What’s not to love about the Christmas holiday? There’s the festive vibe in the air long before the actual day, followed by tasty food and drinks, and special time spent on get-togethers with family and friends marked by gift-giving. One wouldn’t think there’s a way to make this special time of the year all the more special, yet there is – the arrival of a new member of the family.

I’m sure any parent would agree with me about the feelings of excitement that come from spending the first Christmas together with the baby, the latest addition, and, I’ll say, the most important one. As a truly joyous and memorable experience, you can cherish this tradition for years to come by doing some of the following ideas I highly recommend.

A Christmas Stocking

Let’s be honest, gifts are a huge part of the reason why we love Christmas, and stockings sure are one of the more important symbols and items of this celebration. How else would Father Christmas treat us to presents if we’ve been good the whole year?!

Keeping up with the tradition, and making sure the baby is also included in the whole celebration, you won’t be wrong if babys first Christmas present is a personalised stocking with their name embroidered or printed on it. There are some gorgeous designs with festive motifs and colours incorporated to truly bring out the festive feel at home – whether hanging them on the mantlepiece, staircase, or walls.

Your baby won’t be able to grasp the meaning behind this special gift/item, or the holiday altogether, but they’d sure appreciate the thought of being part of the celebration from early on when they grow up. A small touch like this can make for a big heartwarming element they may end up using year after year later in life.

Festive Baby Dress-Up

I’m sure I’m not the only one when I say every clothing item looks infinitely cuter when it’s in baby version. The same can be said about the Christmas outfits, so why not use this opportunity to create some lasting moments dressing up your bub in a holiday-themed onesie, or choose a tank and bloomers set as babys first Christmas present with something special embroidered to mark the event?

If you’re more into sweaters instead, like Bridget Jones and her beloved Mark Darcy, then pick one out for the little one to match the rest of the family, and make that special family photo. You can use this precious memory as a main photo for the custom-made Christmas card you can surprise loved ones with same as in the good old days when snail mail was the only option.

A Special Ornament

There are families where dress-up isn’t part of the tradition but making a collection of ornaments is. If so, you should use this chance to acquire Christmas presents for babies in the form of personalised ornaments for the tree, marking their birthdates and “first Christmas” moments.

A unique night light snow globe, cuddly bear with a distinct piece of clothing, or an intricate music box are other ideas you could check out. What’s certain is exceptional gifts such as these would easily become a treasured heirloom passed down from generation to generation.

Baby-Friendly Christmas Space

A festive environment is one where you feel relaxed and at ease, right? Well, with baby in the family, you need to be most relaxed and at ease by making the whole surroundings as baby-friendly as possible. How do you spend Christmas with a newborn?

Make sure everything that could harm them isn’t within their reach, first and foremost. In case they’re close to the tree, don’t put anything sharp or fragile near them, or even anything small they could easily ingest and choke on. This is also recommended to follow if you consider getting them a gift box all to themselves. If you decide for toys, make sure they’re soft, without any elements like threads or buttons they could remove.

Once danger is out of the way, think of adding items that are good for them, such as soft newborn blankets, cushions, playmats they could enjoy relaxing on while they marvel at the sparkly tree decorations from afar. Tree lights are other elements that are sure to delight their eyes, so feel free to incorporate some, but avoid using anything too bright or in a mode that could cause eyestrain.

Don’t forget to add some holiday music to capture the Christmas cheer, particularly that with well-known noises from bells to make them interested in the range of sounds as well for that all-sensory experience. Lastly, choose baby-friendly foods for the feast so they too could fully feel as part of the event. Depending on what stage of weaning they’re at, this could be a range of pureed veggies and fruits that they most love to nibble on.