Celebrating your first Christmas with baby can be a blast

Your little cherub’s here and you’re excited to celebrate your first Christmas as a family. Sure, deck the halls with boughs of holly - but keep it out of baby’s reach! Here are our tips to make this Christmas a fairytale come true.

“It’s tempting to buy lots of expensive things, but most babies prefer playing with the wrapping paper than the present, anyway!”   “Your normal routines are even more important on a day when unusual things are happening and different people are arriving. It gives your baby a familiar framework to hang on to amid the unfamiliar uproar.”  Maximise pleasure and minimise over-excitement by doling out presents throughout the day or week. This way, your baby will have a chance to look at each new toy properly, rather than getting caught up in a mad shiny paper-ripping frenzy.  Playing with mum - and maybe some new toys - is the best Christmas present your little one could have.

Has Christmas lost a little of its charm since you found out that Santa wasn’t real? Not anymore. There’s nothing like your first family Christmas to bring all the magic flooding back. 

But while your baby’s first Christmas is an unforgettable occasion, it can also be pretty darned stressful. After all, the constant treadmill of shopping, cooking and entertaining is wearing enough as it is. Factor in a small baby and it can push you to breaking point.
Here’s how to survive your little angel’s first festive season. 

THE BIG BUILD-UP
Scale down the presents
You obviously want to make your baby’s first Christmas a memorable one by showering him with gorgeous gifts. “Stop!” says Sharon Thomson of the Parent Coaching Company, based in the UK. “It’s tempting to buy lots of expensive things, but most babies prefer playing with the wrapping paper than the present, anyway!” 

There’s really no need to go over the top on gifts. One nice toy is plenty, with a few inexpensive bits for his stocking. Rest assured, once your relatives and friends arrive with their presents, there’ll be lots for your baby’s little fingers to scrabble at!
Steer clear of the shops 

“Christmas shopping with a baby in tow is a nightmare, so don’t even try it,” says learning and behaviour specialist Noël Janis-Norton. “If you have to hit the shops, pick a day when your husband or mum can help look after your baby.” Better still, find a few good websites, browse through them with a nice cup of tea and let your shopping come to you.” 

Thankfully, presents for your nearest and dearest just got easier, says Janis-Norton. “A family photo in a pretty frame is always a hit,” she says. Or order one of those bags that you can personalise with a child’s photograph. 

Trim the decorations
Your neighbour may have hung her 8ft tree with thousands of delicate crystal snowdrops and threaded fairy lights into her homemade wreath, but that doesn’t mean you have to go into Christmas-decoration overdrive, too. In fact, it’s your parental duty not to. Any health-and-safety expert will tell you babies and dangly glass baubles don’t mix. Besides, all that good taste is totally lost on your baby. Put up a little tree, cover it in cheap tinsel and watch your little one’s eyes light up in wonder! 

Have a home party
Your mum or mum-in-law may want you at her house for Christmas and, bless her, she’s probably trying to make it easier for you. But will it be, especially if you’ve got a little one who shuns crowds or feels anxious in unfamiliar surroundings? Why not throw a simple party on homeground? It doesn’t have to involve any more work, and your little one will be much more settled. But if the thought of hordes of relatives and friends descending fills you with dread, don’t feel bad about spending the day as a family of three - you, your husband and your baby. After all, his first Christmas is a special time you’ll never get back again. 

Don’t do a Nigella
If you do decide to entertain at home, keep it simple. Supermarkets sell ready-peeled veg and prepared trimmings, and there’s no law that says your Christmas meal only tastes nice if you’ve hand-plucked the turkey. To keep things real neat and nice, why not order a takeaway turkey, Christmas pudding or log cake from one of the many hotels and cafes around town. 

Don’t be shy about accepting offers of help, either. “Since Joshua came along, we’ve been organising a ‘potluck’ every Christmas,” says Jacqueline Seetoh, 35, mum to Jonas, 11 months, and Joshua, 4. “We’ll ask all our friends and relatives to bring a different dish to share. People love the chance to be involved.” 

There’s no need to cook a separate feast for your baby, either. If he’s weaned, let him tuck into his own plate of mashed veggies and potatoes - just don’t add salt to his portion when you’re cooking. If he’s over 6 months, he can even have some well-puréed turkey. Don’t add gravy - it’s too salty for his kidneys to cope with - and watch out for the puddings and cakes, too. They contain enough alcohol and sugar to make your little one high! 

Share the load
Gone are those heady days when Christmas meant you and your man getting in a few bottles of wine and some tasty nibbles and cosying up with A Christmas Carol. 

Talking to your husband about sharing the chores will help to keep things sweet on the day so your Christmas goes without a hitch. 

“Men aren’t telepathic, so give him clear tasks like buying the drinks and, if he dares complain, tell him it’s only fair that he does his share,” advises relationship expert Gladeana McMahon.

If it all gets too much… Christmas is an exciting time for tiny tots, but it can be over-stimulating. His normal, comfy environment is turned upside down (there’s a tree in the living room, for heaven’s sake!), it’s hot and noisy, and strange people with scratchy beards or strong perfume keep picking him up.  If you’re visiting friends or family, ask for a quiet room to hide away with him when it all gets a bit too much. His favourite blanket or cuddly toy will help calm him down. Alternatively, pop him in his stroller and take him out for a walk. He’ll benefit from the fresh air, and it’ll help you burn off all those fried mee siam, barbecued chicken wings and sinful log cakes, too!

ON CHRISTMAS DAY
Stick to a routine
If your child usually has lunch at 12pm and a nap at 2pm, it’s important to stick to that schedule, even if Auntie Mavis may think it’s a shame little John-John is sleeping when everyone else is singing carols. “Your normal routines are even more important on a day when unusual things are happening and different people are arriving,” stresses Janis-Norton. “It gives your baby a familiar framework to hang on to amid the unfamiliar uproar.” 

Stagger the gifts
Maximise pleasure and minimise over-excitement by doling out presents throughout the day or week. This way, your baby will have a chance to look at each new toy properly, rather than getting caught up in a mad shiny paper-ripping frenzy. 

Find time to play
Delegate the tea-making and dish-washing to others, and get stuck into some serious Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Playing with mum - and maybe some new toys - is the best Christmas present your little one could have. 

Don’t get too merry
If your bump put a dampener on the celebrations last year, you’re probably looking forward to a bit of hedonism. Don’t go mad, though. If you’re breastfeeding, drinking sessions are still off limits (sorry!). A glass or two of wine is fine, but remember that, whatever you drink, your baby gets a taste of. 

Also, don’t let anyone smoke in the same room as your little one. 

MUMS LIKE YOU “We never invite anyone round on Christmas Day. It’s exciting enough without having to plan around other people. We get up and eat when we want.” Faye Seah, 33, mum to Hope, 1, Regan, 3, and Rose, 5.  “Buy gifts throughout the year and get ‘emergency’ gifts in case an unexpected visitor should turn up.” Wong Shu Fen, 32, mum to Jayden, 1, and Alison, 4.  “We had Christmas dinner with the in-laws last year. It saved me cooking so I spent the whole day with Emma.” Carolyn Olsen, 28, mum to Emma, 2, and 27 weeks pregnant.  “Have a ‘treasure barrel’ (a huge, decorated cardboard box) into which the children’s presents go. Every hour they get to ‘dive for treasure - it prolongs the fun!” Elaine Ong, 30, mum to Devon, 10 months, and Daisy, 3.

If you have any comments or practical suggestions, write to us at editor@family.sg 

- Mother & Baby
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