Get a Photo Taken with Santa
Whether your baby smiles sweetly for the camera or is less than thrilled to meet with him, your baby’s first photo with Santa is a favorite addition to the family photo album. There are plenty of options — many of them free — for where you can enjoy that first Santa visit, including malls, festivals and farm stands.

Read a Holiday Story
Introduce your baby to a Christmas classic at a special reading of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! This free storytime on Saturday, December 3, 2016, is hosted by Barnes & Noble at the Prudential Center. Special activities follow the reading. FREE

Create Baby’s First Christmas Ornament
Add a new keepsake to your Christmas tree with a personalized Christmas ornament. The Christmas in Boston store at Faneuil Hall Marketplace offers an extensive collection; be sure to leave plenty of time for browsing. If you’re more of a do-it-yourselfer, try using salt dough to make hand- or footprint ornaments.

Photo by Ally Noel.

Enjoy a Holiday Sing-Along
While a trip to see The Nutcracker may still be a few years away, your baby can still enjoy a festive holiday performance at Brookline’s Puppet Showplace Theater. Designed especially for very young children, the Puppet Playtime Holiday Sing-Along is an interactive performance led by Bella Monster on Wednesday, December 21, 2016, and includes a sing-along, stories, and games. Free snacks and refreshments are available after the show. ($10-$25/Family)

Have a Bite to Eat with Santa
Give your little one some extra one-on-one time with Santa — and have a great meal while doing it — by attending one of the many local Santa breakfast or brunch options.

Santa Claus at a holiday breakfast courtesy of The Shops at Chestnut Hill.

Watch a Holiday Movie
As part of the monthly Kidtoons program, enjoy a family-friendly screening of the short film The Snowman at Showcase Cinema de Lux at Legacy Place in Dedham on Saturday and Sunday, December 17-18, 2016. Afterward, take some time to browse for gifts at the plaza’s dozens of stores, including toy and bookstore Henry Bear’s Park, a Boston-area favorite. ($5/person)

Take in a Light Display
Start a family tradition with a visit to one of the area’s many Christmas light displays and introduce your baby to the magic of a winter wonderland.

Top image, "Baby's first Christmas," by Valerie Hinojosa is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0