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6 Ways to Make Baby’s 1st Birthday Special The first year is an emotional roller-coaster for new parents, and it all culminates in Baby’s 1st birthday. Wondering how to celebrate? If you believe Instagram or Pinterest, the only way to do it is with a perfectly planned, colour-coordinated extravaganza. Believe us when we say it’s not worth the stress. If you try too hard to make Baby’s 1st birthday perfect, neither you nor your little one will end up having a good time. And that’s what it’s all about, right? Taking a moment to enjoy your amazing achievement. So instead, here are 6 simple ways to make Baby’s 1st birthday meaningful and unique.  1) GET THE PHOTOS DONE RIGHT Don’t rely on your phone camera for this one! Book a studio session with a professional photographer who’s known for working with wee ones. Get a proper family portrait done and while you’re at it, why not have a cake smash session? Giving Baby a fun activity for their shoot helps them to relax and makes for truly adorable candid snaps. 2) GIVE BABY A NEW FIRST EXPERIENCE When Baby is just a year old, there are still so many things you haven’t had a chance to do together. Maybe Baby has never seen the sea, or perhaps you guys have never been to the zoo. Pick a place that you loved when you were young and take Baby to experience it for the first time. You’ll relive your precious memories through a fresh new set of eyes.   3) WRITE A LETTER TO BABY You have so much you want to say to Baby, but they’re too young yet to understand the fullness of your love. Put it all into a letter which they can open when they’re older, perhaps when they’re 10 or 18 years old. To make it extra special, pop a photo into the envelope that Baby will never have seen before. In fact, why not start a new tradition and write a letter every year? 4) PLANT A TREE Make a living memory with Baby. Head to the garden centre and pick out a tree together (whichever one Baby seems to smile at the most!). Bring Baby’s new tree friend home and find them a permanent spot in the garden. The tree will grow tall and strong alongside Baby, sheltering your little one while they play. Take a photo of them together each year to compare how much they’ve grown.    5) GO OUT FOR DINNER (WITHOUT BABY!) Let’s face it, Baby’s not even going to remember their 1st Birthday. This milestone is not just for your child but also for you, you amazing person. You’ve done something wonderful and incredibly tough – you deserve a reward! And now that Baby is older, you can start doing things without them every once in a while. So go on, book that fancy dinner and get all dressed up. You’ve earned it and then some.   6) KEEP THE PARTY SIMPLE Parties aren’t essential for 1-year-old Babies. And like we said at the start, they can be stressful! But sometimes you can’t resist throwing one anyway. Don’t get in over your head, though. Keep the celebrations simple and don’t go overboard with fancy food or fussy decorations. How about a potluck or a back garden barbecue? The less you stress, the happier Baby will be and the more time you’ll have to party together!   Are you looking for Baby’s 1st birthday present? Explore our range of beautifully-made, personalised baby gifts, from customised clothes and shoes to toys and accessories.

