Planning for a Holiday Baby
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Today’s post is from Lauren Hill, the Mama in Mama’s Laundry Talk. We are so much on the same wavelength. I love reading what she writes. Today she shares how she’s preparing for a new baby at the holidays. I can so relate since two FishBabies were born in November. It’s a wonderful time to have a baby, especially when you plan ahead.
I have never had the pleasure of having a “Holiday Baby” – one that comes right around the Thanksgiving/Christmas Holidays. My other three children have birthdays in March and April. Having a baby so close to Thanksgiving and Christmas makes me realize that things are going to be a little different for us this year.
My Baby #4 is due on November 18th, and as you all know that means he/she could arrive a few weeks early, or even into December. Even though it is just July, I’ve given a lot of thought to what our Thanksgiving/Christmas Season may look like this year with a new baby to swoon over. And what I would like for it to look like.
Thinking Ahead
My biggest goal this Thanksgiving and Christmas Season? For it to be simple and peaceful. No running around at the last minute, no fighting crowds and minimal anxiety to “get it all done.” As with any newborn, I want to cherish this time when they are little and soak it in to my core. Those newborn days are so fleeting and I don’t want to miss them because I’m worried about other things like shopping and baking.
Setting Goals
So I’ve mapped out my Master Plan of having a peaceful holiday season. Here’s what I’m planning:
All of my Christmas Gifts are going to be purchased by November 1st.
I will tolerate no excuses from myself, as I am determined to have this hefty item checked off of my to-do list by November 1. The thoughts of going shopping in those post-partum days instead of snuggling with a new little one are not happy thoughts for this Mama. My goal is to have my complete Christmas List made by August 15th and start quickly thereafter to check them off. This list includes everyone we buy for: family, friends, teachers, etc.
All of my Christmas Cards will be signed, addressed and stamped, also by November 1st.
We don’t send nearly as many cards as we used to, so this task shouldn’t take terribly long. Because I bought Christmas Cards at an After-Christmas Sale last year, I’ve already got what I need and can get started any time.
I’m going to stock our freezer with at least 30 meals.
That sounds a little daunting to a very pregnant mom-to-be, but I know what a tremendous blessing it is to walk to the freezer and pull out dinner. Especially when you are in the last days of pregnancy or enjoying a new little one. People are very willing to bring meals to a new mom, but not so eager during the holidays since schedules are always more hectic. So I plan for my freezer to be fully stocked going into the Thanksgiving Season. This includes a couple of quick breads and batches of cookies for us to enjoy since I doubt I’ll be up for much baking.
We are staying home this year.
We typically do quite a bit of in-state traveling during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Being with my family is truly one of the highlights of the Season for me. But this year, my husband and I have decided to stay home. Being in our own home is the ultimate peacefulness to me. Traveling with 4 small children? Not so much. Hopefully some family will visit us!
Remembering The WHY
I’m going to focus on the Real reason of Christmas.
Whether you have a new baby or not during the Christmas Season, it is so easy to lose sight of the Real reason we celebrate this time of year. Between shopping and crowds and all of the hubbub associated with that, it’s easy to believe that gift giving is why we celebrate. My family celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ during the Holiday Season, and I don’t want to dare lose sight of that this year. He is The Gift I am most grateful for. While I am cherishing the baby days, my prayer is for Him to be ever present on my mind.
Are you having a Holiday Baby? How are you preparing?
Are you utilizing Amazon Prime shipping and ordering only online? Are you skipping the formal Christmas pictures this year? Are you freezer cooking your entire Thanksgiving meal? Have you thought about creating a to-do list?
Share your ideas on preparing for a Holiday Baby.
We can’t wait to hear how you’re planning ahead this year! See you in the comments.
— Lauren Hill is the ‘Mama’ behind Mama’s Laundry Talk. She is so grateful for the opportunity to have a Holiday Baby and cannot wait to meet him or her!
My third child was born on Dec. 23. The other day my mother-in-law was listening to her singing Christmas songs and asked her why she liked those songs so much. “Because my birthday is at Christmas!” So far she thinks that is very special. Having a holiday baby can be difficult, but I have very special memories of being in the hospital room listening to the Cambridge Singers caroling the birth of the Christ child, while holding my own sweet babe in my arms. In the midst of the flurry, take time to appreciate the sacredness of your own new child, for they, too, are a gift from God.
Hi Lauren! Love this post.
My first was born 3 days after Christmas, so that year was filled with family in my home (since we couldn’t travel), doing all of the cooking and cleaning, while I was sprawled out on the couch. My best advice in that situation . . . let them. Let people help you. I tend to want to “control” everything about the Christmas experience, but sitting back and letting others help was such a blessing for me and for them.
Our second baby is due on January 5. My husband’s birthday is two days before Christmas, and I’m really cognizant of the timing. I hope the baby is late to avoid the holiday season. (I know, I won’t be saying that in December!)
