Xmas Gifts - Oak Forest,IL

I agree with Scarlett! Lay low this year and save money for when they want that tv, ipod, xbox! Merry Christmas! :)

Our little guy is 13 months and I spent about $100 - this includes clothes he needed. On toys, I only bought three, so I spent about $50.

Also, are your parents or husband's parents or any other relatives buying anything for your baby? If so, I would cut back even more. They have no idea what is going on! Save your money for when they ask for a PS3!

ETA: I also put money into each child's savings account each year - they will appreciate that much more when they turn 16 and want a car! =)

perhaps we are bad parents but we did not get anything!! for either child. they have christmas and there birthdays are jan and first of feb. they got lots of gifts from everyone else that we did not bother. instead i bought something durring the summer so they could have something new.

my grandmother mentioned that when she and her kids were young they would put a toy in the attic and switch them out so they would not get overwhelmed and could have something new.

you could also put money away into a savings account (like we do) at christmas and birthdays.

You should spend whatever you feel like. We didn't spend anything on our girls first Christmas (6 months old). They were too young to care or notice, and they didn't need anything. So we skipped the presents and let them play with wrapping paper from our presents instead.

Agreed, keep it low. If you want gifts under the tree with baby's name on it or for her to open, wrap up outfits you already have. Fill her stocking with puffs, baby food jars, new spoons, and a sippy (if you need them or already have them.)

It's great for pictures and makes you feel like you did something. :) You'll almost be able to get by with it next year, too!

Something we started early on was limiting our presents and having an actual game plan on what we buy.

Our rules are:

1 gift each from Santa (unwrapped)
1 gift to share from Santa (unwrapped and when baby has a sibling)
Stockings filled with practical items and fun items (toothbrush, socks, crayons, lip balm, etc.)

From us:
1 item to read
1 item to love (stuffed animal, doll, etc.)
1 item for active play (ball, jump rope, skates, etc.)
1 item for creative play (art, music, imagination)
1 item for indoor play (game, toy, doll house, etc.)
(as they get older, maybe switch out item to love to something to wear - we have girls!)

We also give them an ornament that symbolizes the year and/or their interest (I mark them with their initial and year) . We put them on the tree each year and plan to give them to each girl their first Christmas that they are married. I also write down in a journal what ornament they were given and why...I'm sure my memory will give out at some point! Lol.

Just some ideas to think about. I feel the more organized you are with this when they are little the easier it is to not get carried away (oh, I've wanted to!).

Good luck. Have fun and enjoy your baby's first Christmas! :)

I actually spent nothing on both of my kids' first and second Christmases because they were so young (4 & 5 months old, respectively, and then 16 & 17 months old). Each couldn't have cared less about the whole thing at those ages. I also knew that all the aunts/uncles/cousins/grandparents would take care of any and all toys & clothes my kids could handle.

The wrapping paper piles were much more interesting that anything actually IN the boxes for the second Christmases when they were more mobile and less likely to eat the paper.

Not much.....I think I got her a couple small new toys...but that was it. My family however got her more than she needed...but a lot of it was clothes so that was nice. :)

I think about $10 - really. They don't know what is going on and there is typically so little they need other than your time and some creativity.
I believe I got my kiddos a book and a small toy and one of them got a special blanky that he still uses today.

I think I did a stocking for her and that was it. And the stocking had things like new sippy cups, teething toys, etc.

This year, I've already probably gone overboard, but one big item was one I think she'll love and use (a child's size chair - cushy and oversized for her - think recliner for adults) and the other is one she's going to need (new bedding set for her new trundle bed that she's going to transition to soon before the new baby comes and needs her crib).

for my first, I think we bought her necessities, she was 6 mos old, so bowls, spoons, a jar of food, etc. Lol, we sound so lame. And we got her memorable stuff that was first xmas stuff, and stuff that was to be the start of a new tradition - like a picture frame with the year to put a picture in, or a figurine that we would add to the collection each year. We gave her a stuffed elephant too.
so maybe $30?
With my second we had all that necessity stuff and she was only 4 months old, so she got a $15 chime toy for her activity gym. That was it. LOL

Ha ha - I spent some but on things she needed - clothes, blankets, teething toys, etc.