Any parent with little ones will know that preparing for the Christmas season can be a stressful and costly operation. With every household feeling the pinch more than ever right now, many parents will be on the hunt for discounts and offers to make their money stretch further for their families this festive season.
Ocado have got some amazing deals across their baby and toddler essentials and Christmas gift range throughout November. They kindly gifted my family a voucher to spend on their most popular products to see if they get my (and my children’s) seal of approval.
With three month old Sunny and three and a half year old Rudy at home, the amount of free time I have for shopping is virtually non-existent. Shopping with Ocado was super easy, and I loved being able to order Christmas gifts from a range of trusted brands, alongside my weekly shop.
The cherry on the cake was free next day delivery (when you spend over £60) and being able to select time slots of just one hour – the dream!
Want to know the verdict? Here’s a round-up of my baby and toddler Christmas favourites:
M&S clothing at Ocado
I absolutely love these M&S festive pieces for Sunny to help us celebrate her first Christmas. Made from responsibly sourced cotton, this cord dungaree and vest set has already been earmarked for Christmas day, along with the coordinating ‘Baby’s first Christmas bib’.
The fabric is soft and high quality and will definitely stand the test of time, making it a good hand-me-down.
And is it even Christmas without Christmas pyjamas? Sunny will be the cutest gift beside the tree in this adorable Christmas present onesie, again made from responsibly sourced cotton and super soft for baby’s skin.
I’d say both outfits are true to size. Sunny is around 6.5kg and fits nicely in three to six months with room for a cloth nappy.
Baby and toddler books and toys
I absolutely love the Sophie La Girafe So Pure Trio which is a classic first gift for any teething baby. Rudy’s first Sophie is barely recognisable as a giraffe these days, so having a new one for Sunny (plus spares!) is a winner.
There is a ‘buy one, add one for half price’ offer across lots of baby and toddler books. We loved the Touch and Feel Merry Christmas and That’s not my Dinosaur, which are perfect for developing sensory and language awareness in little ones. Sunny loved exploring the textured pages, and the Christmas book was ideal for Rudy to practice festive vocabulary in the lead up to Santa’s arrival.
Rudy loved teaching Sunny about colour, size and shape with the Melissa and Doug Rainbow Stacker – a timeless, screen free toy that can be enjoyed by little ones aged 18 months+. A real bargain at only £6.40.
Practical gifting for new and busy parents
Practical presents for new mums and dads are always a massive win. Whilst they might not feel like the most exciting gift, anything that makes life easier for knackered parents is going to be well received.
For the eco-conscious parent keen to dip their toe in the reusable nappy world, the Bambino Mio all-in-one nappy is a great place to start. It goes on just like a disposable nappy, is easily washed and comes in gorgeous designs like this sweet lemon drop.
You can save 20% on these nappies until 29th November – a perfect way to experiment with cloth nappies and see if they’re for you.
Of course, disposable nappies have their place too. The Pampers character pull-up pants have been a God-send for Rudy who still needs a nappy for nighttime, but isn’t hugely keen on the idea.
These cool character pants with a superhero design well and truly won him over. They get my vote too because they do everything a decent nappy should – easy on, 12 hours of protection, easy tear sides and a little sticky tab for disposal.
The character pants go up to size seven so they’re great for bigger kids who still need the protection of a nappy but want to feel like they’re in big girl or boy pants.
WaterWipes make messy nappy changes so much easier and feel a lot nicer on baby’s delicate skin than basic supermarket wipes. They’re well worth the additional cost in my opinion. If you stock up now, you can save 15% on Ocado’s bumper packs which helps bring the cost down.
For a practical stocking filler, Child’s Farm Hair and Body Wash is a great shout. The products are cruelty-free, vegan, organic and made from 97% natural ingredients. Rudy’s skin is prone to eczema, but I didn’t find this body wash irritated his skin at all – and the Sweet Orange wash made his hair smell amazing too!
What better gift is there than the gift of sleep? The Halo Sleepsack Swaddle is the best one I have seen, with a zip fastening and an easy Velcro wrap, making swaddling your baby a piece of cake – with three different arm position options.
These particular ones are better for warmer weather as the tog is only 1.5, but I would definitely recommend them for any newborns due in the Spring or Summer.
Weaning gifts for babies and toddlers
Ocado have offers on loads of baby and toddler meals and snacks – a great way to put together a family Christmas hamper.
Rudy is a big fan of the Organix Raspberry and Apple soft oaty bars, and we also tried the Little Freddie Italian Grain Pouch for the introductory price of £1.
The pouches, aimed at 1-4 year olds, are really easy to heat and can be eaten cold too – great for when you’re on the go or travelling around this Christmas. The pouches come in two other flavours and are on offer until 29th November.
Sunny will start weaning in the New Year which I’m excited about, but had also been dreading the inevitable mess! Cue the BiBADOO, which is basically the gift of time for busy parents.
Waterproof, adjustable, wipe clean and machine washable, the BiBADOO goes on like an overall, but stretches over baby’s highchair tray, pram or table to catch any mess – saving you a good hour of cleaning up every day!
The fabric is really soft, high quality, and will last your baby throughout their weaning journey. They’re a bit of an investment full price, but you can save 1/3 on the yellow BiBADOO coverall before 29th November. I’m stocking up!
To accompany Sunny’s weaning journey, I also love the Badabulle silicone compartment plate, which is anti-slip and perfect for babies and toddlers who love to swipe!
The compartments are generous sizes and the inner corners are curved, making it easier for babies to scoop and grasp with fingers or utensils. It’s definitely not completely baby-proof, but had a good grip against most surfaces that I tried at home. And the bear design is adorable too!
Good luck with your Christmas shopping. I hope these tips and recommendations help to make it as stress-free as possible and give you some good gifting ideas for little ones.
Merry Christmas from my family to yours!
Browse baby Christmas gifts at Ocado. Get 25% off your first order (minimum spend £60) and three months of unlimited free delivery with code: VOU6344229
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