There’s so much in a name. That’s why it’s important to give your newborn one that fits them just right. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered by sourcing the following list of unique and creative baby monikers with staying power – they are derived from ancient cultures, after all. From a multitude of cultures and derived from different time periods, we’re sure to have something that’s perfect for you.   Some of these baby names are so ancient you’ve probably never even heard of them – but that’s not always a bad thing!  Atticus Take inspiration from the Latin-originated name Atticus. Meaning ‘from Attica’ – this bold name hails from the region in Greece which surrounds Athens. As a name, it has connotations of literary sophistication and with its trendy Roman feel, combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch, this choice is a real winner among boy names. Harper Lee’s best selling 1960 novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, featured Atticus Finch as the protagonist which has boosted the name’s popularity ever since. Add a prehistoric touch to a little one’s days out with a dinosaur raincoat.  Aurelia For a name that has deep roots in ancient history, consider the subtle name Aurelia. Meaning ‘the golden one’, this Latin-origin name is the female version of the classic Roman ‘Aurelius’ – a highly common surname throughout the Roman Empire many centuries ago. Julius Caesar’s mother also shared the delicate name Aurelia, as well as the American writer and poet Sylvia Plath, showing its lasting duration and popularity from over 2000 years ago to now. Make days spent inside even more snuggly with a dinosaur dressing gown.  Kamal In both the Hindi and Arabic cultures, Kamal is a masculine name that stems from quintessential cultural symbols. Kamal is a boy’s name of Arabic origin meaning ‘perfection’ and has close links to the ninety-nine qualities of Allah which is listed in the Koran. In the Hindu religion, Kamal is derived from the ancient literary language Sanskrit (used as early as 1700 BC), whereby ‘kamala’ translated to ‘lotus flower’. With two positive associations, choose Kamal for a name with plenty of history and meaning behind it. Day trips out will be even better with a jolly jurassic backpack.  Asa For a short but sweet gender-neutral name with multiple meanings, consider Asa. In English speaking countries, Asa is best known as a biblical name stemming from the King of Judah (900 BC) – in this Hebrew context the name means ‘healer’. However, Asa is also a Japanese name with an equally pleasant meaning: ‘born in the morning’. Although they do have two different pronunciations (Ay-sa versus Ah-sa), this is one cross-cultural name that would work wonderfully in an increasingly global world.  Raisa Take inspiration from the historically rich and diverse name Raisa. In Yiddish, Raisa means ‘rose’ after the elegant, beautiful flower while in Arabic, the name is the feminine version of Rais meaning ‘leader’ or ‘princess’. Beyond the Middle East, Russia claims Raisa as a name harking back to a 4th century martyr. Evidently, Raisa has a multitude of meanings and history behind it – a true rose of a name. Once again, this lyrical name isn’t restricted to a particular gender. Little ones will have a dino-mite day out with a brilliant backpack, perfect for holding all of their bits and bobs on their big adventures. Zahara For a delicate yet strong name consider Zahara. In Swahili, Zahara translates to ‘flower’ and this sweet moniker is also a feminine name of Arabic origin, said to mean ‘she will flourish’. It is a very popular Muslim name as in Islamic belief, it is the name of the Prophet Muhammad’s mother (632 AD), and is often used in honour to her. This name first came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie bestowed it on her Ethiopian-born daughter in 2005. In its similarity to the name of the desert, Zahara is likely to retain a distinctive and exotic feel to it. Treat a child to a dinosaur soft toy that will scare away all of their bad dreams. Juno Pay homage to the Romans with the Latin unisex name that translates to ‘queen of the heavens’. Juno was the sister and wife (don’t ask) of Jupiter, the patron goddess of Rome and protector of women and marriage. Since the release of the popular indie film Juno in 2007, this lively but strong Roman goddess name has become more and more prominent as a potential baby name and has shifted to become a unisex name over the last few years. Choose this name that represents marriage, love, and commitment for a truly ancient name with plenty of history. Dry off your little one with a dinosaur hooded towel to keep them warm and cosy after bathtime. Dominic/Dominica  The name Dominic is a boy’s name of Latin origin meaning ‘belonging to the lord’. Dominic derives from the Latin name Dominicus and in the past it was given to boys born on Sunday – the word ‘Sunday’ in French and Spanish shares Dominic’s roots. In use since the medieval times, its most famous bearer was St. Dominic, founder of the Dominican order of monks in the thirteenth century. The name Dominica is a girl’s name of Spanish and Italian roots with the same translation – ‘belonging to the Lord’. Fashionably continental, this fresh name has been used since the Middle Ages. Keep their lunch and favourite snacks safe in a jolly jurassic lunch bag. Theon Pay homage to the ancient Greeks by choosing the name Theon, meaning ‘Godly’ or ‘God’s gift’. Theon of Alexandria, who is thought to have brought the name recognition, was an ancient Greek teacher of astronomy and mathematics (335 AD), in addition to being father of the first female mathematician. For a short name that’s easy to pronounce, with history that dates back to the 5th century, Theon is a great option for a newborn bundle-of-joy. Mini Theon will love to cuddle up to a triceratops soft toy before bed. We hope that these pre-historic names will inspire your choice for your little one.  

December is the most magical time of the year, so make the most of it with these Advent Calendar & Christmas tree printables. Here are 24 festive activities to do every day throughout December to keep the Christmas cheer going every day!  Download the Advent Calendar printables below  Advent printables Simply print these sheets on A4 paper and fold each note to fit perfectly inside of our Advent drawers. Choose from our Advent Calendar House or our Advent Calendar Train and personalise with your family name for a festive favourite that you can enjoy year after year. Start making Christmas memories and start new traditions with My 1st Years – after all, it’s you that makes Christmas special!  Advent calender printables - Christmas tree edition Simply print out, cut up and assemble our sweet activity cards, then decorate your tree with your little ones for the most magical Christmas memories!   Download them below: Advent calendar printables - Christmas tree edition Click play below to see how cute they'll look once they're finished and ready to hang on the tree. Don’t forget to tag us @My1stYears in all of your Advent Calendar photos on Instagram this December. Use #my1styears for the chance to feature on our page so that we can celebrate with you this holiday season!  With love, My 1st Years x

As the weather gets colder, it can feel difficult to know how to keep your baby warm on winter nights.