Toddler Christmas

[dreamcometrue]

Hi everyone,
I know there are little bits of this in all different threads but I need the whole shebang really. Our beautiful ds will be 2yrs 3months old at Christmas. We adopted him 7weeks ago so this will be our first family Christmas. We have no idea how to toddlerfy Christmas, what he will and won't be old enough for. Help would be much appreciated on all aspects but in particular:
Stocking
Presents
The day
Run up
Presents he can help to make.

I'm beyond excited already but I know I need to be realistic too.
Thanks everyone

[TheresLotsOfFarmyardAnimals]

Ooh my DS will be 2.5 and I'm hoping that he may understand part of what's going on. I'll get a few Christmassy books for the build up.

From seeing DS's cousins, I think less is more re presents and spread out over the day a bit. They get very overwhelmed.

You and he can make some cards for your DP and any grandparents. DS 'helped' me to wrap too as he just loves helping.

You could start collecting one nice bauble a year for him too? My MIL has done this and has lovely decorations that don't particularly match but mean a lot. It's a nice tradition.

Congratulations on your new DS. Hope you're adjusting okay - parenting is a bit of a shock to the system!!

[Groovester]

Cut out card snowflakes and get him to decorate them with paint/glitter then hang them in your windows. We also hand make cards for close family members.
Gingerbread man making and decorating is another tradition here.

[Memphisbelly]

Ooh how exciting.
A tradition we stated was to take ds to pick a bauble for tree every year (we then date it)
Christmas cards you use a pic of ds with Father Christmas or one we did last year thumb prints in red and green handprints (holly) done by ds?
The mince pie, drink and carrot left for FC

[LadyAlysVorpatril]

How exciting for you! You can def get him helping with wrapping presents but don't expect him to be able to refrain from trying to open them right away. Going for a walk to look at everyone s Christmas lights is fun. I found wrapping kids presents in tissue paper helped so he could open them without help. You could make Christmas biscuits together with star cutters. He will be able to help decorate the tree.

[Groovester]

And yes to a new tree decoration every year, the idea being that when the child grows up and leaves (sob!) they can take their collection with them to start their own trees off.

[Memphisbelly]

We also get ds christmas pj's and a christmas film for christmas eve. In the run up letting him help with the tree is lovely and going to the local town/city to see christmas lights.
Decorating christmas biscuits maybe?

[TheGoop]

Is there a steam train Santa trip near you? That can be fun.

[lostlalaloopsy]

How lovely!! It will be a lovely exciting time for the whole family!

We make salt dough decorations using hand/foot prints and then decorate with paint and lots of glitter. I also make gift tags using dcs footprints, they make really interesting reindeer!! Make cards/pictures for grandparents/aunties. Have a look on Pinterest, there are loads of ideas for toddler christmas activities.

We put out a Christmas Eve hamper of new pjs, bubble bath, toothbrush and a new book - although I think I enjoy that more!

Last year my ds was just about 2 and he had a complete melt down for the whole day. I think it was too much toys/sweets/visiting for him to cope with. So this year I'm cutting way back on presents and getting people to come to us.

[attheendoftheday]

Dd1 was 2.6 last year, and she understood quite a lot about what was going on. We had a few books about christmas which helped, so we could talk about what was going to happen (Lucy and Tom's Christmas by Shirley Hughes was particularly good at describing a nice, normal christmas).

Things I learnt:

1. Do not get drunk before attampting to sneak in with the christmas stocking. It is very nerve wracking!
   
2. Don't have too many presents, and spread them out through the day.
   
3. Don't expect to have a long lunch around the table, it's too boring for little ones (dp and I sat and enjoyed ours, but let the dc get down and play round our feet after they had finished).
   
4. Getting out of the house for a walk breaks the day up nicely, particularly if there's a toy you can take along (eg scooter, new backpack, buggy etc).

[dreamcometrue]

Thanks everyone, I like the idea of the salt dough footprint decorations.
I think people are going to go over the top with presentsas ghe's first grandchild ob one side and first grandson on the other. Might have to have a word. :-)
Like the idea of a physical toy too that we can take out
Will get a few Christmas books too. What other things do you do for the run up? We want to do a nice Santa visit, walk for fir cones and light switch ons. Anything else?
Again thank you so much and for the congratulations. Still can't believe he's ours if I'm honest :-) .

