The holidays take on a whole new meaning once you become a parent. A new excitement in the air harkens back to your own childhood, and you’ll no doubt want to give your child all the happy times you had. Of course, this also means you’ll have to adjust your decorating routine for a while.
If you’re unsure where to start, don’t worry — Rent-A-Christmas has you covered. We’re offering up some of our best decorating tips for new parents to keep things simple, fun and festive. And always try to make many precious memories along the way.
1. Weed Out Holiday Hazards Early
Start planning out your decorations before the baby even arrives. Go through everything in your collection and get rid of whatever is falling apart or could be harmful. Choose non-breakable ornaments, and avoid things like stringed beads, tinsel, and other potential choking hazards. It will save you loads of time and stress once the holidays finally arrive.2. Keep Things Simple
With a new baby at home, you’ll be very busy and likely won’t have the energy to do what you’ve done before. So save yourself time and cut down on ornaments — or eliminate them altogether. You can’t go wrong with colorful lights, a simple tree topper, and a coordinating tree skirt.Choose a couple of statement pieces and keep them around your house, like a front-door wreath, some twinkle lights, or even a couple of stockings. If you don’t want to go overboard, just choose a few things with holiday colors. Even something as simple as a green and red throw blanket or festive doormat will do the trick.
3. And Keep Decor Out of Reach
Let’s face it — this is generally a good idea for the next few years. Babies and toddlers are curious by nature and unknowingly get themselves into trouble all the time. So reduce your stress, and potential disasters, by modifying your holiday decor.Secure your tree to the wall, or get a smaller one and put it on a high table. Decorate with shatterproof ornaments, and hang lights and fragile objects high so little hands can’t grab them. We also recommend shorter tablecloths or runners so they don’t get pulled down easily and make an even bigger mess.
4. Pay Attention to Choking Hazards
You know how little ones are — they love to put everything in their mouths. And unfortunately, holiday decorations are no exception. From now on, you’ll need to be extra continuous when making the house all festive.Obviously avoid things like beads, sequins, unsecured light bulbs, and small ornament hooks. But even paper products and loose ribbons could be hazardous to a curious baby. So after opening gifts, get all wrapping materials off the floor and either store them for next year or throw them away.
5. Use Artificial Christmas Trees and Candles
We love the smell of a real-life Christmas tree, and nothing says ‘holidays’ like lots of candles. But just like with pets, you’re better off getting some fake decor to keep your little one safe. Buy an artificial tree or wreath, and don’t worry about extra cleanup or swallowed pine needles. And use stylish battery-operated candles to prevent fire hazards.6. Look for Soft Decor
Trust us when we say — plush ornaments and holiday pillows will become your new staples. You could even make your own decor out of colorful felt and ribbon. And while you’re at it, get some seasonal-themed stuffed animals to display around your home or under the tree. They’re cute and safe, and your little one will love them for years to come.7. Commemorate the Year
You definitely want to memorialize the year your baby was born. And what better way to do that than with decorations? Hallmark releases commemorative ornaments and figurines every year for this exact reason. You’ll love seeing ‘2023’ or a ‘Baby’s First Christmas’ figure hanging on your tree every year.If you want something more personal, get special molding clay that’s safe for babies and easy to clean. This way, you’ll have a special decoration made from your little one’s hand or footprint. No matter what, it’s sure to make you smile every time you take it out of storage.
8. Enjoy Every Festive Moment
Our best advice: don’t stress about making everything look perfect. It’s so easy to fixate too hard on all the little details and not notice the big picture. But kids grow up fast, and you won’t look back on these times and smile over the colors you picked or how your home was decked out wall-to-wall. However, you will remember all the times spent together, big and small, with your new family. So do whatever you can and enjoy these precious moments while they last.If you ask us, that’s what the holidays should always be about.
Want to turn your home or business into a festive (and baby safe) Winter Wonderland?
Rent-A-Christmas can help!