Personalized Gifts for Baby's First Christmas That They'll Keep for Years

There is only one first Christmas. The baby won't remember it, which is exactly why everyone around them works so hard to record it — the photos by the tree, the outfit, the gift from Grandma. Years later, those are the things that get pulled out of a box and passed around the table.

So the best first-Christmas gift is not the one that gets the biggest reaction on the day. It is the one that is still around to be looked at in twenty years.

What makes a first-Christmas gift worth keeping

Most baby gifts are used up and outgrown in a season. The ones that survive have three things in common:

• It is personal. A name turns a sweater into their sweater. It is the difference between something a baby wore and something that belonged to them.
• It is made to last. On a hand-knit piece the name is knitted into the fabric stitch by stitch, not printed or stitched on afterwards — so it can't peel, crack or fade in the wash, and it is still intact when it's handed down.
• It photographs well. A bold name and a simple motif read clearly in a photo by the tree, which matters more than it sounds. The picture is half the keepsake.

The baby won't remember their first Christmas. The sweater is how everyone else does.

Five designs made for a first Christmas

Everything below is hand-knitted to order in 100% cotton in the USA, in 24 colors, and can carry the baby's name.

• The Santa sweater — a knitted Santa on the front. Unmistakably Christmas, and the one most likely to become a yearly tradition.
• The penguin sweater — a line of penguins marching around the hem with the name across the chest. Festive without being a costume, so it gets worn all winter.
• The rocking horse sweater — a classic nursery motif that feels like it belongs in an heirloom photograph.
• #Naughty #Nice — reversible, so the baby can switch sides depending on the day. A family favorite for the photo that goes on the holiday card.
• The Classic Ribbed Name Pullover — just the name, in the colors you choose. Pick deep red and cream, or forest green and white, and it becomes a Christmas sweater that still works in March.

Getting the size right for December 25

This is where first-Christmas gifts most often go wrong. The question isn't how old the baby is today — it's how old they'll be on Christmas morning, and what they'll be wearing then.

These are knitted with room to grow, so when in doubt, go up a size. Our size guide has the full measurements, and if you're still unsure, send us the baby's birth date and we'll tell you which size to order.

When to order

Every piece is knitted by hand after you order it, which takes about three weeks, and carriers slow down through December. Working backwards from Christmas Day gives a cutoff of Sunday 29 November. Our guide to when to order walks through the dates for other occasions too.

Left it late? A personalized name hat knits up faster than a sweater, and it is the same name-in-the-knit keepsake. For more on why a knitted sweater works so well at Christmas, see why a personalized baby sweater makes the perfect Christmas gift.