5 Creative Ways to Make Your Baby’s 1st Holiday Season Memorable
The holiday season is coming right up. What an exciting time - especially for those who have a little newborn in tow. It’s natural to want to make this first holiday season for your baby as memorable as possible, so here we go…
1. Plan (honestly) ahead with your partner (and the family)
This one may not seem all that exciting, but honestly feeling, thinking, and planning ahead works wonders for ensuring the expectations/demands of the season don’t overtake feelings of joy, blessings, and feelings of abundance.
Notice the emphasis on “honestly feeling” and take it from there.
Things to consider:
Is the normal travel schedule too much for your new family set up? It’s okay to cut something out, even if it causes an initial upset. You need to take care of you!
Are you typically the hostess with the mostest? Know that your baby may need more one-on-one attention from you in response to the hubbub, so this may be a good year to pass those duties onto someone else.
Is there a quiet space for you to nurse/feed or rest with the baby? S/he may be fussier or in need of ample quiet time because of the higher energetic resonance of the group.
Would shorter visits at family homes, rather than all-day or all-night events work better for your rhythm? Ask that the itinerary accommodates that.
Talk your concerns or potential stressors out with your partner and get his/her input as well. Then, share your thoughts/feelings with family. It’s hard sometimes for grandparents or close family members to give up their own fantasies/hopes/expectations – but you need to prioritize your well-being as well as your baby’s.
A stressed-out mama or baby means an inability for you both to feel the sweet tenderness that is at the root of this season after all.
2. Schedule a holiday-themed photo shoot well ahead of time
Full Disclosure: I’m a maternity and newborn photographer, so I have a vested interest in this one – just sayin’…
However, holiday cards, ornaments, and beautiful images to capture this first, precious holiday season are a way to share the love with family and close friends, and to adorn your halls for decades to come. Photographers book up quickly this time of year, so time is of the essence if you want to get on their books in time.
3. Begin Collecting His/Her Future Decorations
I have a client who began purchasing one special ornament, and one precious holiday decoration, the year her baby was born. She’s continued each year after that. They were wrapped and labeled with the child’s name, under the tree. She also wrote the year on the bottom or backs of the purchases for posterity’s sake. These ornaments and decorations grace their home for now and are a pleasure for her daughter when she pulls them out of her own holiday decoration box to decorate the tree and the house.
Now, years later, her daughter - and their subsequent children - delight in opening these gifts because they know when they move out into their own homes someday, they get to take a box of their childhood ornaments and decorations with them into their adult lives.
It’s a very simple tradition, but one that results in decades’ worth of beautiful treasures, that eventually become heirlooms.
4. Purchase (or make) a personalized stocking, menorah, etc.
Along those same lines, those who celebrate Christmas can purchase or make a personalized stocking. If you aren’t overly crafty, hit stores like Michael’s or a local fabric store and you’ll find easy-to-assemble stocking kits that are made just for you.
The online, independent artisan site Etsy, has all kinds of personalized menorah options available, as well as personalized anything that aligns with your family’s holiday beliefs and traditions.
5. Give the gift (and the reading) of a special holiday book
All the research shows that it’s never too early to read to baby – and that includes while you’re pregnant. It’s a bonding ritual, a model of literacy, and can be an integral part of the evening wind down and bedtime routine.
If you didn’t come from a family that celebrated holiday stories and books, you’re in luck. There is a plethora. Click Here to start your search…
My name is Marcela Limon, and I’m the owner of Lemonshoots. I love the holidays, and I also recognize how hectic they can be for parents with new babies. Take time to breathe deep and take care of yourself and your baby – reveling in the magical possibilities. Feel free to call me - (510) 747-9019 - or contact me online to book a sweet session for you and your newborn to commemorate their first Holiday season.
