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 born was born on 23rd December and it was touch and go if we would be home from hospital for Christmas as he was not taking enough food. On Christmas Eve he started taking food and they allowed us to leave at 8pm on Christmas Eve! Christmas day was full of health visitor visit and then out to my parents for Christmas lunch. Our 2nd son was born 20th December so the Christmas period is full of celebrations!

As for tips.... sleep when you can and if someone offers help take it!

Our DCs 1st christmas's were much like every year. Spent with family and relaxed.

with a 5 month old baby at Christmas we kept it quiet and didn't do the big family meal or go to anyones houes! we had a nice relaxed morning, no visitors, a small turkey crown with some veg for dinner. It was one of the best days to have to ourselves as every one else was busy so we got some peace and quiet to do our own thing.

My tip would be to keep it simple and easy and don't go overboard with presents for a baby! They wont use them for long!

My little girl was born last Christmas Eve so her first Christmas was spent in hospital unfortunately. Going to make up for it this year though.

Relax, take lots of photos, any offers of help accept them and don't be afraid to ask for extra help.

Don't stress to much over presents, it won't remember them anyway.

We stayed in a hotel when my son was 2 months old. Lovely and relaxing Christmas.

DD1 was 9 mths at her first Christmas and DD2 was only 4 weeks, both were really nice, but if I could choose I think I enjoyed DD1's Christmas more as she was sleeping through and with DD2 I still felt rough and she wasn't sleeping through yet, I can't complain though as she did 6-7 hrs from birth! A great tip is to have a hubby who can either cook or take instruction well!

our 1st Christmas was nice, baby slept through most of the day but was of course awake most of the night! no real tips to pass on as everyone xmas is different, if it is likely to be noisy with lots of people etc would make sure you have a quiet room that is out of bounds for everyone else so that you can feed or have a place for a nap (for you or the baby!)

My sons first Xmas was a bit OTT as we bought him loads but he was only 4 months old. Top Tip - don't go OTT, bubs will no absolutely no different and do they really need all that you just bought!

Ds1 was 5 weeks old on Christmas Day 3 years ago and ds2 is due on Christmas Day :-) I think my favourite memory was the glow of the Christmas tree at three am as DH and I were up and the reality of being parents was hitting us

This year ds1 is excited to have a baby brother for Christmas and has been choosing Christmas presents for him (granted the first 6 months I was pregnant he insisted I was having a puppy)

My baby was only 6 weeks old when he had his first Christmas and I think thats probably the easiest Christmas you could have with a child. he slept most of the day blissfully unaware of everything going on around him. this year he has just turned two and I can imagine how excited he will be when he sees the decorations and presents. Most kids are not interested in opening loads of presents so don't overwhelm them and give them time to open and play with each toy without rushing them.

My DD was 6 months old, and to be totally honest we spent way too much on presents..and Daddy ended up opening them all! Still, we have wonderful memories of our first Christmas as a little family.

this will be my babys first christmas. he's too young to understand so I guess it'll be business as usual

My son was three months old on his first Christmas. He loved staring at the lights on the Christmas tree. It was actually pretty easy surviving the Christmas period with a baby - just enjoy every moment because it goes so fast and you never know if you'll ever have the joy of experiencing another first Christmas with another child.

My son was 2 months old on his first Christmas. Don't set your heart on the perfect day like previous years. Prepare as best as you can but take the day as it comes. Don't spend a fortune on presents for your new baby, concentrate on enjoying them because they are not babies for long

Apart from having all grandparents around it was not particularly marked BUT after the event I put my babies first babygro into a christmas bauble that I hung on the tree and have done ever since!

Just let them sleep i tryed waking up my baby to see visitors it was a big mistake

Top tip is not to go on a 12hr train and ferry trip with a newborn. In our wildly inexperienced eyes it seemed like a sensible thing to do - small portable baby, home for Christmas, what could go wrong?
Everything went wrong and even though once we arrived my mum took on the 5am to 9am shift so we could sleep, it took us months to fully recovered from the tiredness and stress. So stay at home!

This year will be DS2s first Christmas he has no clue though because he'll only be 3mos.

Last year was a wash out as it should have been my daughters first Christmas - so we bought a tree decoration with her name on so that she was included in some way.
My 4y/o DS was also poorly that year and we had a trip to the GP OOHs surgery - Nurofen came in handy that day :)

So this year should hopefully be a better Christmas all round

I learnt that little babies do not really need any presents & its a complete waste of money. Second time round I just bought a token gift like a teddybear.

I also let my husband take over & cook for the 1st Christmas so I could relax which is hard for me :)

make sure you try and get as much sleep as you can xmas eve!

Ds1 was 6 weeks old, we decamped to my mil's after breakfast with my family. Dh suffered a life threatening injury a few days later, as we were setting off for home, so we ended up staying 10 days (until he could be moved to a hospital near home) having taken supplies for 3, including not bothering with a buggy or travel cot. So my top tip is to be prepared for all eventualities! Ds2 will be nearly 4 months, so much easier to cope should anything scary happen...

For the first few years of my son's life we were just expected at my in laws every Christmas (and every sunday) so all I had to do was pack a huge changing bag and not worry about anything else! It was really very easy. It was also completely not what I wanted to do. I don't do what I'm told these days and I'm alot happier! haha!

I will never get my oldest child's first Christmas, it snowed! I couldn't believe it, it was like it was just for him!

My tip for surviving the festive season with newborn is just to go with it, routine doesn't matter for a couple of days