more would be silly for a toddler especially if they are going to get presents from other members of the family.

ArcheryAnnie · 05/12/2017 15:38

YANBU, OP. You are getting him loads, anyway - books and toys! And as you say, he'll be getting presents from other people.

He doesn't need more, he won't appreciate more (it can be overwhelming if they get too much) and unless you want to raise your very own little Dudley Dursley, you are setting good habits for the future. There's no point in buying tat just to make the pile of presents higher, like I have seem some suggesting on other thread here - it's kind of obscene, and so wasteful.

Anyway, he's very little yet, and small children can be very undiscriminating as to what they like. When my DS was four I bought him some really lovely "proper" presents, but the thing he loved best of all was a tube map I picked up for free in the tube station....

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