What to do about newborns at Christmas?

[MissusDave]

Our baby is due in November and I'm super excited, but have absolutely no idea what to do about Christmas presents. I'm well aware that baby will have no idea that it is Christmas, or what we get, but our family is mega into Christmas and I want to be able to wrap up some things and give some gifts! (I guess this is more for me, isn't it!?)

One idea that's been shared (which is lovely) is that my husband and I both buy a gift for baby without telling the other one so that the contents is a surprise for the other parent.

So... what exactly do you buy a newborn as a gift!?

Dc2 was born a week before Xmas. I got her an outfit for Xmas day, a bauble for the tree and a Lamaze toy. We bought stuff for her big brother and put money in her account equivalent to what we spent on him.

For some reason I thought this thread was going to be alcohol related.

Instead I discover that I should have been buying Santa baby grows personalised baubles??!!

Come on people, now you're just making the rest of us look bad.

My eldest got a globe for his first Christmas and my youngest got a music box. Possible ideas?

My was born in November (first birthday on 01/11 eeeek) and we didn't get him anything for Christmas except a Lamaze toy. We were glad in the end because he was bloody spoilt and had loads from family and friends.

Both of mine are November babies. Pfb got a rattle and some clothes (and the grandparents went bonkers and bought a million things). Poor old second born got some of pfb's old stuff wrapped up (and one thing from the grandparents). Neither has ever asked what we got them for their first Christmas (or birthday or any other "first").

A great idea I got from MN was to take a photo each year of your child holding their personalised bauble.

Well as your baby is due in November you won't get other presents for nearly a year. So have a good think and write a few things down that LO will need in the coming year. Clothes, door bouncer, walker, older 6 month old plus toys. Then your family will know you are happy receiving these type of presents rather than getting bombarded with a lot of 0-3/6 month stuff that will get less use.

We did a hamper of everything dd needed to go swimming e.g. nappies, costume, towel. We would have got them anyway but was nice to have for pictures

DD was 9 days old on Christmas Day, we ended up re-wrapping a couple of the presents we were given for her when she was born but mainly for DSS's benefit because he kept saying that Santa might leave her something (she was due after Christmas). He ended up opening them for her when he opened his.

Depends on any other children. For DC1 and 2 we got a small token thing, but this Christmas they are 6 and 4, so DC3 will have a stocking and presents or the DC will wonder what's going on!

DS1 was three days old at Christmas and we were still in hospital. We did him a little stocking with wrapped up presents - Christmas socks, babygro, book I think. I love Christmas and do make a big deal of it - filling stockings was one of the parenting perks I was really looking forward to! Baby got me a massive Toblerone (via DH, obvs) which was greatly appreciated as breakfast. I realise people may think we were nuts and wonder why we would bother but we did it because we wanted to, it was a little bit of Christmas magic at a stressful time! The midwives gave me some fancy bath stuff and watched the baby whilst I had a bath as well; (I was the only patient on the ward until some woman came in, gave birth to baby #5 and went home immediately to cook dinner for her whole family ) it was a pretty nice Christmas overall!

One late October birth here - clothes from us but tbh she really enjoyed looking at the wrapping paper .
Later on she was the table centerpiece ( in her car seat )

My dd was 9 days old on Christmas Day. Her dad and I bought nothing for her. I wasn't expecting family too either as they'd already bought 'new baby' gifts, but they did. Mostly way too many clothes!!

I had a few small bits in case DD arrived before her EDD (she actually arrived 7 hours after 😀).

For her actual first Christmas, I got a "Baby's first Christmas " tree decoration, a snow globe and a copy of "Twas the night before Christmas" as specific seasonal items, and a few toys for a 1 year old.

We have read the book every single Christmas Eve since (she's 10) and her collection of snow globes is a little larger (only about 4 but she loves them coming out in early December!).

Ds was 7 weeks old. We got things for the year such as bath squirters, lots of board books which he loves, a soft toy with sensory bits on it, cutlery, sippy cup etc.

We also got a stocking, personalised Xmas decoration for the tree from a Xmas market and a babygro

We have 4 children, and I always sort birthdays and Christmas so we agreed from the start that my husband would buy something that I didn't know about so I still got to enjoy the surprise aspect of gifts. It works well, so I'd go with that idea.

I'll have a 4 month old come Christmas and my plan is to get him a playmat, some classic books we don't already have, some clothes (that my other two boys haven't already worn!), and a Grimm Rainbow, although I've found a copy version for far less money.

Things for the years to come. In my case i bought a personalised sack and glass bauble. I also got a Christmas sleep suit to wear on the day from mothercare - both mine were early and it was the only with small enough clothes!

My DD was 2 days old her first Christmas.

She was delivered by ELCS, so the whole family knew when she'd be coming.

She was the first grandchild/neice/great grandchild.

I specifically told everyone not to buy her Christmas presents because, you know, 2 days old.

She got every bloody cuddly toy possible

I think I spent all of Christmas morning opening her presents!