Now that you think about it, those cinnamon-scented candles would set your house on fire if you dozed off… A turkey, a roast and meat pies seem like an awfully big meal for a baby on purees, and your poor little angel is terrified each time they see that fat old bearded stranger who keeps trying to pick them up and threatens to enter your house at night. You bought dozens of gifts but your baby can’t open them yet and anyway, they played with the wrapping for a bit and went straight to sleep… even earlier than usual. And you thought you had everything under control…
The holiday season does not always go as planned. It reminds us of our own childhood, and we try to confine our first 10 years in one wonderful evening. 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, money and energy for this first Christmas that will be magical and amazing nonetheless.
Forget the mountains of gifts
“But I’ve been hoping to spoil them for such a long time!” Your baby doesn’t have that many toys and you are tempted to buy them all, just so they have a big pile of presents for their first Christmas. Don’t forget that you don’t know what your baby will like, that they will receive gifts from other members of the family, and that they will not even be able to play with everything just yet.
Read reviews and buy one or two good toys that you will wrap in the nicest wrapping paper you will find. Add ribbons and balloons to make it more impressive. It will be less pressure for your baby; less shopping for you and it will help your baby understand and appreciate the importance of small but thoughtful gifts.
Decoration
I truly believe that what matters the most on Christmas Day is the sparkle in your baby's eyes confirming that everything is perfect. The second best thing is colorful decorations and Christmas music. Your baby will see lights, see their reflection in the ornaments and hear Christmas music. This atmosphere is truly important and represents a big portion of what they will be looking forward to in the next years.
Traditions
If you would like to instill new traditions, don’t hesitate to begin early and take notes because as Christmas approaches, you might forget about all these good intentions. Whether you want to start an American quilt and add squares every year, start a charms bracelet or prepare series of thematic photography, you could start this year, right from the beginning of your child’s life…
Be patient…
In the end, the next Christmases will be just as important as this one, maybe even more. This one will be gentle and kind, the first in your family’s history and will be filled with fond memories no matter what.
Merry Christmas everyone! May your family and friends be happy!
