Baby's First Christmas Gift Guide

A first Christmas is a magical time, a time of wonder, of lights, of gifts and of love.  The baby may not have a clue what is going on, but everyone around them enjoys it that little bit more with a tiny one around.  Archie will be 10 months on his first Christmas, old enough to join in with Christmas dinner, have a go at ripping some paper and playing with the boxes, but not old enough to care what exactly is in the boxes.

That doesn't mean to say that he won't get utterly spoilt by family, friends and of course the big guy in red.  Whilst we are putting a limit on how much we spend on him this year, I am still looking forward to buying him a few treats.

So, I have put together this gift guide for baby's first Christmas, with toys, clothes, keepsakes and cuddles.

First up is this beautiful personalised sleepsuit from My 1st Years.  I am a bit of a sucker for all things personalised and this classic beige and white star print is perfect for little boys or girls.  There is something so wonderfully pure about a baby in beige and white and with the matching hat I think this outfit is gorgeous.  It is of course one to go in the memory box as the personalisation makes it unique.  If you are not a fan of the Christmas fancy dress (I am ashamed to say Archie will most likely be dressed as a reindeer on the big day), then this makes a great alternate outfit for the big day. I did find the hat rather on the small side but the sleepsuit is well sized.

This sleepsuit and hat are available from my first years at £20

If you are looking for something beautiful to add to a nursery or playroom, then this Doodle and Crumb rocking horse from Little Bird Told Me is the gift for you.  This classic rocking horse with a beautiful red button design is truly stunning.  Both my boys enjoy playing on it, and it can easily accomodate a child up to 4 years.  It does take a little space but it is a classic toy that I think every child will love. The rocking horse is well build, sturdy and strong with some lovely extra touches, like the smaller horse that fits into an inbuilt pocket.

The rocking horse is available from Little Bird Told Me at £85

The Drool Monkey is new, and a great gift for a baby of any age.  The multi-purpose toy acts as a comforter, a dribble cloth, a rattle and a sunshade amongst other things.  Archie doesn't seem to have formed a strong attachment to any toy yet, but he does love the way the monkey head fits in his hand (and his mouth), and he is often in the cot with him.  The monkey also has a strap on the reverse side so it is great for attaching to bumper bars to ensure your drool monkey doesn't fall out the pram, and a small carry bag for storing it out and about.  The material soaks away moisture, and is great for little dribblers as it can help prevent that tell-tale rash on their chin that shows some toothy pegs are on their way.  Drool monkey is slightly more expensive than your classic comforter but I do thing this reflects the multi purpose, size and quality of the item and it would be a lovely gift for a newborn.

The Drool Monkey is available from Cinnamon Sue at £19.99

Archie is at the age now where although everything initially must pass the taste test, he is also starting to play in a more traditional sense.  This Wooden  Airplane toy is absolutely stunning in real life, and comes with 6 shapes for the shape sorter on the sides, a xylophone on top and a string to pull it along.  I have a huge weakness for wooden toys and this really is something special.  Perfect from around 9 months upwards (My 27 month old plays with it several times a week), this is definitely being put aside once my babies are grown in anticipation of grandchildren.  It is strong and durable, well built, classically decorated and multi functional.  I would highly recommend this, and think it would be a great present for any age from 6 months (I appreciate having toys for them to grow into) up to about 2 years.

The Wooden Airplane is available from Bee Smart at £24.99 with free delivery!

As Babies'r'us babyologists, we were sent a Fisher Price Dance and Play Puppy, and I couldn't not include it in this gift guide.  The puppy is designed for ages 9 months and up but I get the feeling it would really come into its own after the one year mark.  Archie watches on in amazement as the puppy wiggles and sings, and Dylan has been joining in and dancing too.  I do find the movements to be quite noisy, but the boys don't seem bothered by this.  If you are looking for something bright and fun, a toy to entertain and teach (the puppy is designed to help teach body parts and colours) then this may be the one for you.

The Dance and Play Puppy is available from Babies'r'us at £39.99

And Finally, we are looking to get Archie some wooden stacking blocks as his main gift for his first Christmas.  Dylan loved his plastic stacking cups at this age but I have developed a real love of wooden toys and their longevity.  I haven't yet put in our order, but I have been looking at these from John Crane or these beautiful shape sorter building blocks from Not on the high street.  This is another toy I can already foresee capturing my toddler's imagination, yet being hard wearing enough to cope with a 10 month old.  A classic, a learning tool and of course great fun to knock over!

Are there any products you would add to the list?  What are you buying for Baby's First Christmas?