Tell me about your first Christmas at home with DC's

[lizardqueenie]

So- I know it's July (apparantly) but need to get plans made soon in my family! Dd will be 2.3 this Christmas & I'm really so so excited to make it special for her, decorate the house, have a lovely dinner with DH. Family all live fairly local (inc my folks, IL's, brother & his GF & son & SIL her DH & kids)

I wonder if it might be a bit quiet if it's just myself, DH & dd so am trying to think of who we can invite to a) keep the peace, b) make it more fun & festive & c) who we can actually for in our mid terrace. We usually go to one set of parents house for dinner alternating it each year.

So what was your first Christmas like where you had your dc & family to you? Any tips/ pitfalls/ advice. Thank you :)

We have DC and haven't ever had anyone here as they all go to my parents...so if we invited only part of the family, some would be at a loose end.

Can you have lunch at home with DD and then go on a visiting afternoon? Or maybe have everyone over and just enjoy the fun of being squashed up together?

Yes I think you are right- I need to look at having people over rather than us just having lunch on our own which I think would be a bit miserable to be honest &pre like a normal Sunday roast!

So if I manage to squeeze in 11 Adults & 3 kids can anyone give advice on what to do/ what not to do? It will be my first Christmas dinner too!

If you cook....

DO, prep the vegetables the evening before...peel potatoes and sit them in cold water to preserve.

Same with carrots and any other "hard" veg.

DO make sure your meat is fresh and not frozen....dont have frozen veg...they aren't as nice and getting them ready the night before means that you only have to put them in or on the cooker.

DO ask people to bring a dessert/cheese or wine if they can....it will help with your budget a LOT.

Make sure you've got all the chairs and cutlery you need!

Have loads of cheap crackers and not "luxury" ones...DC like getting through plenty of cheap ones rather than one or two "posh ones"

Don't forget a naff cd of christmas carols to play whilst you eat!

Oooh thank you both- fabulous tips!

lady those pros are exactly the kind of things I was thinking of that would be benefits if we did decide to stay at home.

Thanks for the tips with the cooking too- so having never done Christmas dinner before I was wondering how much of it I might be able to buy from m&s/ waitrose & how that compares with doing it yourself?

Lizard Christmas Dinner is one of the easiest meals ever- it's all the preparation and timing that takes the effort.

Try out the Christmas puddings in advance if you can (Sainsburys do the mini ones on 3 for 2 before Christmas so you can sample them). We don't eat Christmas Pud but it seems wrong not to have it.
I make a trifle [yum].

Decide on your meat- turkey/chicken/beef/gammon (vegetarian for us)
and do all your vegetables in advance. It's not the day to worry about nutritional values.
Lots of magazines give detailed countdown and 'get ahead' tips.

My first Christmas with DS was a blur- he was 18 days old and a non-sleeper .
When he was 1 my parents came- it was lovely, I spent the time idly cooking, they kept DS entertained with trips to the swings, or out in his buggy and playing Lego.

I never spend Christmas anywhere but my house. I decorate and plan. People are welcome to come to me, but I won't travel.
New Years , I don't mind travelling.

Thank you 70isnotatarget- I remember a simile Christmas with DD when she was about 8 weeks old- a knackering blur. Christmas morning photos are quite interesting! I think this is the thing- I want to enjoy having Christmas in my home, making our own traditions as a family. I know my mum will Probably dig her heels in a bit (Christmas is her thing! but am sure she could help out a lot with having it here) and with IL's - well- see my thread from last year AIBU for pulling my FIL up about his racist comments!

So, I'd like to start having Christmas for us but include the rest of the family too, if they would like to come along.

Thanks for the tips about the magazines- yes they all usually have a countdown & lots of ideas. We haven't got a very big kitchen or dining room so do wonder where we might put everyone but that's part of the fun isn't it?!

ooh we started this 2 years ago after DC2 was born (11 months by christmas) ... first year we had was just us - and I loved it! We had a really relaxed day, playing with the kids toys etc
I did as much of the dinner as I could in advance, made my first ever christmas pud (really easy - DH loves it, I am not a pud fan)
on the day I had sadly typed a timings sheet which covered EVERYTHING for the food...this meant that I wasn't in the kitchen faffing at all, I knew what needed to be done next - had a timer set to go off at the next time, and I nipped out and did it made it very relaxed and I didn't miss out on the kids

Last year we had my parents over, as above we did dinner for about 4pm - meant we had the morning to ourselves and they were gone in time for the DC to go to bed. They had great fun playing with the DC on their home turf

This year I will be inviting MIL and fingers crossed it goes as well - we have decided thats how it will be from now on, staying home and enjoying it - we are happy to travel / visit the other days but it just got so draining, we would literally be travelling around for a couple of hours visits here and there for the whole week!

I'd like to have christmas at home this year and invite the ILs but I will have a 2-3month old baby and my house is the size of a shoebox. It doesn't bother me, I come from a massive family and we are used to squeezing in but not sure the ILs will like it. They love DS though and have to spend some time with him on christmas day. I just want to spend most of the day in my house.

First Christmas son was very poorly with tonsillitis so we ended up at the out of hours clinic at the hospital with him. I don't recommend it.

Year before that I was 33 weeks pregnant, got D&V & spent from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day on a drip in hospital being prepped for an emergency C section! Luckily the D&V settled down & son made it to 39 weeks before being born.

