How much would you spend..

[Mabuisakura]

on a 6 month old baby?

I will have one by Christmas and I have no idea what I should get and be frugal. What would you do?

[tinapbeana]

honestly? everyone i know says kids are happiest playing with the boxes. my parents have photographic evidence that this was the case with me!

perhaps a cute outfit and start a savings account for the child? start a tradition of deposits for every Christmas and birthday.

[kunoichi]

Hmm....I think a lot of that depends on personal views. Because a 6 month old won't really be too picky on their Christmas present :-). I would probably get things that they could appreciate when they are older since it will be their first Christmas. Maybe a "Baby's first Christmas" ornament, special keepsakes, etc. On the practical side you could always get some good outfits!

[The Budget Man]

One of the happiest Christmas Day's for our children when they were little was when there were a couple of cousins and the four little ones played and crawled through the wrapping paper from the gifts.

The fun is getting the gift and playing with the paper.

Enjoy this Christmas
The Budget Man

www.PersonalityBudgeting.com for the easy way to not blow the budget this season.

[PRICEPLUS]

I like Tina's idea of a savings account!

[beebop25blue25]

For a 6 month old?? They don't have a clue that they are even supposed to get gifts on Christmas, but I know the parents do and that is basically who you are pleasing at such a young age. I'd go to yard sales, thrift stores, consignment shops, etc. and get a few age appropriate toys and spend maybe $25.00 total. Wrap each one individually so that it appears to be alot and do like tina said, open a savings account for the little one and save!! Believe me, I have 5 kids, and they can't hardly even tell you what they got last Christmas, but they can tell you what we did, what games we played, who came over, etc. You wanna make Christmas special, but make it about the getting together, the meal that you share, the making of cookies, good memories, not about presents!

[Aleta]

I think for that age that clothing is appropriate. You really can't get enough for pajamas, socks, and the like. The baby will outgrow everything so quickly.

[tinapbeana]

another thought: maybe start a collection of ornaments made by little susie or billy. you can get a box of the 18 count balls for cheap and use non-toxic paint that washes up with water. each year let susie/billy decorate the ball however they want, clean him/her up and then spray varnish the ball to protect the paint job. as long as the materials are non-toxic, i would think even a 6 month old could have fun finger painting a bit, or be 'convinced' to put a handprint on an ornament.

my mom, sister, & i did this with blown out easter eggs, and still have a collection we painted from ages 8-15 or so...

[creditcardfree]

A classic board book such as Goodnight Moon. A teether ring. Spillproof cups. Just my 2 cents. I also have a young baby to buy for...less than 3 months! As far as how much to spend, that is a personal decision based on your budget. When first daugher was less than a year I only bought 3 gifts, just because she didn't know what to expect. For my nephew this year I only have about $10 to $15 budgeted, since he is one of 9 neices and nephews.

[Ima saver]

I honestly would not get anything for a baby that young. I like the savings acount idea.

[fairy74]

I'm with Ima let the little one crawl through all the shiny paper. Start the savings account, a six month old has no idea what presents are...

[threebeansalad]

Board books (children's books with the sturdy pages that don't tear). Check out TJ Maxx and similar stores for lower prices than bookstores. IMHO, kids can have too many toys and clothes, but kids can never have too many books.

[cschin4]

I would just a few toys at Goodwill.

[Hez]

Haha, I have a picture of myself as a baby playing with a large box. Apparently I was fascinated by it!

I like kunoichi's idea of a keepsake "Baby's first Christmas" ornament. After all, the child will only get one first Christmas (even though he/she won't remember it!).

Personally, if it was my child anything after some sort of keepsake gift would be practical, like little socks or outfits, or anything else the child needs.

[SavedintheCity]

As a person who has done a great deal of financial self analysis, let me tell you what I would do. Assuming that it's your baby (I can't remember from your post if it is) I would buy the baby one or two oufits, not speding over $25-$50 on them. Then I would do one of three things:

1. purchase $100-$500 worth of 10-year Tbills.

2. Open an ING or Emigrant Bank online MMA transfer $100-$500 into it.

3. Open a 529 college savings plan. I am not sure what sort of buy-in you need (some like IRA's will require $2,500 to start). If you can open one add $100-$500.

Do one or all, or a combination of these each Christmas. Principal alone for these over this time will be $1,800 (thinking until kid goes to college here if you get the drift of this post). As a somewhat recent grad school graduate let me tell you this: student debt is some of the worst debt you can have. Despite the comparatively low interest rates, it hits you at the most vulnerable time in your financial life: right after graduation from college. Give your child the gift of freedom, lower the amount of student debt that your child must have after graduation.

[markio26]

i would buy a nice throw... that is very soft... kids love binkys for the car ride... that should cost about twenty bucks... maybe a small toy to hold in their hands and mouth.. maybe a teething toy...

[jodi]

My son was born two days before Christmas - very hard to shop for a 2 day old baby I decided that I would purchase savings bonds for the kids on each birthday - one grandmother buys them savings bonds for Christmas and the other buys them shares of stock. Any young children that I buy Christmas gifts for gets a $50 savings bonds and a small gift to open - usually a book or an outfit (total cost: about $30).
Honestly, I was never a big fan of the keepsake ornaments. Maybe my kids will enjoy them when they get older - maybe not. But a new baby will probably get plenty of those for Christmas.

[PrincessPerky]

Last year I had a 2.5 month old, that was tough! (though easier than a 2.5 day old!)

I have three kids and we really do just a stocking and a gift...no need to drown them in gifts, they get plenty of time to play with theirs and their siblings. Christmas here is not about the present opening, it is about the present playing .

For a 6 month old I would get something like a 'hide in side' it is a soft cloth box, with I think 6 small toys inside. the toys rattle, or squeak, or crinkle, and have different textures/shapes. At 6 months your kid might be filling and dumping, or they may be just holding and shaking...(or more/less) but the hide inside concept will be fun even if he/she is only watching you shake stuff.

The actual hide inside I have is from discovery toys. but if you can sew you could prolly make one, and I am sure there are other companies that make them.

[MonkeyMama]

Last year I had a 6 month old and I probably got him toys so he wouldn't feel left out (older sibling). My first got a high chair at 6 months from grandma. Clothes would be my first choice. Maybe an exersaucer. Just trying to think of things that may come in handy that you may not have yet. Clothes is probably #1. Diapers too - hehe.

They will be happy with the boxes and paper!!!!! That is for sure.

[dossin1]

My dd was 4 months old her first Christmas, and she didn't have a clue. I think we got her 1 small toy and that was plenty. What we did though, was buy her a Christmas plaid sleeper and took lots of pictures of her under the tree. That was lots of fun. I don't think we really bought a significant amount of gifts until the kids were maybe 3 or 4. Before that they didn't really appreciate anything, it was just too overwhelming. I say save your money and put it in the college fund.