Kids’ favourite holidays are just around the corner. They can feel it in the air. The smell of roasted chestnut along the main street makes them feel festive and joyfully anticipate Christmas and New Year.
I am happy I have preserved that part of a child inside me and I am looking forward to the holidays, too. What makes me even more excited is that I am the one who makes my children happy by carefully choosing their presents and creating magic.
Honestly speaking, it’s not an easy task these days, because kids seem to have everything moreover they are mostly interested in modern gadgets.
Concerning my kids, I make them keep a balance. Gadgets are limited, and priorities like homework and garden play have to be respected. That is how we achieve having everything in a day.
Another tip is that mum and dad have to actively participate in games and plays. This is the least we can do to make our children happy and complete.
A Baby’s First Christmas
Christmas ornaments for a baby’s first Christmas are equally magical for the baby and the parents. Smaller babies don’t know anything but can feel the parents’ excitement. Their attention is preoccupied with lights, Christmas trees, ornaments and music. Of course, the feeling is not complete without Christmas songs.
Christmas trees, ornaments and lights but also TV commercials attract the attention of babies older than 6 months. Mine loved watching advertisements on TV especially Coca-Cola’s with red-lit trucks and Santa. We used to say that our kids were real “adaholics”.
Of course, every child is happy to receive gifts, especially toys. That’s the Christmas spirit and we should preserve it. This is the time of the year when we should not only receive but also give. And this is the idea that needs to be taught from the beginning. Only then will we create caring and respectful children.
You probably wonder how to teach a little baby to give. It’s simple. Just demand a hug, a kiss and thank you. That counts much especially today when the majority of kids are never satisfied. Satisfied or not, they have to learn to respect the giver and the present itself no matter the size and value.
Christmas Ornaments for my Baby’s First Christmas
To cut my long talk short, let’s get back to the focus of my blog. This is your first project for your baby.
The first year is very much marked by first things – first laugh, first word, first step. Capture these moments and decorate your tree with such important and precious memories of the first year. In a few years, when your baby sees those moments it will bring joy, fun and cheer and they will love to hear the exact story of their first milestones.
These are easy to make. On a piece of thick cardboard, draw the shape that you want. If you are not so skillful, then just draw a circle with the help of any circular object that you have at home (the bottom of a glass can serve the purpose) and cut it. If you are artistic, you can draw a heart shape or a star. However, for Christmas, I would definitely choose a circle.
Then stick the cardboard piece on the photo you want to make your ornament with. Carefully cut your circle.
On the other side, you can stick either another photo or some colorful piece of paper. Again cut the circle carefully and you are almost done.
Because the cardboard is thick, you might want to cover the cardboard part that is seen on the edges. Take a piece of the colorful thread for example and stick it around.
Now make a hole in the upper part of your ornament, close to the edge, taking care you don’t ruin your photo. Put the thread through and tie the ends.
Your first Christmas gift is ready. The ornament to remember as the first milestone for your baby and for you too will decorate your tree for many years to come.
This is also your milestone because your creativity starts here. You will need it the most through your baby’s first years of childhood. You will have to invent, make and perform magic both possible and impossible. So, start your practice here.
The More Presents the Better
Parents and especially grandparents are known to shower their kids and grandkids with presents. Most of the time during the year it is too much. But at this magical time, nothing is too much. This is the time when we open our wallets and buy like crazy.
The best present for very young babies, between 3-12 months, the most recommendable is a teether. As this period is known as traumatic for babies because of the teething process, they will appreciate this present so much. Read about my strong recommendation for a natural, wooden teether in this blog.
Along with the teether, something that will attract their attention and add to Christmas magic is the wooden rattle. The sound of the rattle is rustic which is associated with Christmas in Santa’s workshop in a wooden cabin. You might want to read more in this blog.
I would say that these are the elementary presents for the smallest one. Their main trouble is teething, so let’s facilitate this process with suitable toys.
It’s Time for the Gym
Along with Christmas tree ornaments, teethers and rattles, of course, there must go a real toy! Something very enticing and preoccupying.
It is best to combine entertaining aspect with stimulation practice. The entertaining aspect is important in order to catch the baby’s attention. Without attention, the toy would be neglected and could not make the baby practice the skills.
The educational aspect teaches many skills. There are many toys that are enticing but children can’t do anything with them except look at the ready-made product. This is very important when you give a toy to a child. If it is only attractive visually and the children can only inspect it with their eyes, then it is not worth buying.
Also, choose a toy that is age-appropriate, because again it wouldn’t be interesting to your child if it is too demanding and they don’t know what to do with it.
Our friend bought a remote control car for his newborn son. Of course, dad played with it and was disappointed that his baby wasn’t interested. Such a toy is not recommended for newborn babies and our friend realized that when his son reached the right age.
For the age between 0-12 months, the toy that I recommend to all, that is both preoccupying and stimulates the abilities, is the baby gym. My children had it and I must admit that I am very satisfied. They loved it and it was a real gym where they practiced all the skills needed for their regular development.
If you wish to read more about the baby gym, you can find my reviews here. You can add all those toys we have mentioned in this article onto the discovery bar and enjoy your baby’s play and the feelings that the toy evokes.
Honestly
From this point of view, we spend too much money on Christmas. However, I am an economic person that thinks well before any purchase, so I give myself the freedom to buy more and make my children happy.
My husband and I instilled in them respect for toys. They must know that it takes hard work to afford such toys so they must be dealt with carefully.
You may have found my ideas useful, but of course, you are always free to choose the toys according to your likes and opinions.
However, my strongest suggestion is to buy natural ones for your children. It is important that they don’t have any poisonous substances in their hands because most of the toys end up in their mouths.
Equally important is that the wood the toy is made of comes from sustainably managed forests. If we only cut wood and make natural toys, there will be less oxygen for them to breathe. That is why we have to take care of the forests, too.
And the last significant thing I want to repeat here is that you need to supervise your child’s play. Be there, observe and control the situation.
Baby, you’ve made this a December to remember.
