Phoebe will be 5 months at Christmas so hubby and I have decided not to buy too much because she is so young. We have got her just 4 presents - one of which is a jumparoo. The grandparents are getting her a super seat and a walker. We have asked other relatives for clothes but this hasnt gone down very well because they want to buy toys. I have said that we are grateful for whatever but do not have any particular toys we want for her as she already has loads (including 4 playmats!) and we havent got alot of room to store things. Anyway, I am being made to feel very mean for firstly not buying her very much, but also for not wanting other people to buy toys. I just feel that she is going to grow out of the baby toys very quickly, and already has lots of baby toys anyway. Plus, I really dont want people to buy the next age group toys as then we will have nothing to buy her for her first birthday. We have had to fight the grand parents to be able to buy the jumparoo because they wanted to buy it for her because it is a 'big' item, but we argued that we as her parents wanted to get her 'big'. In addition to presents we have bought her lots of sentimental keepsakes like a personalised christmas tree decoration and a personalised stocking because they are the sort of thing that will last and hold sentimental value as she grows up.
Anyway, i am waffling! My question is, have you gone mad and bought every toy you can get your hands on or are you taking a more sensible approach. And, do you think my hubby and I are being mean?! x

absolutely not. my LO will be 4 months at xmas and we dont have a lot of money, my mat pay is dropping in december. Our LO will not have a clue what xmas is really and he wont appreciate the concept of gifts for him! We will get him some little bits but not a lot - i think 4 presents with a jumparoo as one of them is really quite a lot! As for other people - i dont know why they ask what to get phoebe if they dont like the answer, they are free to go and buy whatever at the end of the day. Toys do take up a lot of room - our LO doesnt have many though and as yet isnt very interested in them. We've asked for toys and we've also said if clothes then 6-9 months as we have enough in the smaller sizes. We live in a tiny 2 bed semi and im sure ill regret asking for toys lol!

What matters is that your little girl is loved and happy - she's not old enough yet to appreciate material things, she may well prefer the wrapping paper to anything else lol. I think they dont really appreciate xmas until they are about 3 or so. I think a nicer idea like you said is to buy something with sentimental value so she will always know as she gets older it was a present on her first christmas x

I have budgeted for Xmas this year as for 2 months I have been on stat maternity pay which for me is a massive cut. I have been really good and have done all of my shopping most of which is wrapped already lol!

As for Phoebe I have bought her 11 presents. Books, toys soft toys act. I don't think that I have gone mad but I have got her things that she can grow up with. I know that her two Grandads will go mad on her and to be fair Iam going to let them as Phoebe is the only Grandchild.

I love Christmas myself and am really looking forward to this one as a little family

I think you have done the right thing.

We have bought Finley one big item (a walker as my DD never had one) then we have wrapped up loads of old toys that my DD got for her first christmas! (sounds mean I know but he won't know the difference and my DD won't remember they were hers)

My DD has got a few new pressies but again she'll get spoilt rotten by family so we haven't gone crazy.

If your family don't want to get clothes, could you ask for books instead? Books don't take up too much room and are invaluable when it comes to bed times (I can't stand reading the same book too many times, my DD LOVES stories so she has about 3 before bedtime).

I do love christmas and also can't wait to spend the day with my gorgeous hubby, DD and DS... my perfect little family

I am so excited about Christmas too; I have really enjoyed buying her a special Christmas day outfit and a Christmas eve babygro - My camera will need replacing because I will end up taking that many photos! I just wish my family and in laws in particular would realise that it the time spent together not piles of presents that will make it special! Lots of the things they seem to want to get her are 12/18 months plus, and I just think it is a bit early. We have asked for books only to be told they are boring! I dont mind if people buy a toy, I just wish they wouldnt ask me what to get her and then complain at my answer! If people buy her toys we will gratefully receive them, but I do feel it is a waste because there is very little that my very lucky little girl doesnt have because whem she was born everyone bought her loads then!

I am sooooo excited about Xmas too!

We have got Jazzie one present each, folks have got her a walker. To be honest, she has soooo many books and toys now, we could easily wrap some of them up for her!!

I think although this year will be special, as its the first year as our little family, next year will be even more special as she will understand it all a bit more.

I have asked other family/friends to get clothes, she is already in 6-9 months!!

Zxx

You are as ever totally in the right- how to deal with it I don't really know. Your first Christmas with your first baby is the most wonderful wonderful time but sadly they really will not remember and will probably get a bit over awed with the attention on the day and cry! I think you have to be firm with what you want and need- money doesn't grow on trees and if you need clothes just say it really would help you guys.
Our DS is getting 2 pressies- 1 bigger 1 small and then his stocking will be filled with things he needs like 1000 pairs of socks!! Also Roo I think wrapping old toys of my DD is a fantastic idea- had not thought of that at all- def hitting the loft this weekend! I will give him a stocking so our DD doesn't think father Christmas put him on the naughty list!
Christmas is so fab, I get more excited than when I was a child and thats saying something- unfortunately my DD (aged 3) has an irrational and quite bad fear of Father Christmas tothe point where we will have to leave the pressies in the kitchen so he doesn't have to go in her room- bless her heart.
GB the most important thing is that you enjoy the time with your hubby and your gorgeous little girl- sod everyone else (and of course I mean that in the nicest possible way!!) XXX

with our first we went mad and so did my parents (not MIL shes a stingy old witch)so we already have pretty much everything,

we are regifting the big things from DS to DD like the jumparoo and walker etc and have just bought her a few things, we have got her a lamaze dolly, a water filled placemat and some links

Glitterbug I could write so many of your posts!

My MIL doesn't understand that it's the occasion and time that are most important either (I feel she is always trying to prove she is better then hubby's dad as they are no longer together-complicated).

We are having Christmas day in our own house. I am happy for people to drop in but we are not leaving at all. Every year I have known hubby he has been guilt tripped into having dinner there - they always pull the 'your grandparents may not be here next year' line out of the bag. Which of course is a possibility but it's also a possibility for anyone and he has spent a lot of Christmases with them! I wouldn't mind but they only watch TV all day so no family activities etc - so I find it boring.

Sorry bit of a rant there. Present wise we have/are getting just a few bits. We don't have a lot of next stage toys so we are getting some 6 month+ toys and some that are pink as all her toys are unisex or inherited boys toys! We are only getting about 4 or so though so not spoiling her by any means. She will also get a Christmas day outfit as we always got smart clothes for Christmas day. And some socks as that's a must for the stocking!

My mum is not flush as she can't work and she goes more for the thoughtful presents that she has picked up in the past few months - nothing big. I will appreciate them a lot whatever they are.

MIL is so annoying. She owes us money but never pays any, but is forever buying things for Matilda. I don't like to seem ungrateful as it is lovely to get presents but I don't get to choose many of the clothes Matilda has as she buys so many there is no point in me getting them too. She & hubby's grandparents have already bought our highchair as her Christmas present but I am in no doubt that there will be lots of other things too. Oh well... in-laws eh?! :roll:

Am so excited for Christmas on the whole though