New baby

[LividLaughLovely]

After years of trying, my baby will be nine months old this Christmas.

Obviously this year has been bonkers, maternity leave has been very different to what I’d planned and I’d like the end of it to be twinkly and lovely as possible!

Any ideas for traditions/lovely things/experiences to start our family Christmas off on the right foot?

Except the Elf.

I can’t be faffed with the Elf

Haha don't blame you about the elf!

1. A new decoration every year, you could do a hand print ornament for 1st xmas
2. Visit Santa if it's possible
3. Some parks/stately home type places do illuminations where you can walk around the grounds and see trees etc lit up. Worth a look out for!
4. Xmas eve boxes are popular - pjs, movie, snack type stuff
5. Xmas cookies, baking, gingerbread house
6. Family matching xmas pyjamas
7. Santa cookies and milk, carrot for Rudolph
8. Xmas disco (we put on a xmas/party tune playlist and have a small buffet. Could still work for little one!)
9. CBeebies does a xmas panto show on tv always worth a watch with little ones especially if we can't do theatres end of this year

10. Xmas games like throwing "snowballs" at plastic cups to knock them down, candy cane hunt (like an Easter egg hunt) pin the carrot on snowman etc more for when they're older tho babys will like the knock down cup stuff

Excellent list, @Cherryrainbow!

I like the disco 🕺🏾

My daughter will be 10 months old at Christmas so I know how you feel completely! I love the list posted above.

Let me know if you think of anything I can copy, @latheritup.

Matching pyjamas. We got a set before we were expecting from Next, I know they do pyjamas for the whole family so that'll be great this year.

Make gingerbread men. Obviously as time goes on the experience will be better (and less messy) but the pictures will be wonderful to look back on.

Christmas jumpers - we love them! The uglier the better

Picking out a Christmas tree.

Buy an advent calendar you can fill yourself and re-use as they get older.

These are the ones I have so far

Twinning is winning! 👕

I made a little Christmas album for my DD's first Christmas with photographs of all the festive things we had done so picking our christmas tree, visiting Santa, toddlers Christmas party etc. She still loves to look at it now and I'll be doing the same for baby number two when he/she arrives later this year (although I think it could be a little different thanks to limitations of covid but we'll see!) Love the list above as well - loads of great ideas!

Oh that’s an ace idea @Everybodysaycheese. I love a photobook 🥰

We have a clear plastic bauble which inside we have put a ribbon that is as long as my DS so each year we can make a new one.

So you replace the ribbon every year, @NutterPotter? 🎀

No he was only 1 month last xmas this year we will make another one each year to keep. X x