Planning for the holidays with a Newborn « Back to Group Discussions

[Butter is Better]

Our baby will be right around 1 month old by Christmas and I am wondering how to plan for the holiday. I am thinking of trying to get my in-laws to eat Christmas lunch/dinner before coming over (as in we will eat on our own before they get here) and then we could just do desserts and presents at our house.

I am just thinking that will minimize the coordination needed and make it less stressful.

I guess I will first have to convince my husband that that is a good idea!

Any thoughts or advice?

[jbk21]

I think dessert and presents sounds like a great idea!  Much less stress and possibly a smaller time commitment in case everyone is sleepy :-)

[KayPea]

I suppose our baby will be more like 6 weeks by Christmas (though I thought it would be older, ha) and I guess this is why we are planning on a more involved Christmas celebration at our house. It is a bit different, because DHs parents are coming here for Christmas from across the country. I have made it perfectly clear that I am not going to be involving myself much in the planning and execution of Christmas this year - I consider mothering to be my sole duty during the postpartum period, and I've decided that this includes Christmas at our house.  

For us, gathering together as a family around a meal IS Christmas, so it just wouldn't happen that we would do it on our own, especially if there was family around to share it. Not just for our own sake, but also to avoid all the family drama that would ensue. So I can't offer much advice, if this is not the way it is in your family. For us, we would find ways to make that Christmas meal as hassle-free as possible while still having it, this is why I have asked my in-laws to help DH take care of it. 

As a first-time mom, I know I would have found the thought of such an event to be stressful and impossible, but really you might be craving this kind of normal chaos in your life by that time. By a month you are mostly used to having a baby around, breastfeeding should be mostly working out, and many babies are starting to sleep a little longer at a stretch at night, so it's entirely possible you will feel like less of an overtired, hormonal crazy-person at that point. Or you may feel like just as much of one as ever, so I suppose it's important to stay flexible. 

Good luck! Your low-key event is starting to sound better and better the more I type!

[jbk21]

I agree with likely feeling more like a human being around a month (if baby comes when you are expecting).  Do stay flexible- perhaps for now just set up low expectations and you can add a meal if you are feeling up to it as the day gets closer.  Hopefully they will understand you needing to kind of wing it....
 

Originally Posted by KayPea 

I suppose our baby will be more like 6 weeks by Christmas (though I thought it would be older, ha) and I guess this is why we are planning on a more involved Christmas celebration at our house. It is a bit different, because DHs parents are coming here for Christmas from across the country. I have made it perfectly clear that I am not going to be involving myself much in the planning and execution of Christmas this year - I consider mothering to be my sole duty during the postpartum period, and I've decided that this includes Christmas at our house.  

For us, gathering together as a family around a meal IS Christmas, so it just wouldn't happen that we would do it on our own, especially if there was family around to share it. Not just for our own sake, but also to avoid all the family drama that would ensue. So I can't offer much advice, if this is not the way it is in your family. For us, we would find ways to make that Christmas meal as hassle-free as possible while still having it, this is why I have asked my in-laws to help DH take care of it. 

As a first-time mom, I know I would have found the thought of such an event to be stressful and impossible, but really you might be craving this kind of normal chaos in your life by that time. By a month you are mostly used to having a baby around, breastfeeding should be mostly working out, and many babies are starting to sleep a little longer at a stretch at night, so it's entirely possible you will feel like less of an overtired, hormonal crazy-person at that point. Or you may feel like just as much of one as ever, so I suppose it's important to stay flexible. 

Good luck! Your low-key event is starting to sound better and better the more I type!

[Abraisme]

I agree with this as well.  It's so hard to say what kind of baby you'll have or how you'll feel a month pp.  Just remain flexible and it's highly possible that you'll want Christmas as usual this year.

My Christmas plans are low-key, but I'll still have my local family over and we'll make a dinner.  I will try to keep Christmas itself as normal as possible for my 2 other kids.  This is baby #3 for me though and I know that I'm pretty much back to normal within a month.
 

Originally Posted by KayPea 

As a first-time mom, I know I would have found the thought of such an event to be stressful and impossible, but really you might be craving this kind of normal chaos in your life by that time. By a month you are mostly used to having a baby around, breastfeeding should be mostly working out, and many babies are starting to sleep a little longer at a stretch at night, so it's entirely possible you will feel like less of an overtired, hormonal crazy-person at that point. Or you may feel like just as much of one as ever, so I suppose it's important to stay flexible. 

[Butter is Better]

Thanks for the input ladies. I think setting a low expectation and then going from there is the best thing to do. 

Plus I feel like this way the holidays will be more special because we will get some special time with just our little family without having to have the extended family present the entire time.

I am sure this year I will be feeling more blessed than ever and that is what I need to focus on :) 

[mleh99]

My parents have been super supportive on the holiday issue!  They won't let me bring/do anything for Thanksgiving.  Chances are I'll still be preggo!  We haven't really talked about Christmas, yet. I imagine it will be bring something easy or nothing at all.  I'm just glad none of it is happening at our house!