What to buy for Christmas?!

I have NO idea what to buy my DS for Xmas. He will be 9months then. This is obv his first Christmas and i would really like to make it special for him.

I dont want to be one of those mums who overload their kids with plastic toys, as he probably wouldnt know what to do with most of them.

Im not a big reader so thought it would be a bit pointless getting books as they would probably sit on his shelf with his other books.

He has heaps of clothes and i buy them anytime so didnt think it would be special enough for his first Xmas.

I know he wont care now but i want to make a big effort every Xmas for him cos i never really had Xmas's myself.

I also dont have a lot of money so it would have to be something i can lay-by.

Thank you for any ideas.

Oh i really like that idea of a Xmas decoration every year

Thanks

peanut - love the decoration idea...

Aithne - we didn't get DD2 much for xmas at all - she was 11 months. We were away camping so just got some beach toys, wee blow up pool, and few bits and pieces... with my oldest I went crazy buying xmas and bday pressies from the start but they are happy with the simplest things at that age so it's really not necessary... I agree with peanut re: wooden blocks but I actually found it hard to find some!

Freckle - I was actually wondering where to get some. But thought most toy shops would have them and i would look silly asking

Oh thanks. I will check them out

What about something for outside like a clam shell set for a sand pit? All kiddies like playing in sand and its fairly cheap or a swimming pool or ball tent/pit

We got given a train ball pit and it was a PITA. Never really got played with, took up heaps of room and just got in the way so we actually got rid of it.

DD will be 15 months and so far she is getting a bird bath toy from fisher price that is 6-36 months and maybe 1 or 2 small things.

Jack's first Xmas (almost 1) he got (and this is from everyone, not from us - we only spend $50 in total. Oh, added bday pressies in there too!):

-Playskool walker thing (converts walker to ride-on)
-Blow up ball pit/paddling pool with 50 balls
-Push along musical toy (loves it)
-Mega Bloks and Mega Bloks truck
-Togs
-Sippy cup (for big boys to get him off the bottle
)
-Drum kit (miniature - blame the MIL)
-Wooden puzzles
-Musical toys
-Clamshell sandpit and sandpit toys
-Motorised quad bike (again blame the MIL)
-Books
-Camp chair
-Sleeping bag
That's all I can remember anyway. The best ones were the blocks (he already had wooden ones), sandpit toys (uses them in the garden when sandpit's not in use), his walker, and then all the camping stuff (would have needed it anyway).

There are some great suggestions in this thread.

I have to buy 2 'big' presents, DS 1st birthday is the 26th :/

I am definitely going to do the decoration idea as well :)

Edited by _kellie_