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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not get my baby anything for Christmas this year

155 replies

Mommmytobe19 · 15/06/2019 08:34

So I’m due December 1st and I’m debating whether or not to get my new born baby some
Presents for Christmas this year. The youngest he or she would possibly be is 2 weeks old roughly. I’m telling myself that I should save the money and baby will have all of its new things and gifts from the baby shower but one half of me is saying buy it a personalised dressing gown or my first Christmas gifts! It is my babies first Christmas and I’ll obviously never be able to buy anything with ‘first Christmas’ on again and I don’t want to miss out on the magic (albeit baby won’t know what’s going on) and I don’t want my little one to miss out.

I was thinking of getting the following:
Personalised dressing gown
My first Christmas Eve box (soft toy, pjs)

And that’s where I’ve got to.

What do you guys think?

OP posts:
Hollowvictory · 15/06/2019 09:26

Well if you desperately want to get them something a bauble for the tree (poundland) and a Christmas bib or Christmas pudding hat (cheap) should do it.
Babies don't wear dressing gowns

Divgirl2 · 15/06/2019 09:28

I got DS a personalised "my first Christmas" book with his name in, and some clothes he needed anyway. He'll be getting something similar this year.

Other family members will spoil the baby, and I don't really subscribe to the whole mountains of presents for Christmas thing. DH think I'm a monster but oh well...

smallereveryday · 15/06/2019 09:28

My April born baby had a cardboard box that big sisters toy kitchen came in.... hours and hours of run from December to springtime .. until I threw the battered bloody thing out.

Mine are now in their twenties. They can't remember what they got for birthdays in their teens let alone at 1 yr old. Let GPS spend their money on silly indulgences whilst you save yours for actual living costs ! Christmas is expensive enough xx

MidsomerBurgers · 15/06/2019 09:30

Is it your first? If not, the older children may wonder why Santa forgot to bring baby anything.

EdtheBear · 15/06/2019 09:30

Whether you wrap it up for Christmas or not I'm fairly sure you'll be hitting the toy shops before your kids 12month old / 1st birthday or 2nd Christmas.

Are there other children who in the family?
Are they likely to ask what did Santa bring Baby ?

My Christmas baby got presents. Stuff I'd have bought anyway. And i wasn't even sure if baby would arrive before or after the presents!

paddington34 · 15/06/2019 09:30

I just bought a personalised bauble saying first Christmas on it and we can put it on the tree every year. I hot bought 3 first Christmas sleepsuits and he only ended up wearing 1 of them. Save your money you will need it.

NotSoThinLizzy · 15/06/2019 09:31

What I would do is get a foot print kit or something like that. Maybe a few baby clothes. Just so she has something. My two were 4 weeks and 8 weeks old on their 1st xmas all they did was eat and sleep 😂

BananaCatto · 15/06/2019 09:32

Gosh look at all those helpful comments telling you what month it is, like you can’t read a calendar.

Must be nice for the PPs to feel like they’re better than you.

Oflawrence · 15/06/2019 09:33

Dressing gowns for babies are annoying and pointless.
I'd get a nice story book to commemorate 1st Christmas and some 'bigger toys' or other items they are going to need....eg toys for when they are going to be sitting up and mobile.

mummymummymummummum · 15/06/2019 09:33

I believe my first Christmas present as a baby was a car seat. I've known this since I was a child and have always thought it was a great present. I don't feel sad that I wasn't given any toys or novelty clothes! The box was a great toy though!

nokidshere · 15/06/2019 09:35

I bought each of mine a "first Christmas" bauble for the tree. I have bought a new bauble for them both each Christmas since (they are now 17&20) and will continue to do so until they have their own tree and can take them when they leave home.

I didn't buy any other gifts for their first Christmas though.

IggyAce · 15/06/2019 09:38

For both my DCs first Christmas I got them a beautiful 1st Christmas bauble from Mamas and papas. I also got them a few bits in the next size up such as vests and baby grows because I’d be buying them anyway. From experience everyone buys newborn, 0-3 and 3-6mths clothes so you have nothing from 6-9mths onwards. The Next sale is soon so buy some 6-9mths pieces and wrap them up.

jennymanara · 15/06/2019 09:39

OP sorry baby dressing gowns are one of those items that look sweet before you have a baby, but are actually useless and impractical.