[MumofWombat]

DS was 2.8 last Christmas. He LOVED the advent calendar in the lead up, loved the tree (and in particular the train we have that goes on a circular track around the bottom of the tree), hated going to see Santa, got very overwhelmed with gifts - he just wanted to play with the first two or three that were opened, I ended up opening most of them!
Craft wise, he loved painting and throwing glitter at salt dough decorations. Totally recommend that.
I started collecting a decoration per year when I was pregnant. The plan is to give them to DS & now DD when they are 18.
Many congratulations on becoming a Mum, take lots of photos of your first Christmas.

[Angie1978]

Many congratulations xxx

Christmas bed sheets For December were top in our house last year and we also make Christmas cards and decorations with masses of pine cones, glitter and glue.

December the first and every Sunday there after is also declared Christmas jumper day and film day. You do own elf, Santa Clause and nativity? If not you may start buying now we're already watching them!

[GTbaby]

We go to a pottery cafe and paint baubles for the tree. That was fun.

Find out about Santa visits. Harrods open bookings in September.

[WaitMonkey]

Congratulations on your brand new son. Lot's of good idea's already posted. But if you're looking for good Christmas books, I'd recommend Father Christmas needs a wee. Brilliant book.
Oh, and obviously The Night before Christmas.

[KnittedJimmyChoos]

what a glorious post, how exciting for you....someone said they didnt put any decks up till xmas eve, and it blew the head off child when came down xmas morning, I imagine this would be amazing but I couldnt do it, time wise and want decks up earlier..but one year would be amazing.

lots of smells, oranges etc.....

[TheDayOfMyDoctor]

Aw, how lovely. We made salt dough decorations (and used Christmas shaped cutters) for the tree when DS was that age to give to grandparents as gifts.

We also made cards together - google for ideas. Reindeer thumb prints, Christmas tree potato prints etc.

We like going to choose a tree together - decorating while listening to Christmas tunes then milky hot choc with marshmallows watching a Christmas movie.

On Christmas Eve, we hear reindeer bells while DS is in the bath and as if by magic a Christmas hamper appears with Christmas pj's, a new Christmas book (night before Christmas was the first one and appears every year since), our stockings, a little Christmas chocolate treat.

[TheDayOfMyDoctor]

Presents wise - the big successes that stick out for that age were duplo and mini micro scooter.

[Lovelydiscusfish]

My dd loves the Christmas in the Mouse House book. It has lots of flaps to lift, and has a lovely, gentle story-line, and touches on various secular Christmas traditions (Christmas trees, Santa, gifts, decorations, meal etc).
Congratulations on your ds!

[dreamcometrue]

Ahh thanks everyone!
Ds needs things explained verrryyyy well before we do anything else he just cannot cope so books are great. Because of this he just would explode with all Christmas decorations and presents on one day so think we will sideline that.
Love the idea of sleigh bells when in the bath. He'd love that.
Definetly going to make decs for presents too. I'm off until march with him so we have time to do stuff which is wonderful.
(Think know I'm more excited than him)

[simplicitea]

Congratulations on your ds this thread has made me so excited for christmas with dd this year as she will be 2.8 and will understand a lot more.

Second the new pjs appearing outside the bathroom door while dc have their xmas eve bath. We also have a onesie day boxing day, a nice chilled day just to play with new toys, watch tons of christmas tv/films and eat lots of gorgeous picky food. Always nice as our christmas day is often hectic with lots of family etc.

[InternetFOREVER]

Congratulations on your lovely new DS!
You'll probably need to reign things in a bit this year - keep routines as stable as possible and just add a christmas theme to usual activities. Sounds from your last post though that you're well aware, and are a brilliant parent to your DS.

[Lucked]

We are planning to do the elf on the shelf this year, I know it's really american but my son will find the mischeif hysterical.

We also make our own advent calendar with little gifts.

We have a smart tv and Skype the grandparents who we don't see on the day during present opening which is lovely.

[SuchSweetSorrow]

oh how lovely and exciting for you!

My twins were about the same age last Christmas- they liked the xmas pyjamas and a christmas book christmas eve after a festive bath! (I did mean to include these things in a Christmas eve hamper but didn't in the end due to having family round)

Yes to making decs, christmas shaped biscuits etc. Lots of lovely crafty stuff in the run up.

Have a wonderful first Christmas together!