Share memories of your baby's first Christmas and tips for surviving the festive season with a newborn - £300 voucher prize draw! NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

As the festive season approaches and we all get a bit nostalgic about Christmases past, Nurofen for Children would love to know what you remember about your baby's first Christmas.

Did you do anything special to mark the occasion? Did having a baby change how you celebrated - or give you an excuse to rekindle some family traditions from your own childhood?

And if you were hosting visitors or travelling to see family and friends, how did you get organised with a newborn in tow? Was there mad mild panic as you tried to pull things together? Or did you hand over the festive stress to others so you could make the most of the special time?

However you spent it, we'd love you to share your fondest memory, and any advice you have for those looking forward to their baby's first Christmas this year.

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher!

The new Mumsnet Baby Bundle app, sponsored by Nurofen for Children, provides parents with a handy toolkit for your child's first years. Information, advice, wisdom and wit are all close to hand - whenever and wherever you need it. Download the app now - tiny.mn/1kCoMoT

Thanks
MNHQ

Our first Christmas will be just the 3 of us for presents and dinner. That way 7 month old DD will get to really enjoy the day, rather than have people coming and going or being suck in the car for half the day. A chilled out day at home in Christmas PJs - yes please!

Our first son was born on 19th December, so his first Christmas was only about 3 days after he had returned home. It snowed (this was 2000) and we ran him outside and took his photo. I remember being exhausted but deliriously happy. Our lovely midwife came out to see us on Christmas Day and we had a lovely time with her - I remember the feeling of "We've done it! Everything's going to be okay!"

Having quite a large age gap between them, my son's first Christmas was also my daughter's first Christmas as a big sister, which she loved! My best advice would be to be very, very tidy, particularly with the ties from older children's toys. It sounds obvious, but it's easy to overlook in all the excitement!

My little boy was 10 weeks old at his first Christmas and it was just magical! My tips would be just to take it as it comes! Don't stress about anything! Just enjoy the magical day with your baby and let everyone else do the cooking and washing up! X

I remember telling relatives not to stress over buying DD a present as she didn't know anything about Xmas, she was just content to be herself, I got people to bring something to the Xmas meal, it was at mine that year, and that took the pressure off a lot. Also, don't expect them to be perfectly behaved, adults often don't so why should the babies? :) And finally don't worry, it's only one day!

Don't be over ambitious with cooking or how many rellies you plan on seeing. Keep it simple and laid back and force your baby into a Christmas dress up costume before they get too old to refuse.

We buy dd a special bauble every year and her first year we got a 'first Christmas' one .

Ronan was 7 months on his first christmas so was very dribbly and irritable with teething. I wouldnt suggest going overboard with gifts and maybe space them out during the day.

With 5 children I have so many lovely memories of first Christmases. My favourite part is the look on each of their faces when they see the Christmas tree lights for the first time.

My oldest first Christmas, he was 7 months old and dressed as a n Elf! Lovely time spent with family when my mum was still here.

Tip- Relax, dont rush and have fun. Its about family time not the most expensive gift.

Just let the relatives by gifts and you concentrate on the essentials! That way there is far less Christmas shopping to worry about.

DS was 10 months old and I rashly decided to host. It was great as the inlaws entertained him while I got on with cooking - probably one of the least stressful Christmas Days with kids ever.

My DS was 8 days old last Christmas. He treated us to his first volcanic vomit when I tried to have a nap with him in bed after lunch. That's when we learnt about burping the baby before lying him down.
My tip is to keep the Celebrations and Mini Cheddars to hand for the cluster feeding sessions, and save some of the Christmas telly too!

Most of my children were born in the Spring, but #4 was due on Dec 3rd. I was a bit worried about the timing and whether I would be able to get it all organized while heavily pregnant or with a newborn baby so I went a bit overboard! I got all my Christmas cards written out and my presents all wrapped at the end of November to be ahead of my due date! My little boy didn't arrive until Dec 11th exactly 2 weeks before Christmas. Someone gave me a beautiful little red Christmas suit for him and we had the first Christmas at home as a family. Previously we had always travelled to be with our relatives so it felt a little bit weird being on our own and not seeing other family members on Christmas day. My hubby cooked the meal single handedly and I didn't argue with it as he did so well just so I'd have a rest and be able to feed the baby uninterrupted. It was a very special Christmas together as a family.

DD1 was a summer, but just 17 months later dd2 came along a few weeks before Xmas. Things got off to a 'good' start when, sitting in DH lap, he dropped a (smallish ) jar of posh jam on her little tummy from his sticking. So Xmas morning spent at A&E, an experience I would rather not repeat. Luckily she was seen quickly and no harm done (thank goodness for cloth nappies. So, delayed we headed off to SIL for a late Xmas dinner where everyone held her for 10 minutes while the rest took in turns to eat. It was a bit traumatic at the time but 14 years later, it's one of 'those' family stories.

Exhaustion, sleep, no sleep, exhaustion. Try not to do too much and be perfect - it's ok just to let things slide for a year!

it was only a couple of years ago when my daughter was a newborn at xmas, and i remember it being quite stress free actually. Get family and friends to help you take care of the newborn while you free your hands to get on with xmas dinner...

We changed our Christmas routine. Previously we had spent Christmas and New Year visiting relatives and friends spread across the country. Once we had DC we decided that we would stay at home and start our own traditions.

Anyone was/is welcome to come and join us and stay over but we don't go anywhere. It works well, it's lovely to have family together and whilst it's a bit of extra work in the run up to Christmas I'd rather have it that way than spend the week trekking around the UK with a small person in tow.

With him being just 4 days old it wasn't a very organised Christmas! There was no point going all out when he wouldn't know any different, but we did try keeping up our usual traditions. Doing much more for it this year.

DS1 was 9 weeks old... he had lots of money off everyone instead of toys. We 'bathed' him in the £10 notes and took a photo as Im not sure he'll ever be able do that again haha

DS2 was 8 months old and was pushing is big brother out the way to get to his presents!

We don't celebrate xmas so nothing to report on there!

ask again in a few weeks - Christmas number 1 is imminent. loving reading the tips.

Ds1 was 5 weeks old for his first Christmas. It completely didn't occur to me that being due near the beginning of November would mean having a baby close enough to Christmas that I really should have got all the planning done beforehand! (he was 10 days overdue).

Anyway, it was lovely. We went to my parents and had a relaxing time (well, plus the 2 hour wakenings, feeding problems, baby refusing to sleep anywhere except on me etc), Ds1 was completely oblivious re: the season obviously, and I ate my Christmas dinner one handed . Dh managed to escape from inlaw overload using the pretext of "just looking after the baby" and they watched their first Dr Who Christmas Special together.

I remember being up with ds1 at Hogmanay and thinking "this will be the last time you'll be up for the bells for years". Last year he was 8 and got to stay up till midnight for the first time since he was 6 weeks old.

Ds2 was 8 months old for his first Christmas so was more aware and interested about what was going on, and that was loads of fun too, but Christmas with a newborn was just special.

Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! :)

I was with my friend and her baby this weekend. the constant wonder in her eyes at all the pretty lights was adorable.

My boy was born at the beginning of December so he was only a couple of weeks old. I remember just cuddling up to him next to the Christmas tree and enjoying a big family joint effort on the cooking