Christmas passed by in a bit of a blur for us last year, which is not surprising given that a three day old Henry joined us at the Christmas table! He was of course the best possible Christmas present imaginable and will be hard to top this year!
Christmas is just magical with a little person involved and we are getting all misty eyed here at Cotswold Baby Co, remembering that feeling of going to bed, too excited to sleep. Here are some easy tips for making the most wonderful time of the year a magical one, (is it too early for Buble?).
1) Make your own traditions
As our first proper Christmas as a family of three, we are so excited about all things festive! We have booked to see the Enchanted Christmas at Westonbirt at the start of December to get us rosy cheeked & feeling Christmassy and hope this will become something of a tradition for our little family. We’d love to hear any traditions that your family have.
2) Wrap up warm & see Christmas lights
Sometimes the simple things are the best; Henry will love looking at the twinkling lights on Christmas trees, the flashing lights on festive houses and looking at brightly coloured shop windows. We can’t wait to wrap up warm and head out for a festive stroll!
3) Write a letter to Father Christmas
What’s more magical than receiving a letter from Father Christmas? Write a letter to Father Christmas at Santa HQ and receive a reply, all courtesy of Royal Mail. Check out their page for details, but make sure you post by 8th December!
4) Get a Christmas outfit for your little cub
Is there anything cuter than dressing your baby up in a Christmas outfit? Perfect for their busy festive social lives and will make oh so cute pictures! The difficult decision is deciding what to choose - Snowman, Father Christmas, Brussel Sprout ... or of course our Cotswold Baby Co. favourites, the Christmas Pudding and Rudolph leggings!
5) Visit Father Christmas
This sounds like a magical experience, with a beautiful Christmas Grotto, excitement in the air and wonder in our children’s eyes. However I’m pretty sure that for us it will end in tears and an epic photo fail! Worth a try though!
Click here for places to meet Father Christmas around Gloucestershire.
6) Make a decoration for your tree
My Mum’s favourite Christmas tree decorations are the ones my sister and I made when we were little, now surviving purely with the help of glue and sellotape. They are truly treasured though, and I hope to do the same with Henry when he’s old enough not to eat glitter …!
For now, we highly recommend Pick a Pot and Paint in Cirencester, where you can create the cutest bauble with a festive hand or footprint of your baby.
7) Have fun choosing stocking fillers
I love looking for little stocking fillers at Christmas Fayres and markets, it makes me feel so festive! I’m looking forward to filling Henry’s with little toys that he can play with on Christmas morning … although he will probably prefer eating the wrapping paper!
8) Read Christmas books together
Snuggle up on the sofa together with a lovely warm throw and read some Christmas classics. Twas The Night Before Christmas is my favourite … maybe we’ll find some new treasures this year!
9) New Christmas Pyjamas
A family tradition for us is to open a present on Christmas Eve, (a pair of PJs) so that we’re all ready for Father Christmas. I’m looking forward to getting some little festive ones for Henry this year … is it too much for us all to be matching?!
10) Take time to enjoy it
And finally in the chaos that surrounds Christmas, take time to enjoy just being together as a family. The simple things are often the best, so have fun, breathe it all in and cherish the sparkle that Christmas brings.
Ps - if it all gets too much, shop on-line at Cotswold Baby Co. from the comfort of your sitting room with a glass of something nice in hand. All our orders are hand wrapped in tissue so make fabulous gifts - another job saved!