Baby's first Christmas/Yule

[Empusa]

I never thought I'd be posting in here, normally I hate everything Christmassy, but it'll be DS's first Christmas. And also the first Christmas without my mum. So I want to make it special.

As DS is the first grandchild I know everyone will be focussed on him, so want to think of things that will entertain him and that'll make great photos for my dad.

He'll be 9 months on Boxing Day, and I have no idea what kind of activities/gifts/food will be good for a baby of that age. Any ideas?

One of my friends has lots and lots of professional portrait photos of her DD but IMHO the best picture is one that she took herself of her DD sitting in a huge box in front of the Christmas tree.

Christmas PJs are compulsory

In the run up to Christmas the shops will be full of dress up/character babygros so plenty of photo ops with your DS dressed up as an elf or a reindeer!

People will say that you don't NEED to buy presents for a small child but bugger that! My DS was 11 months at his first Christmas and we bought him a pop up toy and some stacking cups and a few other bits and bobs - his sisters needed to know that Santa hadn't forgotten him.

Food wise - mashed potato and low salt gravy with Christmas dinner.

Have a magical time.

My dd will be about nine months too - so excited about her first Christmas! I actually got the first of her presents today, as sainsburys had reductions on fisher price stuff, and I reckon closer to Christmas there won't be such good deals. It is a lion on wheels. It just screamed Christmas to me!

When they appear in shops, buy a LARGE gorgeous stocking - one you can use every year as a tradition. We also bought a plate from the Disney store with DS1's birth year on it, and it's been used every year to leave Santa's biscuit and Rudolf's carrot on

We also buy one decoration for the tree each year - "baby's 1st xmas" the first yr, personalized one with DS1's name the next, one from Disneyland Paris the next, etc etc. It's really lovely unpacking them every year, and they all hv a memory attached.

We buy new PJs for each of the boys that they get on xmas eve to wear - nice for them, nice for the photos in the morning.

Take photos when hanging the stocking etc too.

Spoil your ds rotten - even if you're not bothered about xmas, it's a magical time for young kids, and once they're too old for you-know-who, that time has gone and you won't get it back