This year is my baby’s first Christmas and my first Christmas as a mom. I am planning lots of unique ways to celebrate the season that go beyond traditional festivities. My baby was born at the beginning of the year and is an early walker, but many of these ideas also apply to celebrating with your younger babies!
1. Holiday Advent Calendar
My husband found an advent calendar of 24 miniature books to count down to Christmas, which has been exciting for the three of us to open each month. Since my baby is not one yet, I couldn’t do a chocolate treat. There are several non-sugar treat advent calendar options available that are appropriate for a baby’s first Christmas.
2. First Family Holiday Photoshoot
Taking Christmas-themed family photos is a tradition that I have been looking forward to for several years. I have admired the pictures of my peers and their partners as they added new babies to their families and yearned for the time it would be my turn. I am so happy it is finally my time to share Christmas photos of my family!
I booked a photo shoot with a local photographer who has a home studio. She offered both indoor and outdoor sessions for Christmas Photoshoots this year. Since my baby is still young, I opted for the indoor option, allowing us to have multiple backdrops in one photoshoot. I also plan to DIY a matching Christmas Pajamas photoshoot on our living room couch.
3. Hanging a “Baby’s First Christmas” ornament on the tree
I used a photo from our Christmas photoshoot to order a personalized “Baby’s First Christmas” ornament with the baby’s name and the year. There are also plenty that you can buy in stores and even kiosks in malls during the holidays that often offer personalization in fonts and wording, and many ornaments include a photo frame area for further personalization.
4. Mall Santa Photo
Several malls within an hour’s drive from us offer Santa pictures with beautiful winter wonderland setups and backgrounds. I have loved to see family and friends’ photos of their little ones with Santa year after year, and I am excited to start this tradition for the baby’s first Christmas.
5. Meet and Greet with Santa
My community is hosting an adorable little brunch with Santa this year, and I look forward to taking my baby to the event. We will have some pancakes and eggs, mingle with other families, and see Santa! I hope repeated exposure to Santa Claus will reduce fear during the Santa photo at the mall.
6. Stroll Through the Park with Christmas Lights
Our town strings lights and puts up winter decorations in the park each winter holiday season. It is beautiful to walk through and an adorable photo opportunity for the family. My husband and I shared this tradition during our Christmases together, which I’m excited to share on baby’s first Christmas. We like to get peppermint hot chocolates to sip while we stroll through the park, admiring the lights on a dark winter evening. It is guaranteed to get me in the holiday spirit every year! Be sure to bundle your baby up warm if you live in a cold northern climate like I do.
7. Viewing Christmas Lights in the Neighbourhood
I want to take my little one on a drive around the neighbourhood to see the Christmas lights strung on our neighbour’s homes. This is another tradition that my husband and I have shared in past Christmases, and it’s perfect to continue our family holiday traditions. During our neighbourhood tour, I plan to play jolly Christmas music in the vehicle to add to the festive cheer for this holiday tradition.
8. Making Handprint Ornament for the Tree
I was gifted a little kit to make an ornament from the baby’s handprint that seems easy to make and only needs to air dry! There are plenty of options for handprint ornaments that you can order or find at a local craft store. This makes for a wonderful keepsake that can be put away with a baby book or one that can be hung on the tree year after year and elicit precious memories of the baby’s first Christmas.
9. Visiting Family
My husband, baby, and I will be visiting one side of my family for an annual Christmas Eve party and the other side of my family for Christmas Brunch. We drive to see my husband’s family on Christmas Day in the afternoon. I grew up visiting and surrounded by family during the holidays, and that is a tradition I want to continue for my child.
If you are sharing having a feast dinner with family, these tips for navigating baby’s first Thanksgiving dinner are also applicable to baby’s first Christmas dinner.
10. Christmas Presents and stockings
This tradition of wrapping gifts for my child and filling their stocking is one that I am over the moon to participate in finally. I have dreamed of bringing Christmas magic to life for my child, and now that I am finally a mother, I can! My baby is too young this year to understand stories of Santa and reindeer, but they can open presents and enjoy toys, so that is a tradition I am excited to start this year.
I’m beyond excited to soak in every magical moment together this Christmas and kick off a lifetime of joyful holiday traditions with my little one! I hope I have inspired you to consider what traditions you will start for your baby’s first Christmas. Happy Holidays to you and your family! Bring on the lights, laughter, and love!