Baby's First Thanksgiving

Baby’s first Thanksgiving is a great day for parents and other family members, as everyone gets together to commemorate a child’s first experience with yearly traditions. Below are some fun and easy ways to celebrate Turkey Day with a new little one, as well as some valuable travel advice if you’re hitting the road or taking to the skies with your clan’s newest addition.

Many families have holiday traditions that you can easily introduce your child to when celebrating baby’s first Thanksgiving with his/her relatives. However, as some relatives are not as close knit, having a new baby is the perfect time to tighten the ties that bind, and start a tradition that everyone will enjoy in the years to come. There are countless traditions that may be established, but here are a few which are sure to be memorable:

• Spend some time going around the Thanksgiving dinner table sharing favorite childhood memories. Grandparents will have compelling stories to share about holiday events from their childhoods, while young children may remember something from a year or two prior that is close to their hearts. You, as a new parent, can share a great memory from your child’s first year so far – furthering the chain of thankfulness and blazing the trail for baby’s future contributions to the reminiscing as he/she grows.

• Start an heirloom tablecloth. Purchase a quality white or earth toned cloth, and also pick up some iron-on fabric squares from your local fabric store. Have each family member decorate a square, and continue to do so year after year until the "quilt" is complete. For baby’s first Thanksgiving, contribute a hospital photo or little handprint to your baby’s square.

• Donate to a local charity or non-profit organization. Since this is baby’s first Thanksgiving, make the monetary gift in his/her name, and then pick a different family member for each subsequent year. As your child grows, he/she will love hearing how such a helpful and giving tradition was started in his/her honor.

Traveling with a baby can be a lot of work, and this has never rung truer than when a pair of new parents find themselves struggling through a crowded airport or grasping for infant-appropriate entertainment on a congested freeway. Here are a few ways to keep your sanity while cruising toward your final holiday destination, no matter how you choose to travel:

• Always carry baby’s essentials in a tote or diaper bag. If you are flying, do not check this bag. Instead, keep it with you at all times so if your luggage happens to get lost, you still have the things you need to maintain your little one’s health and comfort.
• Bring along some special items from home. Babies thrive off of the familiar, so don’t forget that special binkie or blanket when traveling away from home. It will make all the difference when your baby is feeling over stimulated from all the attention from well-meaning friends and relatives.

• Try to keep a schedule. Babies don’t understand special occasions, so bring a positive bonus day into their world, rather than a chaotic negative. By keeping up baby’s usual napping and feeding schedule as much as possible, you are providing them with the security they need to get through an unpredictable day.

• Know when enough is enough. Celebrating baby’s first Thanksgiving with plenty of photos and videos is all good fun, but be sure to know your infant’s boundaries. Babies can only handle so much, even if the paparazzi is composed of grandma, grandpa and other well-meaning relatives.

Baby’s first Thanksgiving should be a fun and rewarding occasion, so don’t be afraid to spice up the day with fun little quirks like turkey-print pajamas or a cornucopia of favorite baby toys for the road. Welcoming your baby into your family's fold is the most important part of the holiday, and something your child will be forever thankful for.

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