Baby’s first Christmas: Celebrating your child’s first holiday season

Christmas is just around the corner, and while social distancing means it’s not the most traditional holiday this year, it will still hopefully be the relaxing celebration that many of us need after 2020! For some of us, the festive season is even more special, because it’s the first one we get to spend with a new child.

While many aspects of Christmas won’t need to change, a newborn brings its own set of challenges to your holiday celebrations. What do you need to bear in mind to make sure this Christmas is as special as possible? Here are some things to consider:

Don’t overdo it

While for you it’s baby’s first Christmas, your child isn’t old enough to understand what’s going on. Because of this, you will need to be a bit sensible about how much baby can join in with the celebrations, and make sure you aren’t tiring them out or overstimulating them with a barrage of Christmas cheer.

Be sensible with sleep schedules and make sure baby gets plenty of rest. You’ll want them with you all day, of course, but unwrapping presents AND Christmas dinner AND crackers AND carol singing is a lot for a young child to take in. Let them sleep when they can so they have a chance to join in with some of the day without getting grumpy!

Christmas dinner

If baby is ready for solid food, why not let them share Christmas dinner with you? The ingredients you’ll be cooking with can make a very nutritious food for a little one. Sprouts, carrots, potatoes, parsnips and swede can all go into a tasty festive puree. And don’t forget the turkey; it’s a great, low-fat source of protein, iron and other nutrients like niacin.

One important thing you need to remember is to set aside baby’s portion of these ingredients before you add any butter, salt, sugar, fat or gravy to them. Your child’s taste buds aren’t developed enough to appreciate these ingredients (although they will make your Christmas dinner extra delicious!) and they aren’t good for your little one’s health.

In place of Christmas pudding, baby can have some fruit puree with maybe a little bit of ground ginger, nutmeg, or cinnamon for an extra festive taste. If it matches up with your child’s dinner time, you can all eat together! It's worth investing in a booster seat to let little ones sit with you while they eat, and maybe even a floor mat to help catch any mess.

Create memories

Your baby won’t remember their first Christmas, but you will. Make the most of that by ensuring it’s as memorable as possible. That means taking lots of pictures, even if you’re exhausted and don’t want to put on makeup for Christmas Day; you’ll regret it if you don’t. Get some photos of baby opening their first present (or at least tugging at the wrapping paper) or wearing an oversized paper hat from a cracker.

You can make it even more special with a few keepsakes. Ornaments made using baby’s hand and footprints are a great option, as that’s something you can do every year and you’ll have a special memento that you and your child can work on together through the years. Christmas might be a bit odd this year, but you can still do what you can to make it special.

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