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Even
if baby is too young to
understand what is
happening, it is a
special time for a
family when the baby
celebrates his or her
first Christmas. Taking
the care to acknowledge
the event will create
memories and mementoes
the family can treasure
for many Christmases to
come.
Why celebrate?
The
simple answer is Why
not?
But
it is a significant
event for the parents,
seeing their child join
in with Christmas for
the first time. It can
also be significant for
Grandparents and other
family members.
Christmas is often said
to be for children, in
the sense that they
enjoy the magic and
wonder of the
decorations, the parties
and the presents. For
the religious, Christmas
is a reminder of the
birth of a baby, a baby
who grew into a man who
loved children, so there
is also significance in
the baby’s first
Christmas.
Obviously, the baby will
not remember their first
Christmas, and many are
too young to even notice
what is happening. But
that needn’t stop us
making note of the event
anyway.
How to celebrate?
Overall, the Christmas
celebrations will be the
same as they are for you
in other years. A few
little touches will make
it special for Baby and
parents.
Take
baby to visit Santa or
have a professional
child photographer take
some Christmas shots,
either of baby alone or
of the whole family.
These photos make
wonderful additions to
the family album but
also are great for
turning into gift cards.
Send cards with the
photo to grandparents,
aunts, uncles and so on,
especially any who live
too far away to be with
baby for Christmas.
Start
a decoration collection
for the baby. Decide on
a theme or not, then
give the child something
for the collection each
year from their first
Christmas until their
18th or 21st. By the
time the child leaves
home, they will be ready
to decorate their own
tree.
Get a
special decoration for
the tree or mantelpiece
that actually says
“baby’s first
Christmas”. Such
mementoes are cute and
bring a smile to
everyone’s face, as well
as providing a lasting
reminder of baby’s
arrival in the family.
Deliberately take a lot
of photos. Get a shot of
baby with all the
significant people in
his or her life in front
of the tree or on
Christmas day. This
makes a beautiful album
so the child can look
back and see who was
around. It is also a
great way to refresh any
family photos that are
getting a little old;
how often do you forget
to take photos of loved
ones because you see
them so often? Your last
photo of Mum might be
five or ten years old if
you’re not careful!
There
are also special bibs
and outfits to
acknowledge that it is
baby’s first Christmas.
Although there may be a
few Christmas events to
wear these outfits too,
they probably won’t be
worn very often.
However, if the child
has an appropriate sized
teddy or doll, the
outfit can be brought
out every Christmas for
display.
What about the parents?
Whether it’s only weeks
or nearly a year since
baby was born, the
parents have had an
important year.
Christmas is a good time
to remember how much the
new parents have been
through and to tell them
you have noticed.
Mention in a card or
giving a special
pampering gift is a
lovely thought for
parents at baby’s first
Christmas. A gift such
as a
hamper,
some
bath salts,
foot creams, a massage
or
a
bottle of wine
can be well appreciated
by the parents.
Even
better, give them a
Christmas gift of a
promise to babysit so
they can have a night
out by themselves.
Whatever else you do for
baby’s first Christmas,
make sure you shower
baby and his/her parents
with love and cuddles at
this special time.
Go
to the Save Time Online
Babies Gift Page
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