Ways to Celebrate Baby's First Christmas

It's common for parents to treat any of their baby's firsts as extra special. This includes, of course, the baby's first Christmas. Since they are so little, you are probably wondering what the best way to celebrate is. What can you do with a baby? Well, the answer is tons of stuff! Even if they don't remember, you will and you can create memories that will last a lifetime. Below are 15 ways you can celebrate a baby's first Christmas. There is something for every family including first-time parents, and families with older siblings as well.

More: Creating Christmas Traditions

1. Homemade Keepsake Christmas Ornament

This is a fun DIY that you can turn into a new tradition that you do every year with all of your children. You can make a baby's first Christmas ornament using their handprint! An easy way to accomplish this is nontoxic paint and a shatterproof bulb ornament. From there it's easy! Dip their tiny hand into the paint and put their hand on the ornament. If you get the whole family involved, you can see how each of your children grows each year. Just label them with the child's name and the year it was made. So easy and cute!

2. Family Christmas Cards

Get the whole family dressed up and do a photo shoot for a family Christmas card. You can customize it and send one to your loved ones and family members as a way to give them a thoughtful gift that they will love for years to come. Who wouldn't want a beautiful family photo on their holiday card?

3. Read Christmas Books Together

Nothing is more festive than spending time together as a family reading Christmas stories. Christmas Eve is the perfect time to do this because you can also read the classic story The Night Before Christmas and other holiday books such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas. You can easily turn this into a tradition that you continue every year as your baby grows.

4. Wear Matching Christmas Pajamas

It's easy to find matching Christmas Pajamas for the whole family almost anywhere. They come in all the sizes you need from newborn to adult. You can get a brand new PJ design every year and wear them to bed on Christmas Eve, and take photos wearing them while opening presents on Christmas morning.

5. Take Pictures With Santa

Something that you can preserve forever is the moment your baby meets Santa for the first time. Getting a picture with Santa that you can hold onto forever can be turned into a yearly tradition or something you save for their first Christmas that you can look back on every holiday season.

6. Make Christmas Cookies

Your baby can't help you bake Christmas cookies, but you can still start up the tradition now. It's a fun family activity! If you aren't a first-time parent you can start this with your older children as well. It's so fun!

7. Hang Christmas Lights in the Nursery

Babies love looking around and exploring their world. You can decorate their room and the house with strings of Christmas lights, garlands, or other decorations for them to look at. Not only will they love it, but it will also help get you into the holiday spirit as well.

8. Make Salt Dough Ornaments of Handprints or Footprints

Salt dough ornaments are incredibly easy to make and aren't too messy. You can use it to get a handprint and make a baby's first Christmas ornament. The best part is that if you have other children, the whole family can make them. You aren't limited to handprints either. You can use cookie cutters and make Santa hats and Christmas trees, too.

9. Homemade Advent Calendar

If you are not crafty yourself, you can still get your hands on an advent calendar made just for your little one. Etsy has plenty of options that are handcrafted by someone like you. You can even order extras for your other kids (if you have them) and make them personalized. It would be a special family tradition that you can start. What a fun way to countdown the days until Christmas!

10. Personalized Christmas Stockings

Of course, your baby is going to need a Christmas stocking for their first holiday earthside. If you are into personalization, you can purchase stockings with initials from almost anywhere such as Target or Walmart. If you prefer the baby's name you can always check, you guessed it, Etsy again!

11. Personalized Family Christmas Ornaments

​I have seen these all over and you can order them in many places online. I will share an example of this adorable snowman Christmas ornament that features all family members in your household. It doesn't have to be a tradition, but it is a sweet way to welcome your newborn into your family.

12. Elf on the Shelf

If this is your first child, then this is a cute tradition to start! The elf is meant to spread joy and fun in December before Christmas comes. Your little one is going to have so much fun looking for the elf on the shelf every morning, every single holiday season.

13. Spend the Holiday with Extended Family

Think about making Christmas a gathering by inviting family or traveling. Getting to spend the holiday with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even cousins just makes the day that much more special and memorable.

14. Buy Baby a Special Gift

To commemorate their birth, buy your baby a special gift. It can be a plush or a lovey or anything else you can think of. It will be something that they can look back on when they are older if they ever wonder what their very first Christmas gifts were.

15. Send a Holiday Birth Announcement

This is a fun way to get friends and family involved. You can take a special holiday photo of your newborn and send it to the people in your life who matter most to celebrate the new addition.

​​There are tons of ways to celebrate a baby's first Christmas and also ways to make the baby feel special. Hopefully, these Christmas ideas give you the inspiration to start a new holiday tradition or update a current one that your whole family won't ever forget.