7 Easy Tips for Celebrating Your Baby’s First Christmas

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Between the hot cocoa and long shopping lists, it’s as clear as ice that the holidays have officially begun. But while it might seem a little like last year with the same old Starbucks lattes and that sparkly décor lining your home, there’s one true thing that promises to make this year your most special yet: your baby.

If you had a baby this year, December will be their first Christmas! However, with them being so young and adorably cooing their way through stinky diapers, how do you make this festive time of year fun for someone who won’t remember?

To help revel in the magic of the season and create memories you can fondly look back on together, we share uniquely fun and smart ways to celebrate baby’s first Christmas.

Make a plan

When you got married and were just a pair, it was easy to figure out a system of ample family time during holidays. Yet, now with a baby in the picture and everyone hoping to catch a glimpse of the darling, it’s essential to decide what’s your time and what will be your parents’. Are you open to hosting a party? How much time will you and the baby spend with extended families, and vice versa? If you have a good relationship with your partner, discussing how you each envision the holiday schedule fairly will be a cinch.

Create a baby wish list

Pamper baby with the very best this season by ensuring they get exactly what they need. Set up an online wish list on Amazon or Target, then pass it along to family members, like grandparents or family friends. To help you figure out what your baby will need, do some pre-holiday cleaning and go through old clothes or gear, and give away what they will no longer use or pack it away for the next kid.

Don’t overbook

While adorable photos with Santa are a rite of passage and family gatherings are a must, consider the baby’s schedule by making room for naps and playtime. The holidays are a busy time of year, but the last thing you need is a cranky baby at every holiday party. Moreover, don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ if you feel the baby has had enough. Just stop for the day and remind pushy relatives or friends naptime is essential and non-negotiable.

Deck the halls and baby’s room too

From holiday hues to festive décor, deck your baby’s nursery with images and colors of the season — whether it’s miniature trees or Christmas lighting in their room, bring out the importance of the holiday through creative visuals.

Personalize the holiday

To commemorate their first Christmas, make ornaments out of handprints or footprints with modeling clay, or stockings and quilts that feature a cross-stitch silhouette of their profile. If that wasn’t creative enough, create your own photoshoot at home and have them dress up in festive gear.

Set their sights on smells and sound this holiday

Nothing excites a baby more than twinkling lights. But while they will be seeing a ton this holiday, don’t forget to indulge their sense of smell and sound. Between that real pine tree fragrance and all the Christmas music, open your baby to a world of holiday scents by bringing them up close to favorites and sounds, like the jingle of bells similar to Santa’s sleigh. It will be fun watching them indulge in the newness of it all as you watch them experience Christmas for the first time.

Start a new tradition

As a new family, start something fresh this holiday that involves just the three of you and then continue it every year. You don’t need to go all out for it to be memorable. It can be anything from small, simple things like wearing family the same set of PJs or reading a Christmas-related book to the baby every year. Additionally, chart the changes each year by placing all three of you next to an object, like the Christmas tree or family dog, then snap a photo and frame it. You can start a cool year-by-year family photo that will look like a cool evolution that started from baby’s first Christmas.

What are some ways you celebrate you have celebrated your baby’s first Christmas? Let us know in the comments below.