Dos and Don'ts for Baby's First Christmas

My nephews Giovanni and Gabriel, from right.

Here are some do's and don'ts for your baby's first Christmas.

-Don't spend a lot of money on gifts. They're probably just going to play with the box anyway. :)

-Make sure any clothing is flame-retardant and doesn't have any parts that could be dangerous. For instance, hoods with drawstrings could pose a choking risk if they were to get caught on something. Just like you would by 'break-away' collars for pets, buy hooded clothing with break-away snaps.

-Don't get your kids plastic toys that make noise; no matter how cute they are at first, the noises get old very quickly. Toys like that are meant for the kids of people you don't like. :) I'm kidding about that last part, but many noisemakers also have small parts that might pose a choking hazard to very young children.

-When you go shopping for gifts, remember that babies love to put things in their mouths! Ditto decorations. Hang any lights, garlands or breakable ornaments out of baby's reach. Ornaments or decorations that resemble food (i.e. candy canes) should also be put out of reach, even if they aren't breakable.

-As I said above, it might be a good idea to remind other family members of these things. This is especially true when it comes to safety issues, because Grandma might not think about whether that cute purple stuffed cow with the ribbons on it could pose a choking hazard. Ditto the jacket with the teddy-bear hood. 

-If you have an artificial tree, make sure it's flame-retardant. If you have a real one, keep the floor swept clean of all pine needles and anything else the needles may take with them. Also, keep any other plants out of the baby's reach; poinsettias may not be poisonous, but holly and mistletoe are. Either way, keep them away from babies or other small children who are still putting things in their mouths.

-Honestly, baby's first Christmas is really more about making memories for yourself. Aside from the fact that there's excitement in the air and, in some cases, there are a lot more people in your house than usual, they don't know what's going on. This isn't to say that you shouldn't go out of your way to create those memories; they're wonderful. Just don't get too upset if things aren't 'perfect'. I know this seems like a silly thing to get 'perfectionist' about, but you'd be surprised. And hey, if your Christmas turns out to be like the Griswolds' , at least it won't be boring!

And, finally,

-If you get your twin boys red 'feetie' pajamas for Christmas, don't forget the blue wigs and white round paper signs saying, 'Thing #1' and 'Thing #2'. Do send me pictures.

Happy holidays!