When do you start to celebrate Events?

[flagger]

The post about the Easter basket got me thinking. When does your DD/DS become aware enough to even start celebrating events?

Cocoa will only be six months old come Christmas time (maybe seven) and I keep telling DW not to worry about celebrating this year. I don't think DD will even care if we don't. I told her if anything just get some empty moving boxes with wrapping paper if SHE must get pictures.

I was thinking of not even having a big deal for her first birthday except a get together with other parents to celebrate surviving the first year. Yes I know I am in the minority and will probably get expelled from the forum for these thoughts, but honestly if they are not aware why go through the motions?

[barbarhow]

One of my favorite holiday memories is the year when my nephew was 2. He unwrapped a box of Fruit Loops and had never had a happier moment in his life. He ran around the room yelling "Loot Loops, Loot Loops" A big gift from his parents that was a much greater success than whatever it was that I had spent a fortune on. Lesson....the holidays at this point are more for us, grandparents, etc. than the child. I figure enjoy it while it lasts. And stock up on your Loot Loops.

[brubeck]

Yes your child won't really be aware of what's going on but the holiday is for you too! Don't skip a holiday just because you child won't be aware, you'll be depressed as well. If it's too much for your wife then come December you can pitch in.

And although your child won't get most of it, there are still things for him to enjoy. For example, my daughter loved looking at the Christmas lights from birth. Yes, from birth because she was born on Thanksgiving. When they went away in January you could tell that she missed them. And that was at 6 weeks old. The next year she learned how to rip into wrapping paper. It's TONS of fun to see a 12 month/13 month old struggle with wrapping paper knowing that it HAS to come off! :-)

Basically, don't kill yourself to give your baby the 'perfect' holiday, but throw it for yourself and make sure he is included. You'll be glad you did.

[sweetbasil]

Flagger,
I've got to echo the other posts here...while DS had no clue about the egg hunting thing at Easter when he was 5 mo. old, I love seeing the differences in him from year to year when we do the egg hunts- this year will be his third, and it's the first time he's told people that he's been "rilly rilly sweet so da bunny wul bring me a baskit"

You might especially enjoy such photo ops, Flagger; I've made a page on our family website that's called Then and Now, where I place a picture from years past next to a current one- so this year, I can line up his Easter pics and let family/friends really see how much he's grown.

Not to say you have to go all out at holidays- this past year for Christmas we took a big family (my parents, sister/BIL, me, DH, & DS) trip to Telluride and didn't exchange gifts. Santa brought DS a coloring book, and his sweet aunt and uncle got him a reading book, and he was totally thrilled with both. We figure it's one of the last years we could be cheap and him not think he was cheated out of something.... :)

[kapow]

What a great story! :)

[egoldber]

I have to agree with the others. Holidays are a time for family. So I completely agree with not buying a ton of gifts, especially the first few years. (But be prepared with a list of things you would like for Cocoa for the next 6 months or so, so that you can have a quick answer for other folks who WILL want to get her gifts.) And this last holiday season, when Sarah was around 16 months, she got a huge kick out of opening gifts, watching others open gifts, her younger cousins got a kick out of helping her open gifts, etc. So while she won't remember her first holidays, you and your DW will, and she will enjoy hearing about it when she is older.

And as far as birthdays go, you don't need to do a huge celebration. But we invited over a few of Sarah's playmates and a couple neighborhood kids. She had a really good time, I made her a special "big girl" party dress and everyone had a lot of fun. Again, I think a lot of these things are about traditions and memories, but not about the gifts. And your first child will only turn one once.

But of course, you and your DW need to work out your own family traditions and do what will be special for your family.

HTH,

[stella]

I may be wrong, but I doubt it. (that's the name of Charles Barclay's new book - I saw him today on Oprah - and I think it applies here.)

Dont' even bother saying what you are and aren't going to do, because once that little Cocoa enters the world, you'll be a changed man. I don't care how prepared you think you are. It's mind-boggling.

My dh was Mr. Practicality and so tight when it came to discretionary spending, and now nothing but the finest will do for our babies (22 mos and 5 months). We have more toys and more things that dh bought because he thinks the babies will really like it. Even if it's for 3 year olds or exorbitantly expensive.

You may not want to go overboard on Christmas, but I wouldn't miss the photo ops for anything. We didn't buy our little boy much for his 1st Christmas (he was 6 months), but part of the reason was that we were bursting at the seams with his stuff already. Get ready to be overtaken by giant plastic gear all through your house. I'm pretty convinced it's unavoidable.

Like you said, the baby may not appreciate the holiday, but YOU will and you will laugh at the idea that you were going to just skip it.

Good Luck!

[ddmarsh]

Creating holiday memories with my children is so incredible I often pause and wonder what on earth will be the point of continuing holidays when they're "too big" for it all. There is honestly nothing like it on earth, particularly when they begin to become aware of it but even beforehand I really enjoy it. I agree with what someone above mentioned about life post-child(ren) - you really can't anticipate what it is going to be like and I think for most people it turns out to be far more than you could have possibly dreamed. Enjoy it, they really are little for such a short time.

Debbie