Even for the most experienced parents, the holidays with a baby, especially a newborn, can be challenging. Here are some of my best advice for surviving a baby’s first Christmas while creating priceless memories as a new parent.

Forget about cooking from scratch this year.

Holidays bring with them the expectation of a lavish feast. However, there are few options for organizing a dinner, buying supplies, cooking, and even consuming it. New families should ideally travel ten minutes to their extended family’s house, eat a delicious meal there right away, and then return home shortly after. If this sounds more fantastical than cooking in a freezer, you should think outside the box.

Thanks to freezer cooking, parents can prepare food in advance of the primary occasion as time permits. For instance, if this year’s holiday menu includes ham, a salad, rolls, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole, the casseroles might be prepared weeks in advance and stored in the freezer until the day of the meal. Assuming you buy everything cooked and don’t create anything from scratch, the final three items are pretty simple.

Keep things straightforward and set lower standards.

As a new parent, you would have a better first Christmas if you become conscious of your expectations and drop them just a little bit. It’s going to be a memorable holiday for you, but we hate to break it to you: the baby isn’t going to remember it. So there is no reason to expect the day to be 100% picture-perfect.

Being flexible and anticipating that certain things might not go as planned are essential components of planning so that you can enjoy the holidays. Parents who are rigid and have high expectations typically suffer the most. You’ll have a better time if you let a few things slide.

Stay moderate on the gifts.

Put some thought into the wrapping for a baby 12 months or younger. Any plush animal you own could be wrapped, and it would still be a blast! Additionally, don’t count on your kid to remain attentive when “unwrapping” more than one gift. Keep in mind that a baby’s attention span is relatively short. Babies are slow, want to explore everything, and are more interested in boxes and paper than toys.

If you are due around the holidays, preparation is critical.

Whether you are giving birth to a new child or adopting one around this time, you will need to put planning at the top of your priority list. Don’t be afraid to ask others around you for help if you need it. Besides that, you should consider signing up for parenting classes so you already know what to do even during the hectic holiday season!

Prioritize breastfeeding (if you are choosing to do it).

When preparing for the baby’s first Christmas, you should consider breastfeeding. The holidays can be hectic for anybody. But, they can be incredibly stressful for infants who benefit from straightforward routines and accommodating parents. Breastfeeding may suffer if habits are disturbed and parents are preoccupied.

Even though new stages of your child’s life will bring new obstacles, you can bet that after 2022, you’ll be better prepared for future years.