First Christmas Gifts for the Newborn Boy on Your List | Mama Kate
Tags: Newborn, Gift Guide, Christmas Gifts, New Mom, Parenting

First Christmas Gifts for the Newborn Boy on Your List | Mama Kate Kate Nov 27, 2019·11 min read

Whether you’re a parent to a new little munchkin or you know someone who is, shopping for a newborn’s very first Christmas gifts is a tough task. It’s difficult to know whether a gift is expected, first of all, because the child is so young he can’t appreciate it. But what you fail to realize, my dear, is that newborns are people just the same and they deserve to get a gift too! In fact, I have a list of reasons for which the newborns should get Christmas gifts.

Most important: newborns are people who deserve a Christmas gift as much as the next guy! Whatever you get for the baby will also benefit mom and dad. There are plenty of things the baby needs but mom and dad haven’t had the time or money to go get it. Or perhaps they haven’t though of it yet! Here’s where your generosity can come in handy. It’s their first Christmas!!! It needs to be special and memorable in every way possible, even if they won’t have any firsthand memories themselves. It’s also totally okay if you decide to skip out on getting the newborn any type of gift, especially an extravagant one. He won’t be opening it anyway.

Take a look at my gift suggestions below! Hopefully it’ll spark some inspiration in your noggins. A lot of these gift ideas are more beneficial for new parents than they are for newborns

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First Christmas Memorabilia

One of the most fun things about Christmas with a newborn is how many different ways it can be memorialized. Baby “firsts” are one of the most exciting things parents have to look forward to about parenthood. The options to commemorate these firsts are endless. Take a look at some of my personal favorites below.

1- Make a personalized book!

It sounds more difficult than it is. It turns out Amazon has a really fun personalized “Baby’s First Christmas” book where you can insert the child’s name everywhere it says “baby” to make it an extra-special Christmas book that will, without a doubt, bring them joy for years to come.

2- Baby’s First Christmas Ornament!

These can be found in a million different places. You can buy just a generic “baby’s first Christmas” ornament from most shops, like Walmart or HomeSense. Probably the dollar store, too. But I found this super cute customizable one offered by Banberry Designs where you can put baby’s face in the center! Look how precious!

When delivered, it comes in a beautiful little gift box so it’s super easy to wrap and give to a friend or relative as a present. Banberry Designs also offers a bunch of other customizable Christmas ornaments (among other things) that you can purchase for a wedding anniversary, a birthday, to memorialize a loved one after their passing (including pets), among other things.

* Speaking of ornaments, I found this really beautiful hand-sculpted ornament of an angel holding a baby. It was so precious I had to share it. It’s a beautiful gift idea for new mothers, especially religious ones.

3- Baby Memory Journal

This is a fun idea for a baby with creative parents. In fact, even if they aren’t creative, it’s a fun gift! It has a whole bunch of stickers and templates to create the ultimate memory journal for the newest family member so you can commemorate not only this first, but all the ones to come, as well!

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4- Handprint/Footprint Mold

Here’s another Christmas tree ornament option, if you want to try something a little more creative and personalized.

If you don’t like the idea of using a photo or a commonly used design for your ornament, you can opt for something a little more personal by capturing the little munchkin’s foot or hand-print in clay forever.

It doesn’t necessarily need to be placed on a tree, either. If you prefer to stand it up on a shelf, perhaps in the baby’s nursery, you can do that, too; it comes with a stand for each mold.

Books

This is a must for any family with young children. Making reading a part of the daily routine is so important for baby’s cognitive development and emotional attachment to his parents. It’s a wonderful bonding opportunity and a great addition to the bedtime routine. If you want to stick with the customizable Christmas book I mentioned earlier, you can find it here. Otherwise, keep reading for some more great ideas!

1- Try a personalized story from Amazing Fables

Below, I offered one example of a book you can personalize, but there are tons of other options to pick from, too. It can Christmas-themed (there’s also a Muslim version), or it can be one of many other everyday-themed adventure books.

You can choose a custom avatar who most resembles the child (girl or boy with various skin tones and hair colors), insert their name, and voila! You’ve got a beautiful little keepsake the child can enjoy for years and years.

