To not get 8 month old DS anything for Christmas?

[mummytojens]

Just that really.

We are spending Christmas with family, and he has got so many gifts from his grandparents already. It's his first Christmas, so it's obviously special. But me and DH aren't exactly rich after this year and I know an 8 month old isn't going to remember what gifts he got let alone who bought them when he doesn't understand what Christmas is.

YABU - you can't not buy your baby a Christmas present for their first Christmas

YANBU - you don't need to buy gifts, he doesn't understand and money better spent on his essentials

Yanbu at all. I have a ten month old and have bought him a stocking (might put a tangerine in it?) that will hopefully last his entire childhood and beyond. and he can play with the crinkly paper from all the gifts. I do like the idea of buying a keepsake if you find something you like and can afford it, though!

It’s up to you, the kids probably wont remember however i personally would buy my child a Christmas present. It doesn't have to be expensive.. £30/£40. Although if I was that skint that i didnt have a spare few quid I think id be more concerned about a serious financial assessment than what presents I’m buying.

My son was 7 months old his first Christmas, the other one was 6 weeks old. Safe to say we didn't get them much lol

I would buy something small and xmas themed like a nice illustrated copy of the night before Christmas, or a reusable wooden advent calendar - obviously no use for this year but you can then bring it out every year as they get older and it has a nice story behind it. Or a tree decoration and you can get one every year til they leave home and then gift them the set. Btw I did neither of these things but wish I had!

OP why don’t you just get him a token “first Christmas” teddy from Amazon or somewhere, you could probably get them for around £15.

I like @DisgruntledPelican idea of the stocking that will last the whole childhood too, that’s a lovely idea. I do think it’s a bit mean not to get anything at all for your own child’s first Christmas

I think a sweet little cuddly toy for the photos is a lovely idea. A bauble with the year on it would be great too - get a decent quality one that is likely to last so it can be passed on to DS for his own tree in time. Anything else seems pointless really - he won't know it's Christmas after all. Why not put a few quid in his savings account or piggy bank instead?

I've done a Christmas decoration each year for both DC,now DD is 5 she loves choosing one every year from the Disney store (and DS will too but at 1 he doesn't care).

Last year ds was a newborn but he got a little stocking with a pram toy and a Sophie the giraffe set from Santa mostly so DD didn't think he'd been left out, and she'd made sure to ask Santa for something for 'the baby'. He was gifted a lot from friends and family so there was no point in getting him much. With DD she was 6 months and bum shuffling so had some interest in toys so we got her a few bits she'd have had anyway like a ball pit (more for containment than anything else!).

First Christmas is pretty much just for the adults, more so with a firstborn.

YANBU.

We didn't buy our dd anything for her first Christmas as she was too young to remember and she had so many gifts from friends and family anyway. It's unnecessary to spend money on something that won't be remembered, and I doubt your child will care or even ask when they're older why you didn't get them a present for Christmas when they were 8 months old.

YABU

I never got any Xmas presents as a baby and I have resented my parents for life....

Just kidding...
of course yanbu

My DD will be 6 months at Xmas, she has a fair amount of gifts but they are all sort of the ‘next stage’ toys to keep her occupied until her 1st birthday so we won’t be buying throughout the year.

I think it depends what you’ve already got, we mainly have baby gyms at the minute and need more interactive/ movement toys.

YANBU! DC3 is only 4 months old and we’ve got him a few bits and bobs but only things that he’ll need in a few months anyway. If you don’t have the money then there’s no point, he’ll still have stuff to open off his grandparents etc and he won’t remember it

I think I'd regret not getting anything for them because it's nice to have something just from mum

YANBU though we refurbished a toy I was given for my first Christmas for DS's first. I hope he'll keep the tradition going if he chooses to have DC though as he's 17, hopefully that'll not be for a while yet.

@VestaTilley

YABU. It’s mean.

Just get your baby a small teddy and a “first Christmas” bauble for the tree or outfit etc- doesn’t need to be expensive, but it’s a bit unimaginative not to give them anything. Maybe a rattle to shake while you all open your gifts?

What if they ask you in a few years what their first Christmas present was?

Yes because stuff = love

OP said that baby would be getting loads of presents from family so I’m sure she will be able to reel off a big list of presents should her child ever ask that unlikely question.

Oh just buy some essentials and wrap them? The next stage clothes/sleeping bag/sippy cup etc. Or even your usual toiletries if you use them. My children have gotten similar, along with liga, cutlery, baby biscotti, Ella's pouches etc. Just something to open

We didn't get anything for DD (who was less than 2 weeks old anyway). Friends with older children said they did ensure a baby had something so the older sibling could see they were important too.

Ignore the 'what if he asks what his first Christmas present' comments - I couldn't tell you what we've got DD each year since, though I know we got something, and she's never asked.

I would have to buy one present maybe a keepsake. X

YABU to not get anything. Doesn't have to be expensive- some great ideas on this post. There is no way I could not get my child a first Christmas present. We bought things like sensory toys, plates and cups ready for weaning, different texture balls, finger puppets and nursery rhyme book, in fact lots of books for us to read to them. Just got things that could be used through the year. Love looking at the pictures of all mine playing with the paper, sat under the tree with their first presents. All of their baby books also have a section for first Christmas pressies, so nice for them to see what they had.

It's totally fine, but I bet you have next sized up clothes or your older child's old toddler toys stashed somewhere in the loft? I'd wrap a box of nappies, a box of wipes, 9-12 month old clothes, a hamper of toddler snacks you'd buy anyway, that kind of thing just purely to entertain your 5 year old. Only if you've got those things already.

My ds was around that age for his first Christmas and we only got him a cuddly toy and something small i can't even remember now. It didn't even occur to me to get him something big , because whats the point of that other than to prove that you got something big. I think we did the same for his 1st birthday as well - he received so many gifts it didn't make sense to get something bigger and better.
I Highly doubt he's going to look back and think he had a horrible childhood. Do what makes sense for you op.

DS3 is 4 months old. He’s only getting presents so the other kids can see he got some too. He’s just getting stuff we’d have bought for him anyway.

He’s definitely not going to care.

Totally fine not to OP.

We got our DD loads for her first Christmas when she was 6 months. And to be honest most of it was plastic tat! But some of it was useful stuff like clothes. I can't remember one thing that she got her first Christmas from us.

On the other hand My mum made her a Christmas stocking that is still going strong and will probably outlast me!

Reading this thread I wish I'd gone down the sentimental first Christmas teddy/tree decoration.

I'm also glad I didn't get her nothing at all.

Yanbu, I bought dd practical stuff she needed and some crayons for her first Christmas (10 months) plus wrapped up hand me down toys.