The Christmas period is truly magical when you've got little ones (if you cut out the overtiredness and occasional tantrum), and if you're celebrating with a new baby in tow, a first Christmas bauble will make the perfect decoration for your home.
Whether you prefer glass, acrylic or resin, there's such a wide range of ornaments and first Christmas baubles to discover, including gorgeous personalised baubles to add to your collection. Many options also come with the choice to personalise the ornament with your child's name and the year they were born.
**Editor's choice:
**•Best for a budget: howson london Personalised Bauble Baby's First Christmas - View offer on Amazon
•Best for a personalised first Christmas bauble: First Christmas Customisable Rabbit Bauble - View offer on Amazon
•Best for a glass bauble: LoveLumiLtd Rudolph Baby's 1st Christmas Glass Bauble - View offer on Etsy
•Best for a ceramic bauble: Happy Potter Ceramics Babies First Christmas Bauble - View offer on Not On The High Street
We've searched the Internet high and low to bring you a selection of baby's first Christmas keepsakes and decorations to add some nostalgia to your Christmas tree; check them out below.
The best first Christmas baubles 2023:
Best for a budget
Available in different shapes, this acrylic bauble will look lovely on any tree. Your choice of name and year will be individually engraved onto it with care and it will come with a protective blue film coating to prevent it from getting scratched (which you peel off before hanging it up).
A reviewer said: "I totally forgot I ordered this as it’s meant to come tomorrow but arrived today in a package that said ‘do not bend’. I pulled the film off and I got this beautiful decoration for the tree. It's so simple and well made for the price! I would most definitely recommend it."
Pros
- Affordable price
- Clear acrylic, so you can see the lights or tree through it
Cons
- Some say that their text was off-centre
Best for a personalised first Christmas bauble
How adorable is this Peter Rabbit ornament? It comes from a small business and you can ask the seller to not only add the baby's name, but also change the colour of the rabbit's coat to blue, pink or red and to change the rest of the text to one of their festive wishes.
A happy reviewer said: "This is a lovely keepsake for a baby, delivery was quick considering they are made to order, and came well packed. I bought one for couples for my son & daughter in law, which is also lovely. I definitely recommend these beautiful ornaments."
Pros
- Affordable price
- Includes a hole and red ribbon
Cons
- Some reviewers say that it's smaller than expected
Best for a glass bauble
www.etsy.com
LoveLumiLtd create gorgeous glass first Christmas baubles by hand, using a UV printer instead of vinyl stickers to increase the longevity of the design. The decoration is actually flat, but it gives the impression of a round bauble. Don't forget to add a giftbox if you need one!
Charlotte, a reviewer said: "I ordered one of these baubles for my baby’s 1st Christmas and I really love it. Such a sentimental and beautiful gift that will be hung on our tree each year."
Another reviewer said: "A really lovely bauble that came exactly as described/pictured. I ordered it quite late so I wasn’t expecting a delivery before Christmas, but I received it before the 25th December which was great. I would order from here again or recommend it to anyone."
Pros
- Silver glitter twinkles against lights
- Flat, so potentially easier to hang on your tree
Cons
- Design isn't on both sides
Best for a ceramic bauble
www.notonthehighstreet.com
Looking for something traditional to mark a very special occasion? Happy Potter Ceramics paint, glaze and fire these baubles by hand at their studio in London, using their calligraphy skills to carefully add the child's name and some holly leaves to the earthenware ceramic sphere.
One happy reviewer said: "The bauble may have been more expensive than others I looked at but it is worth it. Beautifully hand-painted personalisation and the bauble was big and really good quality. It also arrived quickly before Christmas. Would definitely recommend."
Pros
- Non-toxic materials
- Glazed to make it watertight
Cons
- May chip if not stored properly
Best for a snowman bauble
This snowman in a stocking really reminds us of Christmas decorations from our own childhoods. You can customise the text on the hat with up to 15 characters and you can change the date (which is ideal if you're buying one for a child who was born before this year).
Melissa, a reviewer wrote: "I liked this ornament better than I thought I would. I have a tradition in my family where I give my family members a Christmas ornament on Thanksgiving day as a gift for the Christmas tree. I try to find something unique. I tried this one and ended up purchasing more. I like the details, they are personalised specifically to your choice! It is light so the tree branch isn't bowing down. I wish I had thought of including the year, but regardless they are adorable and everyone, especially the children love seeing their name on the tree. A lasting personalised ornament to last a lifetime!"
Pros
- Available in pink or blue
- Lightweight polyresin
Cons
- Quite small
Best our first Christmas bauble
www.etsy.com
Whether you're having your first baby or you're expanding your brood, this bauble will mark the occasion, representing each of you as penguins. You have the option to add up to five people, along with everyone's names.
Julie, a reviewer put: "How beautiful. It is safely packaged for the post and arrives with quick delivery. It comes in a box so it can easily be wrapped up for Christmas and won't get damaged; a lovely gift and memento for a new family of three. Highly recommend!"
Pros
- Handmade to your specifications
- Comes with a Kraft gift box and satin ribbon
Cons
- If you don't add a year, the current one will be added
Best Disney first Christmas bauble
www.shopdisney.co.uk
If you love Disney, take a look at this blue Mickey Mouse bauble. It features the famous mouse and his teddy bear, plus there's some white confetti inside. To give it a bit of quirkiness, the bauble has been flipped so that the top is now sideways.
One grandparent reviewer said: "This ornament is so adorable and I loved giving to my grandson."
Another reviewer wrote: "I love it but little upset it came with the baby mickey off the ornament... Luckily I can glue him back on."
Pros
- Mixture of plastic and resin, so as heavy as glass
- Comes with pre-tied matching blue ribbon
Cons
- Some reviewers say Mickey may become detached
How to make your own Christmas tree decorations?
Getting crafty and making your own baubles is a fun way to pass the time and if your nifty enough, save money on decorations! You can get the kids to help you and if any come out looking worse for wear, you can always hide them at the back of the tree (it's having fun that counts, after all).
When making Christmas tree decorations, you must first decide on a design. We love these pom-pom pinecone decorations as they only require a few steps.
How to make pom-pom pinecone trees
Equipment:
•Pine cones
•PVA glue
•Paintbrushes
•Mini pom-poms
•Natural string
Instructions:
Use your paintbrush to add dabs of glue to your pine cone where you want the pom-poms to be.
Once your glue is in position, add your mini pom poms. Push each one gently into the glue, to give it a good chance of sticking. The shape of the pine cone should help to hold them in.
Once the glue has dried, cut a length of string and tie it around the top of each pine cone. Aim to have the top of the pine cone in the middle of the length of string. Then tie both ends together to make a large loop.
What do you get a baby for their first Christmas?
When buying Christmas gifts for babies, it's better to think about the parent, as the little one won't remember the occasion or have much interest in opening the gift if they are newborn or very young. Try asking them what they need for the baby, or what would make their lives easier as carers to a tiny human.
You could purchase toys, clothes, blankets or other keepsakes such as Christmas decorations or jewellery which can be put aside and kept away until they're old enough to wear them.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Mother&Baby and Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who enjoys cooking and spending time with her many pets.