12.10.2013

holiday cheer: baby's first christmas

We are getting very excited for Christmas around here.  The day after Thanksgiving, Elia found the perfect tree for us.


We've also met one of Santa's reindeer.


And even the big guy himself.


It's so much fun to expose Elia to so many of our favorite holiday traditions.

With only a few weeks until Christmas, I thought I'd do a quick gift roundup for all of the little ones left on your shopping list. I'm a fan of classic toys with minimal lights and sounds so that Elia can spend more time figuring out how the toy works and growing that little brain of hers instead of encouraging an environment of constant entertainment.  Here are some of my favorite holiday-themed gifts for babes:


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1. Melissa & Doug Slice & Bake Christmas Cookie Play Set

I think every child has memories of baking and decorating cookies growing up and it's certainly one of my favorite traditions.  This wooden cookie play set will allow your kids to practice their baking skills all through the holiday season.

2. Maileg Rudolph Reindeer

This sweet stuffed reindeer is such a darling toy and perfect for snuggling up with on cozy Christmas evenings.

3. Hohner Kids Handy Jingle Bell

Elia loves shaking or banging on just about anything that will make noise right now. I looked everywhere for a baby-friendly jingle bell and I finally came across this gem. At only $3.25 plus free shipping, this is the perfect stocking stuffer for a baby!

4. Olivia Helps with Christmas

There is something about this little pig that I find downright charming. We only have one other Olivia book but as Elia becomes more interested in books, I hope Olivia becomes a favorite and can't wait to read this with her every December.

5. Santa Sack

We believe in keeping Christmas gifting pretty low-key so I don't anticipate every needing a whole sack to fill with Elia's gifts. This Santa Sack is so cute though that I could see buying it to hold seasonal kid's items.  I'm sure any kid would get a kick out of opening this bag every year as the holidays approach.

6. BabyLit: A Christmas Carol

If you haven't seen these books before, check them out now. BabyLit takes classic novels and makes them baby friendly by focusing on counting, colors, etc. I love the idea of exposing kids to literature young and The Christmas Carol is such a favorite - I just love this!

7. Uncle Goose Merry Christmas Blocks

I've been a huge fan of Uncle Goose blocks since I discovered them a few years ago. They have everything from classic blocks to foreign language blocks (Arabic, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Swedish, French and more!) and even hieroglyphic and Braille blocks. Beyond this, they are made right here in Grand Rapids so by buying them and from the area, you'd be shopping local, which is a huge plus.

8. Manny & Simon Reindeer and Sleigh Wooden Push Toy

There is something beautiful about the simplicity of push toys and this sleigh and reindeer set is just gorgeous. I love the smooth, clean lines and I think that between the wheels and antlers, this would keep E busy for hours.

Now you've seen some of my holiday favorites for babies, what are some of your favorite toys and gifts for the babies in your life?



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