Would you buy babies under the age of 1 Christmas presents? Do they understand?

[Babysealion]

Not relevant to this year as am still cooking DC1!
But whenever we go to baby shops/toys r us etc and we see all the baby toys DP talks about coming next year to buy presents for baby's first Christmas.
The baby will be just short of 11 months (and that's if he arrives on EDD). DP wants us to be putting money away all year for the baby's Christmas (which we do anyway otherwise we wouldn't be able to pay for other people's presents if we left it until November!) and then go crazy with presents.
I personally do not think an 11 month old baby needs a mountain of stuff to open on Christmas Day. Do they have any idea at that age what is going on?

I would get two or three little presents (more for your entertainment -photos of baby beside the new toy etc) and put the rest of the money in a savings account for when your DC is older. That's what we've done for DD (who turned 1 a couple of months ago) for birthday and Christmas so far.

I think we will get a few nice little things like stockings, memorable gifts etc and toys over the course of the next year. I would never want the baby to not have anything to open but at the same time I'm not keen on the mad supermarket sweep in toys r us that DP seems to be suggesting!

They don't need loads but by 11 months they will probably enjoy opening the presents. A few toys they can grow into over the next 6 months-year plus wrap up stuff you would buy anyway- new vests, bibs, spoon and bowl set. I even wrapped up a box of nappies for DD (age 9 months) she loved the box and played with it for ages!

DS's 1st Christmas he was 10 and a half months. I did him a full stocking so DD wouldn't be suspicious or think Santa had forgotten him. It even had the choc coins that mummy had to help him eat just like hers did

if you have to 'put money away' for Xmas you are spending too much on it. A baby doesn't know it from six weeks last Sunday and will remember NOTHING.

a mountain of gifts does indeed cause boredom. Spread it out and keep it minimal. Start as you mean to go on.

An 11 month will be sitting up and quite able to unwrap some presents for themselves. They will like the rustling paper and I think it is nice to find a rattly toy so that they can shake the gift and rustle it and have a good explore. Lights are fascinating (think about baby-proofing the tree as an 11 month will probably be fairly mobile). They will be able to eat a portion of Christmas lunch too.

But don't worry about going overboard, just get something that you would have bought them anyway but make sure they get to try some new tastes, smells etc. as well because as a parent, watching your child's face when they have those "first" experiences is the best bit.

If you have lots of eager relatives asking what they can buy, it might be an idea to ask for some outdoor toys which can be saved for the spring/summer. My DD is November born - so it was nice to have some present which would come in to their own later in the year.