You obviously want to give your baby something. So buy something you would have bought anyway, and wrap it up for Christmas. I do understand you wanting to buy something cute. No idea if they still sell them, but I bought a towel with a hood on it. It had ears and the hood was coloured like a bear. More practical than a dressing gown, but very cute.

MsSquiz · 15/06/2019 09:40

I'm due on 22nd December so definitely not planning on getting anything for Christmas. I would have considered a keepsake first Christmas bauble, but knowing my luck, my baby will go over!

My nephew and niece (twins) were born 2 weeks before Christmas and we got them things that they would have use for later on in the year (we got a jumperoo) so that could be an option? But baby won't know any different.

Maybe just get a lovely bauble and a festive outfit (for photos) plus you might find family/friends will buy gifts and you'll be overloaded anyway

hazell42 · 15/06/2019 09:42

But one thing, just to make yourself feel good.
Your child will be oblivious.
They will have had a lot if birth presents from family and friends, and another lot of Christmas presents too
They will be oblivious
Don't feel guilty

gamerchick · 15/06/2019 09:45

I didn't bother with mine. I did get him a nice outfit to wear (which I kept) but they don't know or care about Christmas at that age.

Whisky2014 · 15/06/2019 09:47

Yanbu I wouldn't get anything. There's no need.

DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou · 15/06/2019 09:49

My baby was due 24th December and I didn't intend to get him anything.
The gift of life is surely enough and this point? Grin

He was born on the 20th December and I needed to get him something that played white noise and it arrived on 23rd so I just thought fuck it, wrap that up and it can be his present.

It was shit, I ended up selling it.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 15/06/2019 09:50

If you were up to it, I’d get a dated hand/foot print bauble from a ceramics painting place. We have these and like looking every Christmas at how big they are now. I’d also get them some 3-6m clothes and some books/toys (that I’d be buying anyway. I’d “wrap” them in Christmas gift bags I could reuse every year.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 15/06/2019 09:52

PS, I’d say your baby won’t have any real understanding of Christmas until they’re 3. So don’t go mad for the next 2 years either. Just hold back stuff you’d buy anyway.

Newuseroftheweek · 15/06/2019 09:53

My son was 3 months at Christmas and we have the most lovely pictures of him in a Santa outfit. In fact I went a bit outfit crazy and we had lots of fun! At 5 he lives looking at the pictures each Christmas. So I'd do that! Nice for you, and cute to look back on.
My son was tiny, still in 'tiny baby' sizes by then (he
was a premmie). Thankfully Mothercare did almost all their range in all sizes at the time, so we could get them.

BeanBag7 · 15/06/2019 09:53

I wouldnt bother with anything saying "My First Christmas " which can only be used for a week. I like the idea of a personalised blanket or keepsake teddy but nothing too "christmassy", so it can be used all year round. You might struggle to get a personalised item made in 2 weeks to arrive by Christmas unless you know for certain the name you will choose.

Babies cant wear dressing gowns. Maybe get one or two Christmas themed babygros that they can wear in the lead up.

Sofasurfingsally · 15/06/2019 09:55

No need for tacky twee gifts. Agree YANBU.

Ithinkmycatisevil · 15/06/2019 09:56

I would go with and first Christmas tree decoration, a special Christmas outfit for the day, a soft toy, and one of those play mats with the things that hang down and they can look at and play with as they get older.

Whatsername7 · 15/06/2019 09:56

Buy the 'my first Christmas' stuff - grows and vests are fairly cheap in supermarkets, especially the first sizes. Baby wont know any different but you will get so much enjoyment out of it. Other than that, get a few presents that you would buy anyway - soft toys, teething rings, rattles, little story book, playmat etc. You will be surprised at how much you can get for £30 when they are babies. Look out for NCT nearly new sales too - you might buy something you will need later on like a jumperoo or walker. Do not lose yourself in the competitive 'pile sharing' photos either. Lots of people post pictures of their kids pile of presents from Santa and 99% of the time it is because they are excited, not because they want to feel superior because of how many presents they've bought. However, when you are on a budget it can feel a bit upsetting but resist the urge to take it personally. Christmas is what you make it.