I usually plan my Christmas purchases and tasks way ahead of time, but it’s easy to let time slip away from you. Thanks for this great list. I’m going to put everything in the calendar to get it done way ahead of time.
I think are so many of us that could write a book on this subject. My second child was born scheduled C-section 12/21/07. I pushed for the 21 so I could be released by the 24th. The first year was easy. One kid, each to get things done, had a deadline. It’s been since then that the holidays have been hard. Planning a birthday and hoping that others aren’t scheduled for Christmas parties, mixing the birthday decorations with the Christmas decorations, trying to make a point of making that day special. It’s hard.
We stayed home that first year obviously, but my Mother in Law planned a shower 5 hrs away when the baby was 7 days old. Don’t do that to your family members. It’s ridiculous. Don’t do that that.
Stay home. Relax. If you want family invite them, but make it clear that although you want to spend time with them, you can’t be the hostess.
Hold off on those Christmas cards. Make them New Year’s cards and slip in the baby announcement with them. Great way to save on postage. Sorry; I’m frugal.
Wow…this post hits SO close to home! My first was born via emergency c-section December 13th…12 days before Christmas, and my second, via repeat c-section, November 18th (your due date), six days before Thanksgiving (that year). I was in the hospital 10 weeks before having baby #1, so needless to say, Christmas shopping/planning was not done (by me, at least). My husband did the decorating. I was, however, able to return home the day before I was being induced for a few hours to check things out (after begging doctors…for my own sanity!) Though with my second, it was scheduled, so I knew well in advance that I would have to be very organized, and have things done ahead of schedule. I had all of my shopping done, and all wrapped, by November 1st, like you said. I had many meals frozen and for the ready in the freezer. (I did this in the summer, when I was feeling great!) I had the baby’s room all set by September 1, since I knew it was football season and I wouldn’t see my husband again until delivery day! After delivery, we returned home to a well organized home, with meals aplenty! We usually host Thanksgiving each year, but that year I was driven to and was a guest at my parents house. It was wonderful! It was such a relief to know I didn’t have to brave the holiday rush, as well. Baby and I were cozy at home…and prepared for the holidays!
Great post! My 2nd is due 1/1/11 and while I thought about gifts cards and wrapping totally slipped my mind. If this pregnancy is like my first the third trimester will be much harder on me than the actual first few weeks after birth. So I’m trying to get everything done NOW. My husband will think I’ve really flipped when he sees me searching for the Christmas cards this weekend!
This is so timely and helpful! We are expecting #2 on Christmas Eve this year! I just had a panic moment a few days ago when I realized I should probably start Christmas shopping now. I am thinking we will hold off on Christmas cards and send something out after baby is born as a sort of holiday card/baby announcement.
@Katie T.,
That’s a really great idea to incorporate a birth announcement and Christmas Card! I’ll have to think about how to work that…
And it’s more frugal too, considering stamps are a whopping $0.44!!! Yikes!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
-Lauren
@MamaLaundry, @Katie T., with our holiday babies, we made business cards for them on the computer. They were easy to make at the last minute and slip into the Christmas cards. 😉
@Katie T., I am due Dec. 6 with #2. We use computerized address labels for Christmas cards so my plan was to go through them sometime in Sept and make sure everyone’s addresses are current, etc. I am also going to make sure our 3 year old has a nice Christmas outfit for a photo op. and get the baby a first Christmas onesie or sleeper or something. As soon as we get home from the hospital (like the next day), we are snapping pictures in the outfits, sending them off to make photo cards/birth announcement combos! In past years I have used Walmart and I am pretty sure I could pick them up within a day or 2 of ordering. Last year I did the 100 free photocards on See Here and got them within days too but if anyone is running a similar promotion this year, we may miss out b/c we will obviously have to wait until baby is here to make the cards! So anyway, then we just stick address labels and stamps on the envelopes, seal them up and mail!
@a, to add: a friend of ours did a combo birth announcement/photo card a few years ago. The older sister is named Ava and it said, “Ava’s first gift of the Christmas season..” and showed Ava holding the baby.
oh, the nesting will help you get those freezer meals stocked away if you are anything like I was!
I have been blessed with, not one, but two holiday babies! My first two children (born three years apart) share a birthday, just a few days days before Christmas. I’ve learned to start planning for their birthdays way in advance, and we usually celebrate it the first weekend in December. Even though that month gets busy, our family and friends are still in the holiday spirit and are eager to attend their birthday party. To cut down on costs and not go completely insane, I try to incorporate Christmas into whatever theme their birthdays are for that year. By God’s grace it all works out!
Our 3rd child is due in october and I’m planning to make this Christmas season as stress free as possible. Instead of gifts for others we are doing Christmas boxes for Operation Christmas Child and I hope to have those completed before baby gets here. I’m going to be doing a few simple homemade things for the kids and planning to have that done before baby gets here as well. Already have 12 meals in the freezer and working on 18 more.