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

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MNHQ

DD1 was exactly 3 weeks old. She obligingly fussed and stayed awake in my arms whilst DH cooked the dinner, then fell asleep just in time for me to eat fresh-cooked, HOT food, and then watch Doctor Who. Bliss!

DD1 was 8 months old on her first Christmas. We ended up up at 3am letting her open all her presents, as she wouldn't sleep. Then we had to get up at 7am with 11 year old DSD so she could open her's. It was a very tiring day. Thankfully we were having dinner in my dad's so didn't have to cook.

My tip would be keep things as simple as possible, don't create extra stress for yourself by thinking everything has to be perfect. Baby doesn't know it's Christmas.

DD was 8 months old and DH was deployed, we managed to arrange to Skype so he could see DD which was lovely. I'd sent him out a hand print painting I'd done with her, together with a photo of her covered with paint!

Our son was only 3 months old on his first Christmas so was not even aware what was going on! We did get him a beautiful Christmas personalised decoration, and some presents. Don't go overboard, it's just not worth it. Dress up is a must while you can get away with it so we dressed him up in a elf babygro. Made some great photos.

To survive it, I would say to a new mother to relax and let other people take charge. Don't rush around everywhere, some things don't have to be perfect. We stayed at home for our son's first Christmas, my oh cooked dinner and it was just very peaceful.

DD was 11 months old and we went to Australia with her and spent Chrsimas day on the beach. She was at the paper pulling stage and we didn't get her very much apart from a koala bear and some lovely osh kosh dungarees with a matching sun hat.

DD was 11 months for her first Christmas and had just started crawling. We were taking bets on who would pull the tree down first, her or the cat! I remember her trying to eat a lot of her presents and being absolutely fascinated with the tree baubles and lights.

This year will be interesting as DC2 is due end of November/early December. I fully expect to have a cosy, lazy family day, just the four of us. Probably a nice selection of just-stick-it-in-the-oven food from M&S, chocolate and a nice bottle of fizz that I can work my way through for a few days! DD will be nearly 3 so hopefully will get a bit more into it this year which I am also really looking forward to.

Tips for survival with a new baby - don't plan to go too far, be flexible with timings and don't buy them a shed load of presents. They won't care, put some of the money aside for savings or to get stuff as you need it later in the year.

My sisters twins were just at the pulling themselves up stage for Christmas. She ended up putting the tree in the play pen!
:)

DD1 was six weeks old, having arrived a month early, and full of colic on her first Christmas. I shall never forget how much my parents did for us that festive season. They hosted Christmas and my lovely father insisted on nursing her for the duration of the meal to allow DH and I to eat whilst it was still warm... the first warm meal we had eaten together since her arrival.
But I can honestly say after many years of trying she really was the best Christmas present we could have wished for.

My top tip would be savour the little things from cold winter walks to snuggles stories in bed. Precious times to cherish.

Was totally amazed that DD2 made it home for Christmas as I was sure we would still be in special care. Shell shocked I think.

I don't actually remember anything specific/special from any of my dcs first Christmases. They don't know what it is so it doesn't change much. Top tip though is if you're going out, remember to muslins and/or change of clothes with you as it will be typical that you are dressed up nice then you get puked on! :)

Accept any and all help offered, and don't be too hard on yourself

DS was an unexpected Christmas baby. My wonderful sister brought us Christmas dinner to the delivery room. so glad we took lots of photos as it is a bit of a blur!

DC1's first christmas was the day he was born! He arrived early on Christmas day. Was something of a shock, DH says that lebkucken always reminds him of just becoming a father. (he had a big brew and a chunk of lebkucken as we were waiting to the post natal ward).

DC2 was 6 months at her first christmas, she had a look of wonder at the christmas lights, and discovered a love of roasted parsnips (perfect BLW foods!)

We had snow on boxing day for ds first Christmas! Some lovely photos of that! The actual day itself was just dh ds and I. We timed christmas dinner around 5month old ds nap so we could enjoy in peace. We started some family traditions like christmas eve pjs and a delicious breakfast (just started weaning ds) together. This year will be much busier as ds is into everything. We wrapped up toys he already had last year from us as obviously he had no idea! He loved the boxes and bows best!

I am very at my DC3 first Christmas-not the actual day, but when we were putting the tree up.

She was just 5 months old and I put her in her bouncy chair so that she could watch me put up and decorate our artificial tree. It comes in two parts, and as I was putting the top part into the bottom part, I lost my grip and it fell ON THE BABY!!

The poor thing had a couple of scratches but was otherwise ok. DH, DD1 and DS all joked about me nearly knocking her out, but I was mortified.

She is nearly 2.5 now and got her own back last year by stripping the tree of decorations.

My best memory is of my Grandma enjoying Christmas with her 6 week old great grandson - her first great grandchild - she was just overjoyed to have him there. My mum really helped out with nappies and cuddles and it was lovely to have the whole family cooing over him in his 'My first Christmas' babygro!!

Our third child and second daughter was born on Christmas Eve 2005. We brought her on in the afternoon and I simply do not remember a thing about Christmas day! The midwife called and I just sat there, exhausted for the entire day!! I didn't even take any photos... Regret it now but she was three weeks late,it had been a three day labour and all I wanted was rest

I remember my eldest boy's first Christmas. He was born in early December. I had a quite horrible birth experience and we were kept in hospital for 10 days. During that time, the doctors suspected there might be a problem with him. Happily it turned out there were no problems but it was such a horrible stressful start for everyone. We were allowed home from hospital mid December. We walked in our house and mu husband had decorated it top to toe with Christmas decorations, a huge tree with presents already wrapped underneath it AND the house was spotless. What a star! I will always remember that xxx

Ds1 spent his first Christmas in hospital with bronchitis.... 3 days over Christmas we did... It was hideous!
DS2 spent most of his first year in hospital so being there at Christmas wasn't a shock!!!
DD3 was very well behaved and waited at home for Santa!!!!

DS was only 3 weeks old for his first Christmas. We had the obligatory Christmas pudding sleep suit, & it felt really magical to introduce him at such a young age to family & friends who we only see annually.

I remember DDs first Christmas, she was 3 months old. I tried to dress her up, she hated it. She hated the tree, the presents made her cry.

DS was about 9 months on his first Christmas. I couldn't have a tree because he would pull everything over.

2nd Christmases are so much better!

DC1's first Christmas he should have been born but was tardy as usual...

DC2's first Christmas was spent snuggling up and keeping cosy, as our central heating broke down over the festive season...she was only 10 weeks old too....

My little ones first Christmas was with my partners family on Xmas day and my family the day after.

I can still see her in her little red Christmas dress and cuddling into her daddy dressing gown as shes scrunches up wrapping paper in her hands.

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah I think I might cry

Our daughter was 2 months old at her first Christmas. We were deliberately unambitious and just did Christmas as the three of us at home, no trying to visit people as we usually do, or feeling we had to get a complete Christmas dinner made or everything decorated - just a load of nice treats, telly, Christmassy music and wintery walks in London. It was lovely and peaceful and felt like a really special time.

dd1 was born in October so her first Christmas was just lovely, she was getting to that point of seeming to know who everyone was! It's especially memorable as it was her only with my dad as he died in the summer of her first year. We had a lovely family Christmas, and have a great photo of us all in my (also now gone) grandma's house. I'm glad we have that memory. We kept things low stress by going to my mum's house for dinner! And doing the family rounds at our pace, staying only as long as we felt able to.