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2- The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin

Start baby’s life off to a good foot, with wishful prayers and happy thoughts. To read baby a book about the amazing things he will accomplish in his lifetime is a sure-fire way to improve his perception of self, as time goes on. It’s never too early to start encouraging greatness! This book is beautifully designed, relatively inexpensive (even cheaper if you opt for the Kindle version) and, best of all, rhymes. Rhymes are a great way to capture and maintain a baby’s attention.

3- Soft plastic or cloth books

This is especially great for the grabby babies! In my experience of reading to infants and toddlers, I’ve come to realize that they are immensely curious little creatures who like to grab and touch and help turn the pages. Having a softer book, either made of non-toxic plastic or some type of cloth material is perfect because he can’t rip the pages and you don’t risk him swallowing pieces of paper or cardboard. It can also double as a teething apparatus and a learning tool; most pages usually just include a photo or two with a descriptive word to teach children language.

4- Dr Seuss gift box!

Everyone everywhere (except, apparently, my husband, who didn’t even know who Dr. Seuss was when I mentioned him) grew up with and loved Dr. Seuss books. They’re legendary. A great gift which, again, will benefit the baby and his parents for years to come, would be a boxed set of these amazing books. They’re chock-full of valuable lessons, have full colors and illustrations, and — most fun of all — they rhyme impeccably. If the hardcover set is too expensive for you, there is also the option of a softcover set but keep in mind that curious little flimsy fingers may damage the soft ones.

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Newborn baby gift box

Don’t have time to shop?

Don’t know what to buy?

Well, if you’re really unsure of what to get, you can’t go wrong with a pre-packaged newborn gift box. I found a super cute one from Janie and Jack that you can order for relatively cheap. You have the option to either customize your box or purchase a pre-made one.

Depending on the price range you opt for, you can have a bib, hat, stuffed toy, pajama sets, sweatshirts, socks, etc. The options are diverse and it’s super cute. If your box costs more than $100, you also get free shipping (bonus!).

Honestly, you can’t go wrong with a gift box. All you have to do is wrap and label it. The shopping and shipping are all taken care of for you.

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Baby & breastfeeding care products

The options here are quite literally endless. They can range from diapers to blankets to cloths and towels to skin care and shampoos.

They also can include products for mom, if she’s breastfeeding. In fact, you can make a little care package in a basket (like the one pictured here) with a bunch of great newborn and breastfeeding products from the list of stuff below.

1- Baby hygiene and skin care products

For this one, I linked to this really great organic skin care company called Made Of. Organic products are by far the best option for sensitive newborn skin. They offer a ton of subscription services for diapers and other products which, in the long-term, will save mom and dad lots of money. Otherwise you can make one-time purchases, too.

For the purpose of this article, I think the best product for a newborn gift would be their Newborn Organic Essential Birth Kit Bundle. There are plenty of other bundle options (or individual items) if you aren’t interested in this one.

The box comes with a travel pack of baby wipes, diaper rash cream, baby powder, baby lotion, baby shampoo/body wash, and a box of newborn diapers. All of the products are made with entirely organic ingredients.

If you don’t want to get the organic gift box, you can always pass by your local pharmacy and pick up a few of those very same essentials and pop ’em into a basket.

2- Bamboobies Breastfeeding Starter Kit

Becoming a mother is really tough. There’s a huge transition period involved. I remember when I gave birth to my first son, I had absolutely no idea what breastfeeding was really about. I didn’t realize that every time I was bra-less, I’d have milk dripping onto my shirt or the floor (if I was also shirtless). I didn’t realize that if I slept without a bra or nipple covers of some sort, I would wake up in a puddle of milk on my sheets. I was also unaware of the fact that newborns don’t know how to latch immediately after their births and they need mom to guide the nipple into their mouth. A guide would have been useful.

That’s why I’m proposing the Bamboobies Breastfeeding Starter Kit.

While this is primarily a gift for mom, it’s a super useful one and will ultimately also benefit baby. It comes with organic nipple balm (great because adjusting to a tiny human sucking on those things for long periods at a time is tough on the skin), a breastfeeding tips & tricks guide, washable nipple pads, and disposable nipple pads. It also comes with a little carry bag, in which mom can easily add all of those supplies and then slide it into the diaper bag.

