I don’t need to buy for a newborn baby, do I...?

[TheHappyHerbivore]

My first baby is due in December. It hadn’t really occurred to me to get them a gift until a friend of mine asked this week what I was getting them. I said I wasn’t getting them anything and she was horrified - she said I’ll never get back the chance to buy my baby a present for their first Christmas.

Is she right? When I am doped up on hormones and sleep deprivation will I suddenly regret not buying them a ‘first Christmas’ gift? Or is that a completely mad thing to worry about for a baby who will be days old when Christmas comes...?

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

You’ll very likely be inundated with clothes and soft toys anyway, and a new baby is hardly going to notice or care!

Having said that, how about a lovely The Night Before Christmas book, to read together every year when s/he’s older? You could write a message inside, e.g. ‘For your very first Christmas’, which will be nice for them to think of at 3 or 4. You could stick a newborn photo inside, alongside the message, too.

[SqidgeBum]

My first DD was born the last week in November. I have zero memory of buying her anything. Maybe I did. I honestly cannot remember. I was a knackered zombie and christmas day was spent feeding, the same as every other day. I say get a present if you want but it probably wont be something you remember in 2 or 3 years time.

I am due DD2 in November again this year but I am doing presents for the newborn as we have DD1 so Santa has to bring gifts for both.

[BeingLonely]

I would but it would be something small and meaningful. Maybe a personalised ornament for the tree?

[BiddyPop]

DD was due on 25th (also a PFB). Just in case, I had a lovely red baby grow (it did not say Christmas though), a tiny pot of sudocreme, a tiny pot of Vaseline, a 1st Christmas bib and a rattle. No stocking funnily enough.

My thought process was that all would be useful anyway, regardless of whether they were "presents" or just stuff in the house.

But if DD had arrived early, I had enough small bits to put together a Christmas stocking for her 1st one.

As it happened, she started her entry on 25th (late evening) but didn't complete it until morning of 26th. So we just used those bits anyway without them being "presents".

For her actual 1st Christmas, I got her a copy of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" as part of her 1st stocking, which has been read at bedtime every single Christmas Eve (even last year when she was turning 14 - she asked for it, but I suspect it may not happen this year).

[Purplequalitystreet]

My DS was 11 weeks last Christmas. We got him a play gym and he had a stocking with bath toys and a Christmas outfit. We'd have got him this stuff anyway but it was nice to wrap things up.

You don't have to but I agree you might regret it. Just keep it simple

[copperoliver]

I'd buy a nice outfit a toys for 6 months plus, you will only have to buy them in 6 months time otherwise. X

[Lockdownhairdontcare]

DD1 was 12weeks for her first Christmas. We got her an outfit to wear on Christmas Day, a play mat and a bath toy.
Father Christmas put a Sophie giraffe, a first Christmas bib and a teddy in her stocking.

It was mainly for the other DC’s but wonderful memories.

[Giespeace]

My DS was 6 months last Christmas and I played the long game.

• personalised baby’s first Christmas bauble
  
• personalised stocking
  
• little pop up copy of Night before Christmas
  
• personalised Christmas box for all those things to come out every year
  
• also decided he will be a Harry Potter fan so I’m getting him an illustrated version of the books each year
  

Family and friends took care of the toys and books.

[Islandblue]

I just got one special gift (a globe). I look at it now a feel glad I got it as something special he will have for a long time to mark his first Christmas. When he uses it I am really pleased I got it.

[surreygirl1987]

Love the snow globe idea!!

[user32723]

Get them a my first Christmas bauble. I had a December baby and of course they had a nursery full of new things. Outfits they hadn't worn, toys and books to grow into etc. I think I wrapped up a few things we had or were getting anyway just for the sake of older siblings to give and help unwrap, but if I didn't have older children I wouldn't have. Stocking consisted of baby bath products, dummies, teething toys for near future, socks, mittens, hat. With a baby you are buying things all the time so it won't be buying extra.

[cornflowerblue30]

I bought my 6 weeks old clothes and some Lamaze toys for her first Christmas. I have older children so I didn't want to explain why Santa didn't bring the baby anything. It's more for the photo of first Christmas too

[Dollywood]

I would get a special teddy and maybe a couple of toys they could use later eg age 6 months toys for summer.
You will get lots of gifts from family and friends!!!

[Maryann1975]

If it's your first a Christmas book is a gorgeous idea and something you'll buy at some stage anyway, you can write a message inside it and it becomes a tradition- get one suitable for children rather than babies/toddlers
I really like this idea. My eldest was 13 last Christmas and I still made her listen to ‘the night before Christmas’ and ‘the very first Christmas’ on Christmas Eve! We have done so every year since she was a baby, a couple of years ago we also introduced ‘the dinosaur that pooped Christmas to the collection too! Its a lovely tradition.
As long as you have storage options, can you buy something for your baby to grow into? A door bouncer, jumperoo, high chair, baby rattles, maybe a swing for the garden. (Or if you have well meaning family members, make sure if they ask, you give useful things that you will actually need as baby grows, rather than leaving it to them to choose and ending up with 20 copies of dear zoo or more clothes in size 3-6 when you are already inundated.

[goose1964]

My grandson was due in December he was finally pulled screaming and kicking into the world on the 27th so all the Ist Christmas stuff needed to be stored until next Christmas.

[cloudjumper]

No, you absolutely don't. Buy something for yourself.

[VestaTilley]

I’d buy a nice children’s book about the nativity and ‘The Night Before Christmas’. Then buy book plates and write a nice message about it being the baby’s first Christmas- a nice memento and a keepsake.

You could always get a bauble for the tree with their name or initial. We did similar.

[Wishihadanalgorithm]

My DD was 2 weeks old on Christmas Day. I got her a cuddly toy which she still loves to this day.

[Lalanbaba]

Mine was a November baby. We got her a stocking where we put a little rattle toy and a Teddy for present. She would not care but was a cute thing to do.
Also got her Xmas baby grow

[Ladybyrd]

For both of ours I got a footprint impression kit and took a photo when they were around a month old. Not really for them as such now, but they are lovely.

[stayathomer]

The way I saw it was we were buying for up until the next Christmas so by th as t time they'd be X age and more into toys. Saying that just got some rattley toys and a teddy. Congratulations on the baby op!

[ChalkDinosaur]

You don't have to - and you will probably get a load of new baby gifts anyway! But I do like the PP's suggestion of a nice Christmas book you can get out every year (or every bloody day if your baby turns out like my toddler..!)

[ellentree]

We got ours a few books. We have a big family so she got plenty of other gifts!

My second was only a month old (19 month gap between them) for her first Christmas. I wrapped a few of her sister's old baby toys and some wipes(!) for her stocking so her sister didn't think she'd been left out but didn't get her anything else.

[lachy]

Came on to suggest T'was the Night Before Christmas.

To be honest, that would be all I'd buy. DD was 10 months old at her first Christmas, and was more interested in the boxes things came in than with presents! It's only been this last Christmas that we've really bought presents for her, prior to that we either put money in her bank account or bought a years pass to somewhere.

(this year on the other hand she wants everything!)

[mam0918]

my oldest was nearly 1 at xmas (born a few days after the previous xmas) so completely different as he was walking etc...

my youngest was a baby at his first xmas unable to sit or do anything but he is part of the family and tradition... we all get gifts so why wouldnt he?

I find you can just buy the stuff you will need through the year, a newborn doesnt need much in terms of toys but a 3 month old or 6 month old or 9 month old will (they will need tummy time things, sit up things and walkers etc...) so you can get that stuff for xmas and you have it ready rather than just buying it randomly during the year