Will this be your baby’s first Christmas? Are you ready to don the red suit, eat the mince pies AND the carrots, tread white footprints over the carpet and make sure you never, ever, mix up Santa’s wrapping paper with yours?! Parenthood comes with a lot of responsibilities!
Christmas is such a magical time of year and your baby’s very first one will be extra special. Even though she or he won’t know much about what’s going on! It’s a moment you will never forget, the first of many firsts and milestones, so why not start creating all those special memories and traditions.
Your baby will be transfixed by all the many sights, sounds and smells of Christmas, from the coloured lights and baubles on the tree to the sounds of relatives visiting to smells of cinnamon and spice, it can be a very stimulating time for your baby’s sensory development. It can of course be an over stimulating time too, as your baby could well become over tired and fractious due to a disruption to their routine!
Here are some tips and ideas to help make your baby’s first Christmas special
Tiny fingers and tiny toes! Actually make adorable presents ( when made painted and made into mini hand or footprints reindeers or Christmas trees) They make lovely keepsakes.
All that glitters.... Watch out when it comes to decking out the house with Christmas baubles and tinsels as they can represent a choking hazard. It really depends on how old your baby will be, but remember if they can grab they will!
As always, routine matters! Babies as we’ve mentioned before and no doubt will again, like routines. So try as far as possible to preserve your regular routine. We know it might not be that easy if you have lots of guests popping in and out, as this can be a bit disruptive for you and your baby. Babies also seem to know when they might be missing out too, which means they might not be quite as amenable to having an afternoon nap as usual! But try.....
Christmas wishes and kisses! Not every baby will want to be held by different guests, if your baby is not keen on being held by someone unfamiliar, don’t worry, Great Aunt Gertrude will get over it.... eventually!! Do what’s best for your baby and what you feel comfortable doing.
Think outside the ( toy) box! If this is your baby’s first Christmas, you really don’t have to spend the earth on their presents. They won’t appreciate it at this early stage and yes it’s true... they do quite often seem to prefer to play with the empty box rather than the toy! Why not choose some lovely new books to read together, bath toys and maybe one special cuddly toy.
Perfect stockings! You might want to start the tradition of having a Christmas stocking, from bibs and bandanas to socks, soft toys and teething rings, there are lots of small cute and inexpensive stocking fillers to choose from.
Snap those smiles! Make sure you have charged your phone, camera and video recorder so you can grab all those special moments.
Keep baby’s outfit simple! Remember babies like to be comfortable, so be careful when it comes to choosing a special outfit for the day. You would be far better off keeping it simple and topping the outfit off with a special Christmas bib, jumper or cardigan rather than trying to cajole your baby into wearing a super cute Elf’s outfit! Don’t forget there are also bound to be spillages from both ends at some point in the day! Keep things as stress free for you and your baby.
Get Fresh! A change of scene can do everyone good if you have all been cooped up all day. Why not take your baby out for a short walk, they will probably feel calmer if it’s less noisy for a while and you no doubt feel better walking off that Christmas pudding! ( Or is that just me?!)
Don’t expect too much from the day, it might be your baby sleeps for most of it or they are not impressed by all the comings and goings associated with day. Try and keep things as simple and calm as possible and you will enjoy it more.
Have you any tips or stories to share? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you.
