A baby’s first year is so special, and full of ‘first’ milestones … including Christmas! Christmas is such a special time of year anyway, but a baby’s first Christmas really is to be celebrated and treasured. New memories are made and new traditions are started and cherished. International Elf Service has put together lots of wonderfully magical ideas you can do to celebrate baby’s first Christmas and take on new family Christmas traditions to do each year.
Announce the Birth of your New Baby!
Don’t forget to let everyone know that your new bundle of joy has arrived! A Christmas card, or an email, with a photo of your newest family member, is a wonderful Christmas gift for your friends and loved ones to receive!
Take a Family Photo each Christmas
A magical Christmas tradition to start for Baby’s First Christmas is to take a photo of you all each year and see how your family grows and changes! Maybe you’re all decorating the Christmas Tree, or are snuggled up on the sofa with a hot chocolate and some Christmas Cookies! When baby is little, you could take a super cute photo of them snuggled up asleep in a gift box, or tucked up under the Christmas tree under the twinkling fairy lights.
Baby’s First Christmas Certificate
Did you know? As soon as you are born, your name is entered into Father Christmas’ Book Of Christmas Magic. Father Christmas knows where and when you were born, where you live, whether you have brothers and sisters, and what Christmas presents and Christmas traditions you like the best. Some children are sent an official Certificate for Baby’s First Christmas Certificate or even an Invitation to Lapland!!
Baby’s First Christmas Memory Box Tradition
This is such a wonderful Christmas Tradition to start for Baby’s First Christmas and beyond. The new baby gift that keeps on giving … you document Christmas Day by answering a few simple questions each year. Then you all enjoy looking back to see how your family has grown and the Christmas Traditions that are special to your family. This unique personalised Baby’s First Christmas Memory Box includes a Certificate for Baby’s First Christmas and 20 beautifully personalised pages … all printed on exquisite 100% natural recycled paper, with handcrafted illustrations. This makes such a magical gift, and a truly lovely keepsake for the whole family.
Letter from Father Christmas
Father Christmas is a key figure for so many at Christmas time. Father Christmas absolutely loves to receive letters from children, almost as much as he likes writing them! Each year your family can receive a personalised letter from Father Christmas (or a letter from Santa Claus, you choose)! New each year and bursting with North Pole news and Christmas magic. Father Christmas and Santa Claus are very concerned with children understanding the key messages of the magic of Christmas spirit and kindness! Receiving Father Christmas’ Feedback form for Christmas morning is another magical Christmas Tradition to start for Baby’s First Christmas!
Start a Christmas Baking Tradition
Christmas baking is one of the most wonderful Christmas Traditions there is – the warm smells of gingerbread, orange, Christmas cookies, cinnamon, treacle … heavenly! And absolutely the maker of treasured Christmas memories that will last into adulthood.
Create A Family Christmas Card
How about making a family photo Christmas card each year – starting with the year your gorgeous new baby arrives, for their first Christmas? Keep one card back for yourselves each year as a festive family keepsake.
See Christmas Lights Together
Baby’s are fascinated by colourful lights, and will soak up the festive spirit. Make seeing Christmas Lights together in to a firm family Christmas Tradition you can look forward to each year.
Choose a Christmas Tree Together
Hang a new Christmas Tree Decoration Each Year
A really lovely Christmas Tradition to start for Baby’s First Christmas, is to hang a new Christmas tree decoration each year. Whether it’s a personalised Christmas decoration or not, as your child grows, they will love to choose one themselves each year, and hang it pride of place on the Christmas tree.
Meet Father Christmas or Santa Claus for the First Time
Meeting Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) is such a lovely Christmas tradition to start for Baby’s First Christmas. Take a photo of the special event each year for a very special keepsake.
Make a Special Trip to See Family Members
One of the key things about Christmas, is spending time with family and loved ones. Starting with your Baby’s First Christmas, how about making a special trip to see family members during the festive season each year?
Baby’s First Candlelit Christmas Eve Bath
This is such a wonderful Christmas Eve Tradition to start. Each Christmas Eve, light the bathroom with twinkling tea lights and your children enjoy a warm bubbly bath while bursting with excitement about the magical Big Delivery from Father Christmas.
Baby’s First Christmas Eve Box
A Christmas Eve Box is a fairly modern Christmas Tradition, that has taken the world by storm. Each Christmas Eve, children open their (often personalised) Christmas Eve Box … to discover little gifts and surprises to maximise the magic on Christmas Eve. Things such as a new book, new pyjamas, a Christmas decoration, edible treats … you decide!
Baby’s First Christmas Pyjamas
Receiving new Christmas pyjamas each year is a firm favourite for children, not to mention … a picture of them in their new pyjamas on Christmas Eve makes for a wonderfully festive photo. Even if your new pyjamas aren’t Christmas themed, to snuggle up together in new pjs on Christmas Eve is something the whole family can look forward to as a well loved Christmas Tradition.
Hang Baby’s First Christmas Stocking
One of the most looked forward to events of many children’s lives. The Big Delivery on Christmas Eve: when Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) visits your home and fills your Christmas Stocking or Christmas Sack with gifts … to be discovered far too early on Christmas morning! This is a lovely way to add more magic into your Stocking Fillers Some families hang Christmas Stockings, others put out Christmas Sacks or pillowcases. Be warned though – whatever you choose, your child is very likely to be resistant to change when they grow older!
Read a Christmas Eve Bedtime Story
Start this wonderful Christmas tradition of cuddling up together with either an old favourite, or a brand new Christmas book on Christmas Eve. Children love routine, repetition and family traditions. Children are never too young, so this is the perfect Christmas Tradition for Baby’s First Christmas and beyond.
Start Your Christmas Eve Father Christmas Tradition
However you do this is perfect for your new baby. Whether you leave a home-baked cookie and a glass of milk for Father Christmas, and a carrot for the reindeer … or something completely different. This is a Christmas Eve Tradition children really look forward to and treasure. Children love to see there’s nothing but a few crumbs on the plate on Christmas morning! Father Christmas often leaves one of his lovely feedback letters behind, and sometimes there’s a brand new Letter from Father Christmas too!
Have a Visiting Elf
Many families have a visiting Christmas Elf each year on the countdown to Christmas. This Elf either brings a personalised letter each day from the North Pole (for a very magical December) or they get up to mess-making mischievous antics.
Donate Toys Each Christmas
The essence of Christmas spirit is about kindness and thinking of others. How about starting a new Christmas tradition where you donate a toy (or unwanted toys) to your local children’s hospital or charity shop on the lead up to Christmas?
Make a Handprint or Footprint Christmas Card
The perfect way to keep a record of those growing hands and feet!
Make a Special Christmas Eve Dinner
Many families have a special meal on Christmas Eve, which can be as simple or elaborate as you like. Whether it’s ham and chips, takeaway, tapas, buffet snacks … whatever you do on Christmas Eve each year will be a treasured tradition by your children.
Make a Special Christmas Day Dinner
Start the tradition of a special Christmas dinner for Baby’s First Christmas. It doesn’t have to be a traditional Christmas roast dinner – it can be whatever you would like it to be … even if it’s the tradition of not having a sit down meal at all but having sandwiches on the beach!
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