As your little one’s first Christmas approaches, here are some simple and meaningful Christmas traditions to start with your baby.
If you’ve given birth in the past year, your Christmas celebrations may have an added layer of difficulty. (See my post about how to handle the holidays with a newborn here.) Your priorities might be rearranging, and you might be reconsidering how you celebrate this year.
Wanting to keep things easy on yourself while also making Christmas a special celebration for your child is a common dilemma for most of us parents. We enjoy the holidays, but the pressures to keep up can leave us feeling exhausted. In the end, what we really want is being together, making memories, and watching our kids light up with innocent joy and delight in the way that only a child can.
You may have grown up with family traditions that you’re excited to pass on to your child. Or maybe you’re looking for new Christmas traditions to start with your baby that can last for years to come. Or maybe it’s both!
As the holiday season gets underway, here are some simple (but meaningful) traditions that you can start on your baby’s first Christmas.
1. Ornament Every Year
You’re probably going to get lots of “Baby’s First Christmas” ornaments this year, but you can also pick out a special ornament of your own to give to your baby. It can be something simple, or it could be something commemorative, like an ornament that lists your baby’s birth weight, height, and time.
Picking out something sentimental or something that reminds you of them is a fun way to mark off the years. It doesn’t cost much, gives them something special to look forward to every year, AND sets them up with their own collection of ornaments when they move out one day.
It’s a sweet gift tradition that you can start on your baby’s first Christmas, and continue for as many years as you want!
2. Picture In Front Of The Christmas Tree
This is another one that will be fun to look back on through the years. Every Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, pose in front of the tree and snap a photo. It can be a silly photo, a pajama photo, or a formal photo with coordinating outfits.
It takes only a few minutes, but getting to watch them grow through the years (literally) is priceless. You can even put together a Christmas photo album solely for the pictures, and pull it out every year to reminisce and see how much (or little) everyone has changed.
3. Christmas Morning Video
This is in the same spirit as the Christmas tree photo, but a little more in depth. You can simply film a little bit of the Christmas morning festivities, or, as your baby gets older, do an interview-style video. Ask a few questions such as what is their favorite thing about Christmas, or favorite Christmas gift they got this year. Anything that you want!
Being able to revisit past Christmases through video is not just a tradition but a gift, and a wonderful way to preserve memories.
4. Looking at Christmas Lights
Most babies love car rides, and why not take in some beautiful Christmas lights as you drive around town?
This is an old and well-known Christmas tradition, but it’s stuck around for a reason. Sometimes the simplest things in life are the ones we remember and treasure the most. Plus, both kids and adults alike can be mesmerized by Christmas lights. There’s usually at least one or two good neighborhoods within a reasonable driving distance, and other than the cost of fuel, it’s free.
You can feel free to make it as simple or extravagant as you want. For your baby’s first Christmas, you likely don’t need anything extra. Just a drive around to admire the beautiful light displays!
5. Donation To A Charity
The true meaning of Christmas is giving, modeled after the greatest Gift ever given to us. What better way to celebrate than by giving to those in need?
You can choose a set amount of money to donate to a certain charity or good cause every year, or you can choose a different amount or different cause every year. And as your family grows older, you can switch from donating to volunteering. Or you can even adopt a family for Christmas and take your child shopping for them.
6. Reading a Christmas Story
It’s never too early to start reading to your baby, and the beauty of this tradition is that you can make it as cozy as you want.
Add in the ambiance of string lights, a still winter evening, warm pajamas, and a delicious drink, and this story time becomes a time of togetherness that can last through the years. You can read the actual Christmas story found in the book of Luke in the Bible. Or you can pick another classic or meaningful Christmas story. Some of my personal favorites are:
- The Candle in the Window
- The Christmas Tree that Grew
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas
You can even choose a new book each year and make that part of the tradition. Or you can stick with a tried-and-true favorite!
There you have it!
Six Christmas traditions to start with your baby. Meaningful Christmas traditions don’t have to be expensive or complicated. And you don’t have to wait until your baby is older to start!
The intention of this list is to give you an idea of simple ways you can make your baby’s first Christmas extra special without placing too much stress on yourself. It’s a way to make memories and bond with your baby, without extra pressure or needing to spend too much money.
If you have any ideas or special traditions you do, share them in the comments! I’d love to hear.
