Your baby’s first holiday season is a whole new adventure, and it’s a great time to start traditions that’ll stick with your family for years. Holiday traditions with your baby can be simple, sweet, and honestly, they’re what you’ll remember long after the season is over. These early celebrations set the tone for your family’s own holiday story.
What’s lovely about baby holiday traditions is how easygoing they can be. You don’t need fancy gifts or big plans. Just reading holiday stories together, making a homemade ornament, or snapping photos in cozy pajamas can turn into favorite rituals before you know it.
Whether you’re looking at meaningful Christmas traditions that help you capture those little moments, or just want to share in the fun together, there are so many ways to include your baby in the festivities. The things you start now will change as your child grows, but the sense of togetherness will stick around.
Core Holiday Traditions for Babies
Getting started with meaningful traditions on baby’s first Christmas is easier than it sounds. Some of the best ones are: celebrating your baby’s first Christmas with keepsakes, picking out a personalized stocking, heading to a tree farm, and matching up in holiday pajamas.
Celebrating Baby’s First Christmas
Your baby’s first Christmas is a big deal, so why not make it extra special? Take a photo of your baby with the Christmas tree every year. It’s a simple thing, but watching those photos pile up as your child grows is pretty amazing.
Make a special ornament for your baby’s first year. Families often go for one with the baby’s name and birth year, or you could try a handprint or footprint ornament to remember just how tiny they were.
Read Christmas books together throughout December. Even if your baby doesn’t understand the story, they’ll love hearing your voice. Board books with bright pictures work best.
You can also start a Christmas morning routine, like opening one small present first. New pajamas or a soft toy are perfect. Holiday traditions don’t have to cost much to be meaningful.
A Christmas journal can be fun, too. Write down your baby’s reactions to the lights, sounds, and decorations. Toss in a few photos and notes about what made them smile.
Selecting a Personalized Christmas Stocking
Choosing your baby’s stocking is more important than you’d think. It might be with them for years, so pick something you like! You can match your family’s style or start fresh with a new design.
Stocking Material Options:
- Knitted wool for a classic feel
- Felt for easy customization
- Canvas if you want something sturdy
- Velvet for a little extra flair
Add your baby’s name with embroidery, fabric paint, or iron-on letters. Mark the year, too—it’s a nice touch.
For babies under six months, fill stockings with soft toys, board books, or teethers. Older babies might like stacking toys or shakers.
If this is your first child, maybe grab matching stockings for everyone. It’s a small thing, but it makes for cute photos and a sense of unity.
Visiting a Christmas Tree Farm
A trip to a Christmas tree farm is a classic baby’s first holiday tradition. Even little ones love the fresh air, the smell of pine, and all the sights.
Bundle your baby up in layers. Bring extra blankets and maybe a carrier so you can keep your hands free.
Take photos of your baby with the trees—those shots are gold for the memory book. Some families like to recreate the same photo every year, which is pretty fun to look back on.
Tree Farm Tips for Babies:
- Go when it’s warmest outside
- Pack snacks and bottles
- Keep the visit short for tiny babies
- Baby wipes are a lifesaver for sticky sap
Let your baby touch the tree branches (with you close by). The feel and smell of pine are a mini sensory adventure.
Choosing Baby’s First Christmas Pajamas
Christmas pajamas are a cozy tradition that’s easy to start. Pick a pair for your baby’s first Christmas and keep it going every year.
Go for soft, comfy fabrics like cotton or bamboo. Skip anything scratchy or with decorations that might irritate your baby’s skin.
Festive colors like red or green are always cute, but you can also let everyone pick their own style or match as a family.
Popular Christmas Pajama Styles:
- Classic plaid
- Snowflakes
- Christmas trees
- Santa or reindeer prints
Put on the pajamas Christmas Eve for bedtime stories and photos. Some families like to open pajamas as their “one gift” on Christmas Eve.
Buying pajamas a little big isn’t a bad idea. Babies grow so fast, and a looser fit is comfier for sleep.
Creative Keepsakes and Christmas Crafts
Making DIY baby keepsake decorations is a sweet way to remember your baby’s first holiday. Think handprint ornaments, gingerbread decorating, and family craft projects.
Making a Handprint Ornament
Handprint ornaments are classic keepsakes from your baby’s first Christmas. You can make these homemade keepsake ornaments with air-dry clay, salt dough, or just an ink pad and some cardstock.
Salt dough recipe:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup water
Mix, roll flat, and press your baby’s hand gently into the dough. Use a straw for a hanging hole.
Air-dry clay works if you want a deeper impression. Press your baby’s hand down for a few seconds.
Once it’s dry, paint the ornament, add your baby’s name and the year, and thread ribbon through the hole.
