Baby’s first Christmas is one of those moments that you look forward to as a parent. This is an amazing milestone so you want to savor every single moment. If you go in with realistic expectations and plan for the occasion then it will make it that much more enjoyable.
Baby’s first Christmas, like so many aspects of baby’s first year, is mostly about the parents. Though your baby may not realize what’s going on or remember it, you will have precious memories to hold onto and share for years to come. Here are some great ways to make this a wonderful time for all:
1. Snap Away: Baby’s first Christmas is all about making memories. The only way that you can help baby to remember this milestone some day is through pictures and video. Be sure that you are at the ready with your camera to snap as many pictures as you can. Don’t just save the picture taking for unwrapping gifts under the tree either.
Get pictures of every moment surrounding Christmas so that you can create your own special photo book. Showing the series of events or the journey to the big gift opening extravaganza is just as meaningful. This is such a fun part of this special occasion so embrace it!
2. Create Some Traditions All Your Own: Many hold onto traditions from their own childhood and integrate that into their new family. That’s fine and it works well but you do want to come up with new traditions that are unique to your newly formed family as well.
Create a new tradition where you each get to open a gift on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas morning. Come up with some new breakfast food that you can all enjoy on Christmas morning. Get creative and think of new traditions that you can share with your baby for years to come. When it evolved out of baby’s first Christmas it makes for a truly memorable way to mark this milestone.
3. Go In with Realistic Expectations: There is a certain reality to baby’s first Christmas and you have to be in touch with that. You may not be able to stay out as late as you did in years past. You may have to work around baby’s nap time or be prepared to feed them at a different time than the family feast.
Sometimes baby doesn’t cooperate and you as a parent just have to learn to roll with it. Though you may want to gather around the dining room table with everyone else, you may be walking baby around or changing diapers. Don’t focus on the negative but do go in with realistic expectations and be prepared for anything.
4. Remember It’s All About You: Truthfully this Christmas is more about you as parents than about the baby. This is all about you creating memories with your new little bundle of joy. Don’t go broke on gifts or outfits because your baby won’t remember this except for pictures you’ll have to share years down the road.
Embrace this, have fun with it, but don’t be disappointed if baby doesn’t shout with glee when they open their first present. Sometimes parents have a vision in their head and are let down when baby would rather play with the wrapping paper than the gift inside. This is all about you as parents and the traditions that you create as a newly formed family.
5. Make Them the Star That They Are: Though baby won’t remember the occasion, you can still make them a star. Dress them in something adorable and take them to all sorts of fun Christmas occasions. Get their picture with Santa, take them to Christmas parties galore, and have fun with this milestone.
Chances are that you’ve been looking forward to this special time for awhile and you should make the most of it. Get them “dressed to the nines” and give them reason to smile. Baby may not remember it, but making them the star is just too hard to pass up.
Baby’s first Christmas is indeed an occasion to celebrate and remember for years to come. Have fun with it, be realistic about your expectations, and celebrate this occasion as new parents. You can only have one first Christmas with your little one so make the most of it no matter what.
Chris Molnar is father of two and creator of birthday party themes galore. He has had the pleasure of celebrating baby’s first Christmas twice and created many beautiful memories. Through all the holidays and parties over the years, he has learned that things may not always go according to plan, but the memories can be cherished forever.
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I love that you said, create your own traditions. Sometimes we hang on to old ones that no longer suit the new generation. It’s great to come up with new traditions that actually fit our family’s lifestyle, especially at Christmas time.
Christmas season is one of my favorite especially my kids. Every year I try to create a new tradition that kids will surely remember. A tradition that will fit to our kids generation and at the same time the tradition that will adopt even the old ones.