DS was born on Christmas Eve, so we arrived home at 2pm on Christmas Day! It as very strange opening Christmas presents whilst DS slept in the living room in a Moses basket! We had sausages and mash for dinner with my mum and my FIL.

I'm looking forward to this Christmas as it will feel like a "proper" Christmas! We should have my mum and my brother, and probably FIL.

CherryBlossom that is a very authentic Christmas!

We stayed at home, just us and dd. It was lovely. We prepped the veg the night before between us while dd was sleeping, over a glass of wine and some tv rubbish. On the day I had done a stocking for dd (madness at 5 months but made me happy) and wrapped everything in tissue paper so she could have a go at opening it. She also liked the really cheap shiny type of paper that crinkles. She didn't open much at once and we had presents left for days.

It was dp's first Xmas without his dad, so I had prepared a couple of surprises. I did him a stocking too and I hid his presents around the house and did a treasure hunt with riddles and clues. This might not work for everyone, but was great for us.

The best part of the day was that dd and I took a long nap all morning while dp cooked our dinner.

We have 'done' Christmas at our house for the last 3 years and I absolutely love it. We have 11 adults and 4 children.

Pros:
1- definitely a lovely Christmassy, family atmosphere
2- we can properly enjoy Christmas morning in the house as we're not rushing off to do visits
3- both of us can have a wee drink coz we're not driving anywhere
4- you get to please EVERYBODY
5- this is stupid, but I felt like a proper grown up after I had hosted Christmas

Cons:
1- Cost (however, now that it has become apparent that dinner at ours is a regular occurrence, our families have started to make a contribution which is a big help
2- Mess/ tidying up (again, now that it is a regular occurrence, everybody just chips in to load the dishwasher, washing up, moving extra table and chairs away...... And that's it for the cons really, so not a big deal at all

Tips:
1- save up saver stamps for supermarket throughout the year to help towards the cost
2- M&S ( although I assume other places do them too!!) meat joints- so easy to cook. DH's family don't eat turkey but mine do so we have to get turkey, roast beef and gammon, but the M&S joints all fit in the oven together at the same temperature so no hassle at all
3- do as much prep in advance as possible e.g. Can you set out your dining table beforehand, prepare veggies and any other food the night before
4- accept help.... My dad always gives us a hand....he comes down a couple of hours before everyone else arrives along with my mum, so between us, we get all the food organised and amuse the children
5- make sure you enjoy Christmas with your children and don't get so caught up in all the prep that you 'forget' them

I hope you enjoy it!! Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it!!

Right, thats it, I've decided to have it at home & be a proper grown-up

Now just to tell DH & the rest of the family

I think rather than cramming everyone in, although it will still be a squeeze, I'll invite my family and then we can see DH's on boxing day

Dd was a week old at her first Xmas. I can barely remember it but we went to my parents.

Last year in laws came to us and all worked well even though they are boring and have nothing to say unassuming. We said not to come until 1 so in the morning we did presents to each other then the park (deserted so brilliant - no queues for the swings) then church (I'm not christian but dh is and I don't mind going). Then home and had an hour's rest before in laws came for lunch. My parents came at 4ish to join us for tea and cake as my bro and sis in law were at her parents so they were alone (not unhappily).

Managed to get rid of everyone by 8ish and relax. Phew.

This year we will, all being well, have another one week old. I cannot even begin to fathom how we will please everyone so am not even going to try

Congratulations on your pregnancy yellow hope all goes well for you. Ad yes- most definitely don't worry about pleasing other people.

yellow you are officially allowed to float through Christmas in a snuggly baby blur. (My DS was 18 days old at the Millenium Christmas) .DH and I didn't open presents until the 26th. The meal was eaten in shifts, sharing PFB between us)

But you have to have everything ready by , oooh, Dec 1st.

Then you're in charge of where,when and who with.

thank you. I'm planning to have all my shopping done by end of August!

I think my main tip would be just don't over complicate things and make sure there's time to just chill out. Also, don't panic about everything being perfect.

Out first Christmas with dc was just us and ds - he was 2 days old though. We brought him home Christmas day and there were fireworks all the way from the hospital to our house :)

It's weird having a Christmassy Baby.
Everyone else is faffing about getting on with things, but you're in this bubble of baby bliss.

I'd done all my shopping and even managed to put decorations up (and our last tree for many years- safety with little DC to consider).
He was a bit of a trauma to make his arrival, but I thought "You can all get on with it, I've got my son "

Why was it your last tree for years 70?

WantAnOrange we had a tree for the Millenium Christmas (DS was days old so it was safe) .
Then when he was 1 we bought one of those fibreoptic trees in case anything ( ie DS or Grandad ) knocked it.
When DS was 2 I was pg with DD.
My tree decorations are all glass , some are now 22+ years old.
We had a tree back when DD was 4 yo, so old enough not to pull it.

Though I did put decorations on the bannisters (so they weren't deprived little souls )

Get in extras of the following:

Bin bags
Tin foil
Cling film
Pain killers
Indigestion relief
Immodium
Cheap glasses (wine/water/spirits)
Tinfoil roasting trays (no wash up)
Toilet paper
Liquid hand soap
Dishwasher powder
Candles
Matches
Plasters
Burn spray

Helps in cases of disasters both natural and not

I'm with you, I thought you meant you didn't have one at all rather than just when they were tiny!

of your glass decorations.