Your baby’s first Christmas is one of the most memorable Christmases you’ll ever have. Celebrating the most wonderful time of the year with your baby for the first time is sure to warm your heart. However, given the fact that your baby has no concept of what Christmas is, you may be wondering how to introduce them to the festive season. We’ve compiled our top tips for enjoying your baby’s first Christmas and making memories to last a lifetime!
Be Selective
Nothing is going to dampen your baby’s Christmas experience like tiredness and over-stimulation. You know your baby best and therefore you should trust your instincts when it comes to festive activities. For example, If you know your baby hates crowded noisy places, don’t be shy about avoiding crowded events, even when the whole family really want you and your baby to come with them. Try to be as realistic as possible when planning any festive activities which involve venturing outside. Some ideas may be cute in theory, however, in practice they prove extremely stressful.
Do your best to keep routines
Our own everyday routines tend to go out the window over Christmas. We relish breaking away from our regular routines and enjoying the festivities. However, our babies aren’t so thrilled about changing routines. Your baby being out of routine can lead to them being overtired, over-hungry and cranky. Whenever possible, keep mealtimes and naptimes the same over Christmas. Plan naptimes for when you know you have access to a quiet peaceful area. Explain to family and friends why it’s important for you to be strict about the routine. Realistically, everyone is happiest when a baby is content and cheerful. If the routine keeps your baby happy, then embrace it, don’t be shy about it!
Sentimental items
Your baby’s first Christmas is a time you’ll remember forever. Creating little momentos of this occasion will be sure to bring you joy for years to come. Some ideas include:
- Your baby’s handprint or footprint stamped on a Christmas bauble. This will be a lovely reminder every year when you decorate for Christmas. Memories will come flooding back as you reminisce about how little your baby was on their first Christmas!
- Get a personalised baby book which incorporates your child into a well-known Christmas story. Make it a tradition to read it to them every year,
- Get a family ornament for the tree with all your names on it to commemorate your new family unit.
- Get personalised Christmas stockings and hang them all together. On Christmas Eve, ask Santa to fill the baby’s stocking with little gifts such as a new soother, rattle or cute bibs!
Photographs
And lots of them! The best way to remember this happy occasion is plenty of photographs of whatever you get up to! You could choose to have a professional photoshoot with your whole family or just take a photo at home using the timer on your phone! Don’t let Christmas go by without getting a photo of the whole family together. Start a photo tradition where you take the same family photo every year at Christmas to document how you’ve grown as a family. Take pictures of your baby in a certain setting and recreate this setting every year to watch them grow throughout the years. Place a teddy bear beside your baby to compare how they’ve grown in comparison to the teddy each year!
Visit Santa
The Santa picture is a must-have every year, but especially for your baby’s first year! If you have older children, get them excited about introducing their new brother or sister to Santa. Our Santa photos from throughout the years are some of our most special photos we have from childhood. No matter what, Santa visits are an amazing photo op!
Start New Traditions
A new family member is a great opportunity for new traditions! Begin your own family traditions, such as watching Christmas films in matching pyjamas every Christmas Eve. Incorporate your favourite childhood traditions to make them extra special! Traditions are the most memorable part of childhood Christmases for most of us. We may not remember what present we got when we were 6, or 10, but we always remember the smell of popcorn coming from the kitchen or the softness of the new pyjamas your mam bought specially for Christmas Eve night!
Sensory Christmas play
Babies are amazed by the lights and colours of Christmas decorations but we often can’t let them too close in the interest of safety. Allow them to enjoy Christmas shapes and colours safely with homemade sensory play items. Try creating a Sensory Bottle by combining water, oil, green glitter and small red decorations in a large bottle. Like a lava lamp, your baby will be mesmerized by the moving colours and liquid. If your baby loves Christmas lights you can place a set of battery-operated lights in a tightly-sealed large jar. Give the jar to your baby so they can enjoy looking at lights up close without the dangers of electricity or becoming tangled. Sensory play should always be supervised, just in case they manage to open a jar or bottle.
Take advantage of the time off
For a lot of us, Christmas means less time at work and more time with the family. Take full advantage of this time and embrace the slower-paced possibilities of Christmas. Spend time with your baby and enjoy the lack of appointments, schedules and meetings. Minimise the amount of time spent on social media or other distractions. Your baby will love the undivided attention!
If this is your first Christmas as a parent, congratulations and enjoy! If you thought Christmas as a child was amazing, just wait until you experience Christmas as a parent!
Merry Christmas from all of us at UltraScan!
