Christmas is a special time of year for most of us. For you, this one will be extra special. You’ve been dreaming about this for years; your baby’s first Christmas. You could see yourself rocking your baby by the fire but, what will really be like?

In your mind everything is perfect; a plethora of gifts under the beautifully decorated Christmas tree, the house lit up, the ornaments in place, the pervasive smell of nutmeg throughout the house. However, did you ever stop to think about those cinnamon-scented candles placed next to the paper centerpieces? They could set your house on fire if you dozed off. How about the turkey and the roast you spent hours on? How about the pumpkin pies you diligently baked? It seems like an awfully big meal for you and a baby on purees. You thought having a picture of your baby sitting on ol’ jolly Santa Claus’ lap would be a snap. Instead, your poor little angel is terrified; all he sees is an old fat bearded stranger wearing a red suit. You bought dozens of gifts but your baby can’t open them yet. And you thought you had everything under control.

Because we try to wrap up our childhood memories in one wonderful evening, we want our child to have a wonderful experience, too. The first holiday season does not always go as planned. However, if we keep in mind that our child has several holiday seasons to come, we will also realize that we don’t have to overdo it.

Here are a few tips to save time and energy for this first Christmas that can still be memorable, nonetheless.

Forget the myriad of gifts

“Yes, but I've been hoping to spoil him for such a long time!” According to you, your baby doesn't have enough toys, hence you feel compelled to buy them all (even toys that he won’t be using now), just because it’s his first Christmas. Remember, you don’t know what your baby will like, and he’ll probably receive gifts from other family members, too. Chances are he won’t be playing with a lot of these toys, at least not just yet.

Before buying gifts, read the reviews. This will help you save money and have better choices according to practicality and suitability. Buy one or two durable toys and wrap them in nice wrapping paper. Add ribbons and balloons to make it more festive. Buying fewer gifts means less pressure for you and more quality time with your baby.

Decoration

I truly believe that what matters the most on Christmas Day is the sparkle in your baby’s eyes as he delights in opening his first Christmas gifts. The second best thing is colorful decoration and Christmas music. Your baby will see lights, be marvelled by the ornaments and hear Christmas songs. This atmosphere is truly important and represents a big portion of what he will be looking forward to in the next years.

Traditions

If you would like to instill new traditions, it’s never too early to start your own. Devise a plan and jot down your ideas. Whether you want to start an American quilt and share with your child a square patch (or few squares) every year, start a charm bracelet, or prepare series of thematic photographs, you and your child will be building wonderful memories together.

Be patient

In the end, the next Christmases will be just as important as this one. This one will probably be quieter than future ones. Nonetheless, it’ll be filled with fond memories.

Merry Christmas everyone! May your family and friends be happy!

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