It’s common for new mommas to stress about their baby’s first Christmas. Just like your little one’s first birthday, Christmas is a momentous occasion for your family. However, please be careful not to go too crazy before Kris Kringle’s sleigh ride
It’s common for new mommas to stress about their baby’s first Christmas. Just like your little one’s first birthday, Christmas is a momentous occasion for your family. However, please be careful not to go too crazy before Kris Kringle’s sleigh ride.
Let’s be honest: this Christmas celebration will be a blur in your baby’s brain. While that doesn’t mean you can’t establish beautiful traditions, you should see this first celebration as “laying the groundwork” for future festivities. The most important things during your baby’s first Christmas are establishing family traditions and preserving magical memories.
Below I’ll share a few tips on how to celebrate your baby’s first Christmas. Hopefully, these suggestions will help you make the most of this beautiful day with your little bundle of joy!
Four Holiday Activities for Baby’s First Christmas
Create A DIY Handprint Ornament
While flashy designer ornaments are lovely, there’s nothing like a few DIY ornaments to personalize your Christmas tree. Thankfully, it’s not too difficult to make fun ornaments at home. As long as you have flour, salt, and warm water, you can easily make salt dough ornaments into various festive shapes.
For your baby’s first Christmas, I recommend making a “handprint ornament” with your salt dough. Place your little one’s palm on the dough, add a hole to the top, and bake the ornament in the oven. Once this ornament has hardened, you could add a few final flourishes like paint, glitter, or cute ribbons.
Don’t forget to write the year at the bottom of this ornament so you remember how old your little one was. Continue this tradition each year and watch as your little one’s hand grows bigger and bigger!
Be sure to check out this post for a full guide to making your own salt dough ornaments. You can also read my previous blog on “holiday activities for kids” for more DIY ornament ideas.
Get Cozy With A Classic Christmastime Story
When it’s too cold to go outside, why not warm up by the fire and share a special Christmastime story? If you’ve explored my previous posts, you know how powerful reading aloud can be on a child’s mind. As a bonus, you could transform this Santa storytime into a tradition that endures for years to come.
Now you may be asking: what story should I read? Well, that all depends on what speaks to you! You can never go wrong with classics like The Polar Express, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Night Before Christmas. For faith-based celebrations, you might want to introduce your little one to the Nativity story or the origin of the menorah.
There are also a few interactive Christmas books that are sure to keep little minds entertained. For instance, check out the Christmas Songs: Children’s Sound Book to introduce your little one to some of the most iconic Christmas carols.
FYI: if you need more tips on reading aloud to your kiddos, be sure to check out this previous blog post.
Spread Hope To Hospitalized Children – Write Cards For CFHK
The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us all to never take health for granted. And as we expressgratitude each holiday season, I feel we shouldn’t neglect those who need a helping hand. That’s why I strongly recommend mommas start a Christmas tradition with the group Cards for Hospitalized Kids (CFHK).
This inspiring charity sends heartfelt holiday cards to young patients throughout the U.S. You and your family could write and decorate a few lovely cards and send them to CFHK for delivery. This beautiful tradition will teach your little one the power of kindness and compassion — and isn’t that what the holidays are all about?
If you’d like to participate, please mail your holiday cards to this address:
Cards for Hospitalized Kids
7290 W. Devon
Chicago, IL 60631
You could also visit this official website to find out more info on volunteering for CFHK.
Get Ready For Belly Laughs! – Try A Santa Beard Contest
When you’re a new momma, there’s no way to avoid messes — especially during the holidays. With that in mind, here’s a marvelously messy (but fun!) tradition worth keeping in mind: a Santa beard contest!
So, what makes this activity so messy? Two words: shaving cream! For this game, participants need to use shaving cream to make a Santa beard…without looking in the mirror. After everyone is complete, vote on who has the most authentic, Santa-like beard.
Of course, since your little one will be too young to handle a can of shaving cream, you can create a super adorable shaving cream beard for them. Just imagine the ultra-cute selfies you could share later in life! As the years go on, keep this tradition going with your family.
By the way, if you find the shaving cream is a bit much, here’s another way you could conduct this Kris Kringle challenge: use Vaseline and cotton balls. Spread out a table of cotton balls and have everyone smear Vaseline on their faces. Once you’re all ready, it’s time to dive into the mountains of cotton balls and see who emerges with the best beard!
Preserve Your Merry Memories in a Christmas Time Capsule
In the hurry and flurry of Christmas day, I recommend taking a few moments to create a “Christmas time capsule.” All you have to do is write down the most memorable events from your baby’s first Christmas and include a few mementos (e.g., ornaments and photos) in a box. Keep this capsule in a safe place and return to it anytime you’re feeling nostalgic.
However you choose to spend your baby’s first Christmas, I wish you all a “holly jolly” celebration this year! And please feel free to DM me your ideas @windycitynanny for making baby’s first Christmas special. XOXO!
