Looking to make cherished memories on your baby’s first Christmas? In this article Kirsty Prankerd from personalized gift retailer Write From The Heart shares five of the best Christmas traditions your family can start this year.

After a challenging year for all of us, and to make up for the toned-down celebrations of last Christmas, many of us are looking to push the boat out this festive period. In fact, a recent study by Marks & Spencer has found that 39% of Brits are planning to do more to celebrate Christmas than they did before the pandemic hit. And this will no doubt include new mums and dads too, who have faced a peculiar and challenging first year of parenthood.

A baby’s first Christmas is a big and exciting milestone for every family, and it deserves to be celebrated to the fullest.And your little one’s first ever Christmas isn’t just about the day itself, but beginning family traditions that’ll last for years to come. If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are five of the best festive family traditions that you can start this year.

Do a festive family photoshoot

Doing a family photoshoot for your baby’s first Christmas is a great way to capture special memories. Not only does it give you something to look back on when your little one is all grown up, but you could even do the shoots every year to create a festive photo album!

And there are plenty of options to choose from, so you’re sure to find a setting that suits your family. You can dress in anything from your Christmas best to cosy festive pyjamas. Whether you choose to have your shoot by a roaring fire place adorned with stockings and Christmas décor, or while doing some festive baking, the whole family is sure to get into the Christmas spirit.

Create a cosy grotto

Show your little one the magic of Christmas by creating a charming and cosy Santa’s grotto for the whole family to enjoy. This is something that kids of all ages will love, so itcan easily become a tradition for years to come. And creating your grotto doesn’t have to be a difficult task either. If you have a separate space to set it up, like a shed, conservatory, or box room, then that’s great. But don’t worry if not, as you can make it nice and cosy by just setting it up in the corner of the living room, using old curtains or tablecloths to create an entrance.

You can decorate the grotto with star shaped fairy lights, garlands, and tinsel. When the kids get older, they can even help by making some decorations for the grotto too. You’ll also need a grand chair for when Santa comes to visit. And to make it extra special for your little one, create a post-box for them to post their letter to Santa in.

Make an activity advent calendar

There are so many fun festive activities to enjoy at this time of year, it can be difficult to plan them all in! So, to make sure you get as much out of the festive season as possible, make an advent calendar of all the fun festive things you want the family to do. This is a great tradition that can be kept for years to come. And as your kids get older, they can even add some suggestions for activities to do too.

There are a number of ways to get into the Christmas spirit that can be added to your calendar, from the small things such as watching Christmas films and decorating the tree, to bigger activities, like going out to see the Christmas lights and visiting Santa. When making the activity advent calendar, make sure to have a mixture of both large and smaller activities so you don’t overwhelm yourself. After all, with Christmas just around the corner, being exhausted is the last thing you need!

Create a Christmas keepsake box

To keep the memory of your baby’s first Christmas alive, make sure to preserve a precious keepsake from this year’s festive season. This can be anything that grabs you, big or small. Maybe you’d like to get creative and do a festive drawing using your baby’s tiny handprints, or you could buy a special personalised ornament for their first Christmas.

You can keep this keepsake in a box, and then add to it every year so you have a memento of each Christmas with your little one. Whether you’re adding a song book from going Christmas carolling or a picture of a visit to Santa Claus, it’s something that you and the family are sure to look back on fondly when the kids are all grown up.