If you’ve
because you’ve had a bad experience in the past around Christmas time or if you’re struggling financially to meet the demands of the holiday season, it’s not uncommon to feel like there’s no way that you can have a great Christmas with your baby.
We thought we’d put together some ideas that you could use to make your baby’s first Christmas as magical as possible – without spending a fortune.
Free or Cheap Days In or Out
First of all, we’ve got some ideas for FREE or close to free things that you could do with your little one this Christmas. Whether you’d rather spend time warm at home or if you want to get out and see the sights, you don’t have to spend a fortune to make your baby’s first Christmas a magical one!
Arts And Crafts
If you want to do something fun with your baby as well as having something that you’ll be able to keep for future Christmases, how about doing something crafty? You could make casts or [amazon_textlink asin=’B00379P308′ text=’moulds of your baby’s feet and hands’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’dfbd1b7d-c156-11e7-9922-81f0896f4a01′], use [amazon_textlink asin=’B00000IVXX’ text=’finger paints’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’c2cc3382-c156-11e7-b6a3-d97cb86e2e7f’] to capture your baby’s prints or make some colourful [amazon_textlink asin=’B005OJZUDY’ text=’Christmas decorations’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’d59840ef-c157-11e7-9a24-574fe7fe3d0c’] in front of your baby whilst they watch you. Babies love watching their parents doing exciting things and seeing you cut up colourful paper or making some sparkly decorations would be a great way to take a break from watching the TV!
You can buy arts and crafts online or locally cheaply and there are many great tutorials online showing you how to make lots of Christmas decorations whether you’re a complete novice or if you are naturally creative and want a challenge!
If you’re not too confident with making things at home, how about checking out a local event. The local Children’s Centres often have craft workshops on so you may be able to take your little one there to make a great keepsake.
Meet the Reindeer!
Old Holly Farm is located just 2 miles north of Garstang. It is easy to find and this year, they have Reindeer for you to visit. Your baby will love spending time at the farm and seeing the animals and there is just a small admission fee. Additionally, Santa is going to be visiting the farm throughout December so make sure that you book your baby’s place. It costs £10 to visit Santa.
Children’s Centre Parties
The Blackpool Children’s Centres are a great community resource. If you have little ones, you’re really encouraged to use them. They have FREE events on throughout the week as well as parties during special holidays. Look out for information about your local Children’s Centre parties like the one at Grange Park. The Grange Park family Christmas party will be on Wednesday December 6th from 4pm – 6pm.
Coca Cola Truck
Sadly, the Coca Cola Truck won’t be making a stop at Blackpool this year. If you want to get to see the iconic vehicle, you will need to travel to Manchester this year. As most people say, it’s not Christmas until the Coca Cola truck is on telly! You can see the truck on December 2nd and 3rd so if you’re planning a trip to the Manchester Christmas Markets this year, or if you are going to see the Christmas Lights, you should try to plan your visit to coincide with the truck so your baby will be able to enjoy this fun experience and maybe their first sip of cola! The Coca Cola Truck is a free experience and they usually give out free fun size cans of cola throughout the visit.
Manchester Christmas Lights
Sadly, there is no Blackpool Christmas Lights switch on this year. If you don’t want your baby to miss out, you could always attend The Manchester Christmas Lights switch on instead. Although this is a drive or train ride away, you will be able to have a fun family evening out at the switch on and it will certainly be worth going, especially for the atmosphere and community spirit that these events bring!
Santa Dash
The Santa Dash along Blackpool Promenade is an annual event that is great fun if you’re big enough to participate. Of course, your baby will be a bit too small to join in the dash but seeing all the Santas running along the promenade will be great fun. Don’t forget, they need people cheering them on! This event is to raise money for Brian House, which is a great local charity.
Thornton Santa Sleigh Run
Another great cause for locals this Blackpool is the Thornton Sleigh Run. The rotary club take Santa in his sleigh along with some volunteers to collect gifts for the needy this Christmas. Not only will you get the chance to see Santa but if you want to offer a gift for someone who deserves one this year, you can donate to the rotary club.
Free Entry Christmas Fairs
You could attend one or both of the TopStitch craft fairs held at the Winter Gardens and the North Euston Hotel. There is also a christmas market at the Marine Hall.
Christmas Tree Festival
The Christmas Tree Festival at the Winter Gardens will be a great place to take your baby if you want them to see lots of beautiful Christmas trees. There is a small fee for entry.