3- Milkies Milk Saver

This is a great way for mom to save her milk to be consumed in a bottle. I genuinely wish I had this product when my first son was born.

Now that I’m pregnant with my second, I made it a point to buy one. While breastfeeding, especially when the baby is exclusively breastfeeding (as most breastfed babies do for the first 5–6 months of life), both of mom’s breasts are pumping milk simultaneously. That’s one of the many reasons why it’s important to alternate breasts during each session. The great thing about this product is that it goes on the unused breast while baby is drinking to capture and preserve the milk that would otherwise be leaking onto her shirt or bra.

4- When all else fails, Safety 1st Healthcare & Grooming Kit is the way to go

It has all the stuff mom and dad will need to monitor baby’s health, including a thermometer, a cradle cap comb, a toothbrush, a regular comb, a nasal aspirator, and more. Altogether, there are 25 different pieces, including a carry-bag for easy transport and to prevent losing any pieces.

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Stocking stuffers

1- Teethers

While they may not be super useful for newborns, they’re great once babies hit

about five months old. That’s when my son started to put anything and everything in his mouth to chew on. His first tooth didn’t officially emerge until about 3 months later, though.

My personal favorite is the Mitten Teether. Most newborns wear mittens for a while to prevent themselves from scratching their faces, especially their eyes. This particular pair is great because it has a rubber teether on the end of it so baby never misplaces or drops it.

Another favorite of mine (and very famous teether) is Sophie the Giraffe. She’s a classic and comes in various different styles now.

2- Pacifiers

My son never used them. Don’t ask why — he just never seemed to enjoy them. He much preferred the “real thing” if you know what I mean. But every other baby I’ve ever seen has had a serious obsession with these little guys and even I, whose kid never liked them, know how often they’re lost. Having a vast supply at hand is very important.

If you want to go for something funny and silly, you can try this pack of assorted goofy face pacifiers (as seen in the photo above).

Or, if you’d rather go for something holiday-themed, try this super cute and fun Santa plush pacifier. There are a ton of different options when it comes to plush pacifiers; my son had one with a little giraffe attached. It was the perfect way to keep his hands busy while he sucked at his pacifier, and another great way to always know where the pacifier was!

3- Pyjamas

Especially in the winter, pyjamas are a baby’s best friend. This is yet another item that you can never have too much of. My tip: don’t buy pyjamas with snaps until baby is over one year old. My son hated getting dressed after his bath at bedtime. Fighting with him to stay still so I could snap up his pyjama was a nightmare. Even worse: buttons. Those are a choking hazard. I advise going for the zip-up kind for a while.

4- Warm winter clothes

The especially important ones are mittens, neck warmers, and comfy socks. Stocking up on those are a great idea. As well, it’s good to keep a nice supply of thick sweaters and sweatpants. Mom and dad would surely appreciate those!

Another super cute option is the Cuddle Club Fleece Bodysuit. Look how cozy that little baby looks in it! My son lived in those in the late spring and autumn.

Toys

As newborns, babies don’t really play much yet. Their coordination isn’t quite good, they probably can’t lift their head, and they can barely move anywhere. But that doesn’t mean they won’t!

1- Stuffed animals

Duh! What kid doesn’t love a soft, squishy toy?

2- Car seat/stroller toys

This is an excellent way to keep fussy babies calm whilst in their car seat or stroller. It’s also a great learning tool; infants can begin to refine their coordination skills and explore different textures and/or sounds.

3- Jolly Jumper

This is not an ideal toy for a newborn, I agree. My son started to use his around 5 or 6 months old. But man, did he love it. We tried a whole bunch of different types of jumpers and this was the only one he really enjoyed. He could jump on it for hours. Eventually, doing so began to work his thigh and butt muscles to the point where his legs were truly envy-inducing. He continued to use it until he grew out of it, somewhere shy of a year later.

4- Baby Einstein Gym Play Mat

This is another way for infants to start refining many of their senses. Plus it’s a great way to keep them busy, get them moving (hopefully to start crawling or rolling on their backs/bellies), and practice lifting their heads.

Happy holidays guys!! If you have any suggestions of items that I could add to this list, be sure to leave them in the comments! Or if you’ve tried any of these products, let me know what you think of them.

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