Post your top tips for surviving Christmas with a baby here.

[OliviaMumsnet]

We have some more tips from Vicki Scott, Philips AVENT'S first baby feeding and wellbeing advisor. This time, Vicki's covering surviving Christmas with a baby which you can read here but we'd also love to get your top tips on how you coped with your first few Christmasses.

Everyone who sends a tip will be entered into a prize draw to win a Philips SENSEO Pod Coffee Maker (RRP £50) and a Philips Aluminum Juicer (RRP £100).
Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

I love that tip Rebechuana. Wish I'd thought of it five years ago LOL!

Turkeyandsproutsx3. It really is only a taste he has and then he leaves it for us finish!

i loved getting a tiny sip of beer or sherry when i was a wee girl. didn't turn me into a loon.

Go to your Mum's or your family. Let them do the cooking while you just concentrate on looking after your baby. Much less stressful.

Sounds like a typical case of PFB syndrome

you know, the whole list reeks of PFB. and you know it's not a term i particularly enjoy. but really... ask people to buy you nappies? really?!

Do not listen to that carol about Herod killing all the babies. If you are already a bit drunk overtired and hormonal it will make you cry for ages.

'surviving'

jesus christ

get a life

I like to strap DS to my back and go for an artic exploration and be back home for the Dr Who Christmas Special with a bottle of Baileys and freshly acquired artic ice.

Invite doting grarndparents over on boxing day to deal with the over excited DC's while you sleep off the hangover.

Let the kids play with the paper (as long as it has no sellotape or ribbons attached.) A bit of eaten paper really does no harm and you will drive yourself mad trying to prevent it.

Accept age inappropriate gifts for your children with good grace and immediately put them on a high shelf 'so they can play with them later when they've got over the excitement, so they really appreciate them' (or when I decide that a chemistry set is a good idea for a two year old, whichever comes sooner).

Top tip:

Either use having a baby as a great excuse why you can't have the inlaws to visit / can't travel 6 hours up the country to visit long lost relatives / spend any time with obnoxious nieces and nephews

Or use having a baby as a great excuse why you really need to go and visit people / have people stay with you, so they can do all the boring washing up etc and giving you loads of time with your baby. Or so they can help with the childcare and give you and dh some time together.

There, does that cover all possible senarios?

Don't pay £60 for a turkey if your relatives will only eat the breastmeat, buy a pack of turkey breasts instead - you can get them in packs of six. Everyone gets a decent bit of meat, you can cook them in twenty minutes so no worries about food poisoning and you don't have to inflict 'turkey fritters' on people for the following week.

If you have one person who will only eat their veggies if they've been cooked for around six weeks, keep a pot of water boiling when you dish up the rest and then tip a serving back into the pot. Turn the heat off and let them carry on cooking while you dish up the rest. The single serving of mushy veg will be ready by the time you've got everything else to the table and the awkward bugger darling relative will think they have received special privileges.

It really is worth buying an extra eight mugs and packing them away with the christmas things. You then can have a cuppa when you are desperate without having to wash up or run the dishwasher.

fkn hell whomoved, you really are gagging for a philps senseo...

I know I am a bit drunk, but the 'tie your tree to a door handle so it can't fall over' tip is boggling my mind.
Because what happens when you close the door...

lol

Prisonercellblockaitch - actually I'd rather have an enema - I'm after the food processor Mine went into melt down after a mass mince pie making session (DH kindly volunteered me to cater a party and told me at four hours notice ). Having said I am fiercely organised at christmas. Shall just have to post some more now to thwart you .

Ah the door is always shut!

you're in luck. next month MN is being sponsored by enemas'r'us!, with vicki bott, their personal wellbeing consultant.

i'll give you the food processor if i win, Whomoved, i've got a magimix.

my tip is to have christmas dinner while wee one naps

ds didn't have christmas dinner with the family for the first 3 years of his life, he was always napping.

they won't miss it, in fact they can have it reheated for their tea and for the next few days!

this year I have every intention that we will eat while dd naps. it's just altogether more relaxing for me!

Thanks Aitch but it's a juicer not a mixer

Ooh I am at your magimix.

a juicer? the one where you can put the whole apples in? does it wash itself? (this is where it all falls apart for me with juicers).

here's my top tip.

it's christmas, it's happening, there isn't much you can do about it. you can either be a miserable sod or enjoy every cheesy family golden cockle-warming chestnut moment of it. opt for the latter, it's more fun.

Yep agree totally. Unless it can be dismantled and slung in the dishwasher, I'm not giving it cupboard space