7 Traditions for Baby’s First Christmas

This post is sponsored by Pottery Barn Kids. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you so much for supporting my blog.

Christmas is the most magical time of the year, especially with children. Everything is more exciting and happiness is overflowing. Seeing things through our childrens’ eyes truly makes everything more special. Ok, I know this time of year can also be stressful- like buying the best gifts, figuring out which side of the family to visit, rushing to get Christmas cards out, and perhaps burning cookies in the oven since you didn’t get your mom’s baking talent (ahem… not me. no, never). Honestly though, some of the most memorable moments from the holidays have been during the most chaotic times…

Like the one time my grandmother tried to reheat her coffee in the microwave for twenty minutes instead of two. True story. Ha! Those are the things you usually end up remembering. But there’s no denying how special this time of year is and despite the chaos, something as simple as a string of christmas lights or fresh garland makes everything so beautiful. I will welcome the crazy moments over the years, but also hope to have many special ones as well.

I’m always looking for ways to make our home feel warm and create a togetherness. Traditions give families a sense of comfort and belonging and a place to reconnect. The holidays are a great time to start these traditions! I’ve created a list of some traditions we incorporate into our family:

1.Christmas movies on Christmas Eve

You can find a list of classic Christmas movies here, but this one is my favorite. Even if baby is too little to watch a movie, older children can enjoy it. Or if it’s your first baby, it’s a perfect opportunity for you and hubby to snuggle up on the couch together with your little one.

2. Christmas Eve Box 

There are many variations of this and what I love about this tradition is you can make it your own by deciding what to include in the personalized bag or box. I’ve decided to fill it with the following items each year:

• A favorite Christmas book (like this classic one here or a personalized version here)
• Christmas Jammies (see Olivia’s here and Emmy’s here)
• Santa hat to wear on Christmas morning while opening gifts (a Christmas tradition from my own childhood)
• Hot chocolate and or a favorite snack (to enjoy while watching Christmas movie from tradition #1)

 

3. Dedicate a specific day to decorate the tree each year

If you have the opportunity to take off the day after Thanksgiving, I highly recommend it. This year we stayed in PJs the entire day, put on Christmas music, and decorated the tree. I’ve decided this will become a tradition. If you aren’t able to get out of work the day after Thanksgiving, the weekend after is a great time too, especially since it can take a few days to recover from all of that food! This is also a great day to go to a tree farm to pick out your tree and decorate, if artificial trees aren’t your thing.

4. Personalized Baby blanket

Nothing better than your baby snuggled in your arms wrapped up cozy in a blanket (or under the tree)! My mom bought Olivia and Emmy their personalized  baby blankets when they were born. They are the coziest, softest blankets ever and so perfect for winter.

Hard to believe Olivia is now two years old! Seeing the joy on her face this year when she saw the tree for the first time was incredibly heartwarming. She said, “Christmas Tree! Wowwww, it’s so sparkly!” and ran over amazed.  She looked so tiny standing there looking up at it and I hope she always feels that excitement when she sees the Christmas tree in our home each year.

5. Baby’s First Ornament

I picked out ornaments for the girls when they were born and I plan to get an ornament each year to fill with a photo. When they’re older and leave the house, it will be fun to look back and see how they’ve grown over the years. I’m sure that time will be here before I know it. Time is a such a thief and goes way too fast.

6. An Heirloom Gift

These beautiful items are so special and timeless. Some heirloom gifts I recommend are a snow globe, a locket ornament, or monogrammed jewelry box.

 

7. Drive or walk around your neighborhood to see Christmas lights

There is something so magical about Christmas lights. As an adult, I still love looking at them. I remember being bundled up in the back seat of the car pulled over on the side of the road to look at Christmas lights. I plan to continue this tradition with my girls. If it’s your baby’s first Christmas, you can do something similar by wearing baby in a carrier bundled up under your coat snuggled into your chest, and you and hubby can drink cocoa (or coffee for all of you mamas) as you stroll the neighborhood together. When the kids are older, you can put a throw blanket in the wagon, serve hot cocoa in a cup with a lid, and pull them around the neighborhood to look at the lights. This year, we will do a variation of baby wearing, and pulling our toddler in the wagon. I’m excited just thinking about it!

Below are some of the other items pictured above and where you can find them:

Polar Bear and Bunny Stockings,  Crystal lamp (similar), Silhouette nursery print , Snowman , Lit JOY sign, mini white christmas trees, white yarn wrapped wreath

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If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. Your support truly means the world to me! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and I would love to hear some of your favorite traditions!!

xo nicole