Xmas Gifts for Babies

Celebrate a baby's first Christmas with festive holiday clothing.

A baby's first Christmas is a time of celebration and excitement. In 2010, the Financial Times reported that consumer research group NDP detected a 7 percent decline in consumer spending on children between the ages of 0 and 2. However, many families still wish to give young babies presents, even if the baby himself is still unaware of the holiday. Keepsake Christmas gifts and age-appropriate toys are meaningful and practical for babies.

Christmas Clothes

Give Christmas attire early in the season, so the baby can wear your gift for more than a few days. Baby Santa onesies, reindeer footie pajamas and small sweaters with Christmas trees are all appealing holiday apparel. Choose clothing made of natural, mild fibers like cotton and flannel rather than an item that is cute, but itchy. Limit choking hazards by skipping the tassels, sequins and pom-poms on any Christmas clothing you make yourself.

Christmas Bells

Brass and silver Christmas bells are a touching keepsake gift that the child can proudly hang on his Christmas tree each year. Purchase a silver or brass bell from a jeweler or specialty store and have the baby's name engraved on one side with the year on the opposite side. For example: "William Jones; First Christmas 2012."

Christmas Stocking

A baby's first Christmas stocking should be one that he can use for many years, not just his first Christmas. Purchase a Christmas stocking from a specialty store online and have the baby's name embroidered on the top. You can also make a personalized stocking by purchasing a Christmas stocking from a craft store and gluing the baby's name across the top using felt or glittery letters.

Stuffed Christmas Toys

The baby will enjoy playing with colorful, stuffed toys shaped like Christmas items, such as trees, bells, gingerbread men and Santa. You can either make the toys yourself using a pattern from a craft store or purchase them already made. For a more interactive gift, cut a patch of green Velcro into the shape of a Christmas tree and sew large Velcro strips onto the back of each Christmas shape so the baby can "decorate his own" Christmas tree.

References

• The Financial: Study From the NPD Group Shows Decline in Number of U.S. Consumers Buying Gifts for Young Children