Santa’s Christmas Grotto On The Toy Train Tram!
Outside North Pier, Santa will be pulling up in his Toy Train for a magical grotto experience. The popular heritage illuminated Toy Train tram will be parked outside North Pier and will be available for children to visit Santa. Check out the event for more details. If you don’t want to take your baby to visit Santa, standing beside the Toy Train will still make a great photo opportunity for your little one!
More Events
Make sure that you keep a lookout on our new Events Page for more Christmas events you can take your baby to. We’ll be updating this page often so you can see all the local events, when and where they’re on and how much each event will cost to visit.
Counting Down The Days
Advent Calendars are a tradition for little children. Counting down those days until Santa comes was part of the magic of Christmas for most of us whilst growing up. If you’re like to carry on that tradition, you could get an advent calendar for your baby. Whilst it’s probably not advisable for you to get a standard advent calendar for your baby, especially if they’re very small, there are other options out there.
Baby’s First Advent Calendar
You would buy an advent calendar online. These
The Toot Toot range is a great choice for babies and [amazon_textlink asin=’B01EJA4DLI’ text=’this vTech Toot Toot animals Calendar’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’dcf7842c-c1a6-11e7-a48d-03196786a723′] comes with toot toot toys that your baby will be able to enjoy through Christmas and beyond. Perfect if your little one isn’t ready for a calendar with sweets.
If you’d prefer something a bit bigger that your older children can enjoy with their baby sibling, this [amazon_textlink asin=’B01D4B6OGK’ text=’Toot Toot drivers calendar’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’f275af20-c1a6-11e7-8a9a-39821ce96383′] is another great choice.
Baby’s First Christmas Outfit
Let’s face it. One of the most fun things to do with a baby is dress them in cute outfits. They don’t stay small for long and trotting out those baby photos is going to be so much fun in years to come. Imagine the embarrassment you can cause on your child’s 18th birthday. Whether you want to make your baby look cute as a button or if you want the perfect embarrassing baby pic for future years, the best thing to do is to choose a great Christmas outfit!
Boys First Christmas Outfit
Boys outfits are widely available. You can choose from many unisex or boy’s first Christmas outfits so that you can make your little prince the highlight of everyone’s Christmas this year!
How about this [amazon_textlink asin=’B075L5Z4KC’ text=’adorable green and red outfit’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’933044db-c1a8-11e7-a447-e7878d9e58d0′]? With a body suit, pants and a hat, you have everything you need here for your baby’s Christmas Outfit
This [amazon_textlink asin=’B075RY9XKD’ text=’Santa Outfit’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’13e26fc5-c1a9-11e7-a95d-d130442a40da’] is available in ages 6-24 months and even comes with Santa Boots so that you can complete the look! This doesn’t have “Baby’s First Christmas” on so if this is your baby’s second or third Christmas, this is a great choice.
Girls First Christmas Outfit
Do you have a girly girl or is your little angel more of a tomboy at heart? Whether you prefer to dress your daughter in pretty dresses or if you’d rather tone it down a little, there are loads of beautiful Baby’s first Christmas outfits out there for you to choose from.
This [amazon_textlink asin=’B075F3WYPD’ text=’red dress’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’2e96d4eb-c1a9-11e7-8ea2-a7ee402de0c0′] is an absolute classic and will make your baby the envy of all who see her.
This little [amazon_textlink asin=’B01LXSZOGT’ text=’tutu romper’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’5d719c9c-c1a9-11e7-8b43-f9c3763ab890′] is another wonderful choice for the girly girl.
If you had a December baby last year, you can still find plenty of great baby clothes for girls that don’t have “Baby’s First Christmas” on them. This pretty [amazon_textlink asin=’B01M5IUY3K’ text=’Reindeer Dress outfit ‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’d7eebb3c-c1a9-11e7-a854-11b4d48d0115′]is an adorable example.
Don’t Forget New Year!
You can also get New Year outfits for your little bundle of joy.
This [amazon_textlink asin=’B075QCMN68′ text=’girl’s ensemble’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’46af3d3a-c1aa-11e7-b5ea-11d79a22ce08′] is great for daytime or sleepwear
For the boys, [amazon_textlink asin=’B01MA2684A’ text=’this body suit ‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’994f6e4d-c1aa-11e7-9b74-8be9df0d1cff’]is available in a range of colours and is inexpensive. Perfect for just being worn a couple of times.
