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

My tip is never ever start a tradition in the glow of new parenthood without thinking through the consequences of it being an expectation that the same thing will happen for evermore at every Christmas thereafter.

e.g. If Santa delivers presents to the ends of beds when they are a 1 year old, in ten years time Santa will still be sitting outside their bloody bedroom door until 4 or 5 am in the morning waiting for them to go to sleep. If you volunteer to ice the Christmas cake complete with sugar angel then cake will become Your Thing for evermore and you will be expected to surpass yourself year on year with your sugar creations. If you idiotically insist on your first year of hosting, that you will not use any ready made, shop bought bits but make it all yourself, then in future years you will find yourself eyeing up the forbidden jars of cranberry sauce or mince pies with despair.

Our baby was 8 weeks old. We went to my parents for xmas. We were thoroughly spoilt and looked after so well. I would definitely recommend going somewhere else, somewhere you are loved and allowed to lie in with your baby after restless nights, stay in your pjs and won't have to put on any airs and graces.

We've had three 'first Christmas'' (we've got three .)
DS1 we all watched The Gruffalo on Christmas Eve before putting him to bed and Christmas morning we all opened our stockings on our bed and had a cooked breakfast before going to my parents.
DS2 we traveled by ferry to a UK island and had Christmas Eve listening to Christmas Carols and drinking mulled wine and then spent Christmas Day with all the extended family - so many children squealing with joy opening their presents!
DS3 we did Christmas Eve baskets and they enjoyed new pjs, hot choc and Arthur Clause before putting out a mince pie, carrot and sherry for Santa and the reindeer. Christmas morning I helped my mum cook lunch while the boys played trains and chefs with my husband and my dad. All three have been lovely.

My dd played the role of baby Jesus on Christmas Eve in the church nativity when she was 4 weeks old. She played the role beautifully (she slept all the way through).

My tip for surviving Christmas with a baby is join the Christmas bargain thread. You will have all your presents bought and wrapped by October and you can sit back and enjoy Christmas Day

My lg's first Christmas was awful. She was less than 1 month old and I was very poorly. I had accreta and sepsis.

I love Christmas but I don't have nice memories of that one. I think I put too much pressure on myself to have a good Christmas despite being ill and made myself feel worse.

My top tip to survive Christmas with a baby is be prepared, stock up on the essentials; medicine cabinet, food and drink and then relax. Don't cook elaborate meals, don't decorate like Blackpool. Just enjoy and try to have nice time as a family.

MAT12 wins the £300 Love2Shop voucher. Apologies for the delay.