These baby Christmas crafts are keepsakes you’ll look back on every year.
Decorating Gingerbread Houses Together
Your baby can get in on the gingerbread house fun, too. Set up a safe, washable workspace and use baby-friendly materials.
Baby-safe options: large cereal pieces, soft cookies, and edible decorations that are easy to grab. Skip small candies—they’re a choking risk.
Put your baby in a high chair near you. Give them their own pieces to play with while you build.
Sensory perks: new textures, colors, and shapes. Even if your baby eats more decorations than they place, it’s all part of the fun.
Try making two houses—your main one, and a “baby practice” house using graham crackers and frosting. That way your baby can explore without stress.
Take plenty of photos to capture these baby holiday crafts moments.
Crafting Family Holiday Decorations
Family decoration projects are a great way to get everyone involved. Simple crafts are best when you have a baby.
Paper snowflakes work if you do the cutting and let your baby help place them around. Use big pieces of construction paper and safety scissors.
Fabric garlands are easy, too. Use scraps from outgrown clothes, cut into strips, and tie them to twine. Your baby can touch and play with the textures.
Photo ornaments are a sweet way to show off memories. Print baby photos and pop them into plastic ornaments or frames.
Decorate pine cones with your baby. Roll them in peanut butter and birdseed for an outdoor bird feeder.
These creative baby Christmas crafts help shape your family’s holiday story.
Festive Activities and Family Bonding Moments
Special activities like reading stories, counting down to Christmas, and sharing photos can help your baby feel included. These little things build connection and memories that last.
Reading The Night Before Christmas
Reading to your baby is a calm, cozy way to wind down during the holidays. The Night Before Christmas is a favorite for its gentle rhythm and fun pictures.
Board books are best—they survive drool and curious hands.
Best times to read:
- Before naps
- After feeding in the evening
- Quiet mornings
Try reading it every night in December. Your baby won’t get the story yet, but they’ll love the routine.
Use silly voices for Santa or the reindeer. Point to pictures and name things like “sleigh” or “cookies” to help your baby learn new words.
Starting an Advent Calendar
An advent calendar is an easy way to make every day special. Pick one with pockets or boxes big enough for baby-safe surprises.
Fill each day with rattles, soft toys, or little board books. Skip anything small enough to be a choking hazard.
Safe advent calendar ideas:
- Fabric calendars with pockets
- Wooden ones with large spaces
- Photo calendars with family pics
Open a pocket together each morning. Let your baby explore the surprise and talk about what it is.
Snap photos of your baby’s reactions. These make great memories for later.
Sending Christmas Photo Cards
Christmas photo cards are a fun way to show off your baby’s first holiday to family and friends. Relatives love getting these, and they’re keepsakes for years.
Plan your photo when your baby is rested and fed. Natural light is your friend.
Photo card tips:
- Simple, comfy outfits
- Neutral backgrounds
- Cute props like Santa hats
Add a short note about your baby’s milestones—maybe when they started crawling or saying their first word.
Order early to avoid shipping delays. Some families keep the photo card tradition going every year.
Send cards to relatives who don’t see your baby often. It’s a nice way to help them feel connected.
Meaningful Christmas Traditions for Memory-Making
Building special Christmas traditions with your baby gives you memories to look back on and share as your family grows. These ideas focus on storytelling and keepsakes that capture those first holiday moments.
Annual Christmas Storytime Rituals
Reading holiday stories is a peaceful way to connect with your baby. Pick a special book to read every Christmas Eve or morning.
Classics like “The Night Before Christmas” or “The Polar Express” are always hits, but you can choose something that fits your family’s style.
Make it special by:
- Reading in the same cozy spot
- Using different voices for characters
- Taking a photo together each year
- Writing the date inside the book cover
Your baby might not understand the words, but they’ll love the sound of your voice. The routine becomes comforting as they grow.
Reading a holiday story together is a simple, free tradition that can mean a lot over time.
Building a Collection of Holiday Memories
Start gathering little things that capture each Christmas with your child as they grow. These keepsakes can turn into family treasures before you know it.
Some favorite memory ideas:
- Photo ornaments you add to every year
- Handprint or footprint crafts (messy, but worth it)
- First Christmas outfits tucked away in a memory box
- Letters to your child about what made the year special
Making a homemade ornament or decoration every year is a fun way to remember each season. You might stick to one style or switch it up as your child gets older and their interests change.
Photo decorations are great since they’re simple and let you see how much your child is growing. Snap a Christmas photo each year—maybe in matching pajamas or by the tree if you’re into that.
Keep everything together in a Christmas box or photo album. Someday, your child will probably love flipping through these memories.