Due Around Christmas

They will possibly expect Santa to bring something to the baby whether he/she is in the hospital or not, I'd plan for that.

Congratulations!

M

One of mine was due on Christmas Day. He came a few days before thankfully. We had the whole thing planned out though. We told our older child that Santa would totally understand and wait to come after his brother was born. Santa would not forget him and would not be mad that he had to make the extra trip, he'd actually be happy because it was a special reason. My oldest was younger than yours are but the message is the same.
As far as family. The plan was if he wasn't here yet by Christmas or if he came before, Family Christmas was at our house but I wasn't doing any of the cooking or planning. The family would cook everything and bring it over. If he came that day, well then we'd spend the day at the birth center and Christmas would be at a later date.
There is no reason things absolutely have to be exactly on the 25th. Having a baby is a good reason to change the date if needed. The celebration is still the same, the date on the calendar is not nearly as important. We are a family with a lot of right around Christmas birthdays so we're all used to it. And even still, having a baby is a good reason to rearrange traditions to work for you and baby. There will be plenty of years ahead where you won't have to.
Relax. It isn't that hard to make things work out.

Just have everything hidden and ready to set out, and let their dad do the Santa thing at home with them. Then they can all come see you and tell you about the wonderful stuff Santa brought.

Shop AND WRAP now. Hide it well. Most important, make your hubby take over this year. You'll have your hands full!!

And anything last minute you should plan to do online.

Feel great!!

Try to have everything ready before hand and stashed where your husband or some other trusted family member can assist. If you are in the hospital overnight on Christmas Eve, have them put the gifts out for you. The kids will see that Santa came. If you are coming home on Christmas, have them open something small in the morning and open the rest when you get home. If you will still be in the hospital through Christmas maybe have hubby bring a few things to the hospital for them to open (small things that may occupy them). As for the Santa gifts...you could either have them wait or have hubby record/take lots of picture for you. Decide ahead of time.

I have a friend that was due on Christmas, go figure she went into laboe late Christmas Eve...she got the kids up early to tell them Santa came and watched them open gifts...then off to have the baby.

I like the idea of shopping and wrapping now, or at least DONE by Thanksgiving at the latest. Then someone else can do the routine if you can't be there.

Congratulations!

It's usually 2 weeks give or take around the due date.
You could easily deliver before Christmas or after New Years.
Try to have gifts bought and wrapped before Thanksgiving - Halloween would be better.
You know how exhausting the last few months can be so get as much done as you can before then.
If anyone offers to help cook around the holidays - accept it!

If you are in the hospital, do Christmas when you get home. I had to do it when I had emergency surgery. It's only a date in a calendar.

My Aunt had my cousin on Christmas Eve. She had everything wrapped and under the tree. She demanded to come home Christmas morning so she was able to share Christmas with her other 2. Good luck and congrats on your baby.

I would plan to have everything bought and wrapped a month early. If you're in the hospital at the time, dad will have to put out the presents. Do you have the ability to skype or facetime? We have an ipad and I have an iphone, so if that were to happen to us, I could watch them/participate that way, and then they could bring their favorite to the hospital to show you in person. I have a friend who's sister is in India, and that's how their family has done birthdays and Christmas for the last year or so while they've been over there (over facetime). Technology is amazing!

If you want, they could pack the presents Santa left them (if they're not too big) and bring them to the hospital to open with you, just make sure hubby brings a trash bag for all the wrapping paper and stuff. You may not be able to have a traditional Christmas dinner or whatever, but you could still have a nice time celebrating. When my son was born in May, my 7 year old spent all day Sunday with us (and most of it on my bed with me and her brother) and then went home that night with her dad, and came after school on Monday to hang until bed time. As long as you're feeling ok enough for visitors, you could still spend the whole day together, and family could come visit if you want. The baby will likely sleep the majority of the time.

If you want the room to be Christmasy, you could make a construction paper tree to tape to the wall and have the kids decorate or something like that.

Try to have family or other help that are planning on staying with you for the baby's birth and first few weeks (wouldn't that be good advice for anyone giving birth, anytime? lol). They can put out the presents the night before if you are in labor.

You kiddos are old enough that they will probably be excited and curious about the new sibling (maybe as much as 'Santa'); maybe they can shop for a gift or make a Christmas/Welcome card to bring to the hospital as well.

I was due around Christmas so we bought and wrapped everything well in advance. We cancelled all outside family plans because I didn't want any of us to catch something with a new arrival about to join us and I didn't want to deal with extra stress. We planned on my husband conducting Christmas without me.

In reality our baby arrived a few days early so it worked out better. I pushed to be sent home on Christmas Eve and my doctor agreed. We got celebrate as a family at home with the new addtion. Either way don't stress. Everyone will be doubly excited - new arrival and Christmas. Congratulations.

My twins were due december 26th...but were born in October! As soon as I found out they were twins (and one twin had cardiac issues) I went into X mas mode. I got our first 'fake' tree...and shopped like a crazy woman. Good thing I did, because one twin came home before T day, but the other was still in the NICU awaiting a hospital to take her for her first heart surgery. That surgery came in december, just before x mas.

All was wrapped and ready for the other kids, and I headed to Philly (from va) with both twins. I had wonderful friends there that allowed me to stay with them, and I called the other kiddos on x mas morning. They had each opened a present, but asked if they could come to ME and the twins to open the rest!

So, the next day, my now ex packed ALL 5 of the other kiddos (7 and younger) up in the van with ALL the presents...and we had a second x mas.

Kids are pretty resilient in my experience. Do what you can, and DO try to plan ahead...but be flexible. Kiddos will be flexible as well!

Good luck!
And congrats!!

We always went to my grandparents' house for Christmas, which meant leaving on the 21st or 22nd. When we went to see Santa at the mall, my dad always let him know when we would be leaving so that he knew when to deliver our presents.

Kids don't care about the actual date, just so they get presents. If you are in the hospital on Christmas morning, maybe have Santa bring a note letting them know that the presents are waiting for them at the hospital (maybe you have a relative or friend who could bring the gifts to your room ahead of time so the kids don't catch Dad doing it). Or you could just not take chances and have Santa come early.

I wouldn't do it after Christmas if you can avoid it, but that's just because your kids are young and would have trouble being patient.

Try to have FUN with it, whatever you do.

Congratulations!
-Shop now.
-Wrap now.
-Hide these gifts in a bin (make sure it's not see through). Hide this bin
in the garage, basement or attic.
-Have a separate bin for "Gifts From Santa". Don't write that on the bin but alert hubby that those are the gifts to put out on Christmas morning
or however you do it in your family.
-If you are actually in the hospital ON Christmas, tell hubby to put out the
gifts from you & he (on the day you always do it), put out the Santa gifts
whenever you do it (morning before they wake up?), then to come & see
you in the hospital w/the kids. Reserve 1 sm gift for each child AND hubby in your overnight bag you've packed for hospital to open together
when they come visit you. I'd, also, add mini stockings w/candy canes, chocolate kisses etc. Have a stocking & a gift for the baby.
-Make sure you have gifts for the baby's first Christmas (blanket, stuffed
animal for baby's room).
-Don't forget to pack a camera to take a picture of baby's first Christmas.
-Maybe get a stocking that says "Baby's First Christmas".
-Get 1 new, cute ornament (a tradition we love to do) for each child. Buy
online now or at a year round Christmas store.
Remember to just plan early (now) then to relax & take care of yourself. Happy Holidays!