So technically this is Lucy’s second Christmas because her birthday is on December 12th, but last year was such a whirlwind it really feels like this is her first Christmas. A few months ago, I said, “I’m not going to go crazy since she’s still so little” but of course I couldn’t help myself and still went a little “crazy.” I’m so thankful that we have the means to get Lucy whatever gifts we want, but with that being said, we know Christmas is not all about the gifts. We are looking forward to spending the holidays with family and friends , attending mass, and reading both religious and Santa based Christmas books! Lucy isn’t quite old enough to understand, but I will still model for her the spirit of giving during he holiday season (and all the time really) by donating gifts to our church, volunteering our time, giving to some of our favorite charities, and decorating our church with the beautiful flowers that are donated every year.
My cousin bought Lucy this adorable little people nativity set for Christmas last year which I thought was a great way to introduce her to the “story” of Christmas and expose her to these very important people in a playful way.
I will continue to teach her as she grows about giving, helping, and sharing joy. However, I also look forward to seeing her face light up when she sees her presents under the tree and her stocking filled with goodies!
While she may not totally get it this year, there are plenty of things you can put in a 1 year old's stocking for them to enjoy!
Before I share a few of the items that I’m putting in Lucy’s stocking, look at how beautiful it is! My aunt made this stocking for her to match the ones she made us a few years ago for our first Christmas as a married couple!
It isn’t stuffed yet, but I thought I would share with you some ideas for a 12 month old’s stockings stuffers and some of the things I plan to put in Lucy’s stocking!
Note: This is not a sponsored post. The links are not affiliate links, they are just products we use and love. Please also consider your own child’s development when taking these recommendations and be sure none of the items pose a choking hazard before giving to your child.
Coloring books and toddler crayons. You could pretty much always find coloring books in the target dollar section! Chunky/shaped crayons are good for this age because little hands aren’t quite ready for the regular crayons that older children use and the would probably break very easily! I recommend Alex Jr. Tots First Crayons.
Teething cookies. Even though Lucy doesn’t need “melt in your mouth” cookies anymore, she still really likes them. These are great occupiers and perfect when I just need to grab her a quick snack! We use Happy Baby Organic Wafers.
Books. I don’t think there will ever come a day where I won’t put at least one book in Lucy’s stocking! For this age, touch and feel books and short picture books are great! Little ones love to explore the textures and Lucy likes to take our hands to show us how the pages feel. Short, simple picture books are perfect for story time and before bed. They should be short enough to keep your child’s attention but also language rich! One of my favorite book companies is Usborne. We have quite the collection and continue to grow our library! They even have some really cute holiday themed books.
Play dough. I haven’t introduced play dough to Lucy yet but plan to after Christmas! Play dough is such a fun activity but it’s great for building language too. You can use action words and labels, ask and answer questions, take turns, point to make choices, and so much more. There are some great recipes out there to make your own play dough if you wanted to keep it natural and you even make them scented with essential oils!
Silks and natural teethers. As I said before with the books, babies and toddlers love exploring textures. Simple silks and wooden teethers make great sensory exploratory toys. I’m putting a Sarah’s Silks Rainbow Baby Teether in Lucy’s stocking.
Animals. Not real ones, of course, but realistic looking ones! It’s important to introduce little ones to a wide variety of animals that actually look like the animal they represent as well as model the proper name of the animal. Instead of saying “monkey” when showing your baby a gorilla, actually label it “gorilla” because babies can soak up all these vocabulary words and learn them at an early age! I like Schleich brand for realistic looking animals!
Forks and spoons. Not the most exciting gift but important now that your little one will start using utensils! We use Avanchy brand because I love the soft silicone tops. They also make bowls and plates that suction to the table to prevent little ones from tossing them over the table. I love that they’re made out of bamboo and we use these at home and on the go!
Toy car. Don’t get me wrong, Lucy loves her baby dolls and stuffed animals, but I also like to expose her to a variety of toys so that she learns how to play in different ways. She has played with my toy cars in my treatment room a few times and seemed to enjoy them so I bought her one of her own. I got Green Toys brand because I like that they use recycled material.
Some other ideas for simple stocking stuffers include:
Hats
Mittens
Socks
Balls
Maracas
Baby doll accessories
Stuffed animal
Lovey
Straw cup
I hope you got a few ideas for you little one’s stocking! Any other ideas? Share them in the comments!