Christmas Trees and Ornaments
Ok, so whether you have a baby or not, you’ll probably have a Christmas Tree and/or some Christmas decorations around your home. There are some things you could do to make your baby’s first Christmas tree that little bit more special.
Soft Tree
For babies who are ready to explore, a [amazon_textlink asin=’B00OGQET7O’ text=’soft Christmas tree ‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’2e0a04c9-c1b1-11e7-a7b1-4ff37cb8f454′]is a great idea. You can buy these cheaply and they could even be used as a prop in a sweet Christmas photo.
Decorative trees
If you’re looking for a new Christmas tree for your home, it is highly advisable to choose a high quality fake Christmas tree. Whilst some people like the thought of having a real tree in their home, there are many downsides to choosing a real tree. If you have a baby – especially one who’s mobile already – the last thing you want to have to do is deal with a real tree. The needles drop off, especially in well heated homes and once Christmas is over, you’ve got to recycle that tree, unless you have a log burner!
Instead, choose an indoor tree that is suitable for the height of the room you’ll be putting it in. Trees that have a particularly wide base tend to be a little better at staying upright too.
You can choose from traditional style Christmas trees or more unusual modern ones. Coloured trees can be a good choice if you want your tree to match your colour scheme. Fibre Optic trees can mean that you don’t need to decorate them and simply use them as they are.
[amazon_textlink asin=’B06XXSR4XX’ text=’Pre-decorated christmas trees’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’fcba9e19-c1b1-11e7-8964-877c036ac08d’] can be a great time saver when you have a baby too!
Tree Ornaments
Collecting Tree ornaments each year can be enjoyable. Taking the ornaments out of storage each year and being reminded of Christmases gone can being back some great memories. We’ve got some good ideas for your baby’s first Christmas tree ornament.
This [amazon_textlink asin=’B01MYUVEX1′ text=’Me to You bauble’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’61053f98-c1b3-11e7-a447-e7878d9e58d0′] can be personalised with your baby’s name. It’s a cute and low cost ornament that you’ll be able to keep for years to come.
Instead of having your baby’s name on the ornament, how about a photo of your baby? This [amazon_textlink asin=’B00NYDW3B4′ text=’adorable silver plated bootee’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’82c0a817-c1b3-11e7-886a-5b846408e6cd’] is also a photo frame so that you can put a sweet photo of your little one inside the ornament to remind you of your baby’s first Christmas.
Never forget the year your baby was born! This [amazon_textlink asin=’B0751MHXH7′ text=’2017 tree ornament’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’af657d2c-c1b3-11e7-82bc-eb08ac3fb580′] is cute and eye catching and would make a great little gift for a co worker or neighbour’s baby
Tree safety
If your baby is on the move, it can be difficult keeping the tree in tact and stopping it from being pulled over. Christmas trees can be dangerous for babies who are learning to crawl, especially if you have a real tree in your home as these have needles that can start to drop fairly quickly – especially if you like to keep your house nice and warm. Our recommendation is that you get a good playpen for your baby to play in. The [amazon_textlink asin=’B00KWAQ3RC’ text=’Dreambaby Royal Converta’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’0c0d946c-c1b4-11e7-a542-9d1dab50f380′] is a really good choice as it opens out into a long baby gate so that you can section off an area of your room. Instead of confining your baby, you could just confine your Christmas decoration area.
First Christmas Gift Sets
We love these all in one gift sets! If you’re looking for a gift for someone who’s celebrating their baby’s first Christmas, here are some great ideas.
This [amazon_textlink asin=’B00Q4OCY46′ text=’bib, hat, booties and tree ornament set’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’491d2437-c1b4-11e7-8157-457cc1b1cf45′] is completely adorable.
Personalised items always make great gifts for a baby. [amazon_textlink asin=’B074WBDZL8′ text=’This comforter and blanket set will be a hit’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’6dd0bd88-c1b4-11e7-af01-4fd39f45fafd’].
If you can’t think of anything to buy for a family with a new baby, maybe because you’re unsure of what they already have, they may appreciate the thought of a [amazon_textlink asin=’B01E8ZKWL4′ text=’gift card’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cubran-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’ce53258a-c166-11e7-af01-4fd39f45fafd’] so that they can purchase something that they would be able to make use out of or that the baby could enjoy.
