A baby's first Christmas only happens once, and most of it will be remembered through photos. These 8 ideas light up the first Christmas photo, the nursery and even the first New Year's Eve, with lights that stay on a shelf or high on a wall, out of reach of little hands. Here are 8 ideas for baby's first Christmas in 2026.
1. Their name in lights
Spell the baby's name in marquee letters for the first Christmas photo, then move the letters up to a high shelf in the nursery, where they keep glowing long after December. Each letter is 22 cm (8.7 in) tall, glows warm white and stands on its own.
Shown: light-up marquee letters, A to Z, sold one letter at a time.
2. Their first New Year: 2027 in lights
The first Christmas comes with a first New Year's Eve. Four marquee numbers spell 2027 for the photo, even if the baby sleeps right through midnight: order two 2s, one 0 and one 7. Each number is 22 cm (8.7 in) tall, the same height as the letters.
Shown: light-up marquee numbers, 0 to 9, sold one number at a time.
3. Twelve months on a string of lights
Clip one photo from each month of the first year onto a string of warm lights, from the newborn photo to the Christmas one. The lights run on a battery box, so no socket is needed and the string can run along the top of a wall or over a high shelf.
Shown: photo clip string lights, 2 m, 5 m or 10 m, with clips included.
4. A curtain of lights behind the family photo
Smart curtain lights hang behind the sofa or across the window, and you can write a message in the app, such as the baby's name or MERRY CHRISTMAS, or pick one of 100+ animated scenes. Hang them behind the family photo, and the timer switches them on and off by itself for the rest of the season.
Shown: smart Christmas curtain lights, 2 × 2 m or 3 × 3 m, 400 LEDs.
5. Candlelight without a flame
Evening feeds in December feel cosier by candlelight, and these candles have no flame at all: a 3D flame flickers on acrylic pillars, and the remote dims them or sets a timer that turns them off after 2 to 8 hours. No smoke and no dripping wax.
Shown: flameless candles with remote, a set of 3 in three heights.
6. A carousel to watch together
A carousel or Ferris wheel that turns slowly under warm LEDs is something to watch together from the armchair. It's a decoration, not a toy, so it lives on a shelf or the mantel. About 15.5 cm (6.1 in) tall.
Shown: the light-up Christmas carousel, Carousel or Ferris Wheel.
7. A tradition to start: the tree with a train
A little tree with coloured bulbs and a train circling the base can come out every year from now on, the first piece of the family's Christmas. It's about 19 cm (7.5 in) tall and battery operated, so it sits high on a shelf with no cable.
Shown: the light-up Christmas tree with train.
8. A soft glow in the nursery
A white birch tree with warm fairy lights along every branch gives the nursery a soft glow from the first frost to the New Year. It's about 60 cm (24 in) tall, runs on USB or batteries and stands on a square base; the top of a dresser is a good spot.
Shown: the lighted birch tree, 24 or 144 LEDs.
Good to know
- Out of reach: every light, cable, battery box and battery in this guide belongs on a high shelf, a mantel or the top of a wall, never in or near the crib. Batteries can be dangerous if swallowed, so keep the spares put away too.
- For the photo: the lights stay behind the baby as a backdrop, not on or around them, and an adult stays right there.
- Letters A to Z: the marquee letters and the curtain lights write A to Z without accents, so check the spelling of the name before you order.
- Power: the letters and numbers take 2 × AA each, the photo clip lights 3 × AA, the carousel 3 × AAA and the flameless candles 3 × AAA per candle, none of them included. The curtain lights need a USB adapter (not included), the birch runs on USB or batteries and the tree with a train is battery operated.
- Delivery: free tracked shipping, dispatched in 1 to 3 business days and delivered in 7 to 12. Order by 10 December to have it in time for Christmas.
- Not quite right? Unused items in their original packaging can be returned within 30 days of delivery.
More ideas
- Decorating the children's room too? Here are 8 Christmas kids' room decor ideas.
- Setting up a spot for the Christmas photo? Here are 8 Christmas photo backdrop ideas.
- Shopping for Grandma and Grandpa? Here are 8 Christmas gift ideas for grandparents.