Holiday Decorating in a Nursery + A Huge Baby / Kids Holiday Gift Guide

Last year, I didn’t do much in the way of holiday decorating. I did a fresh garland for the staircase and we found a tree that I absolutely loved, but other than that and a DIY Christmas wreath, I was too tired to do much more. We had a two month old after all.

This year though, I have so much energy for the holidays. I’m v excited. Hayes is at a really fun age and I want to make the holidays special (for him and for us). So, I’m full speed ahead on holiday decorating (and present searching). So, I teamed up with Crate and Barrel to do a little of both: decorating Hayes’ nursery for Christmas AND a huge shopping guide of baby and kid gifts for every budget. Crate and Kids (Crate and Barrel’s kids brand) has ALL the good stuff!

Jeff and I have been fans of Crate and Barrel for years (our living room couch that I get asked about regularly on IG is from there – it’s the petrie leather midcentury sofa in chamois). So, I felt right at home browsing around back and forth between Crate and Barrel and Crate and Kids searching for things to decorate (and gift) for Hayes. Let’s start with the decorating!

I love the fact that I can decorate his nursery this year, now that he spends more time in here and enjoys playing in his room, etc. The plan is for him to have his own tree in his room (every Christmas) for him to decorate with his own special ornaments (that we either make or buy).

He’s not quite old enough to pick out his own ornaments yet, so I picked a set of buri ornaments for him. And these: buri red cardinal ornament // silver buri fox ornament // silver buri owl ornament // silver buri raccoon ornament // silver buri squirrel ornament.

I found a rainbow basket (that I originally thought would be the basket the tree would sit in, but my dang tree stand was too big). No worries though, because he can use it for toy storage just as easily, which is how I planned to use it after the holidays anyway.

Side note: On the topic of baskets, I found this big sisal basket to replace his old one, for organizing his large floor pillows and extra toys under his bookshelf.

Anyway, with the tree all figured out, I added some decorative holiday touches that are a mix of things I love and things I think he will love. There’s a few holiday staples, like a big wreath (a cypress wreath to be specific), bottle brush Christmas trees, and a couple of stockings (fair isle stocking and the cozy ivory knit stocking) hanging.

But I also found some really cool wood bead garlands, a cozy weave garland that reminds me of snow, felt holiday lights garlands (that I know Hayes will love), twinkle lights, and not one but two nutcrackers (drummer nutcracker and prince nutcracker) because we’ve never had any and they feel so charming and quirky. Very, very Christmas-y!

I should also probably mention that these nutcrackers are literally the nicest ones I’ve ever seen! They’re limited-edition and  exclusively made for Crate and Barrel – by artisans in Germany no less. I guess if I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna go big. Why not, right? Highly recommend if you’re a nutcracker kind of person.

Obviously, I’m a DIY blogger (amongst other things). So, I couldn’t possibly decorate Hayes’ room without a little DIY project…or maybe two? I wanted to keep things simple, so I made little Santa hats for the characters in the artwork on his walls. I just used paper and attached everything temporarily with rolled up pieces of washi tape. And then made some paper houses for the village scene on his top bookshelf.

Then, I threw a couple of DIY metallic star pillows into his crib (they’re usually on the floor as cushions for him) – which I actually haven’t shared the tutorial for yet, but will very soon.

So that’s the holiday decorating side of things. How fun is it to decorate a kid’s room or nursery for the holidays? Another thing I don’t want to forget to mention is our new crib sheet – also from Crate and Kids (and this one too, along with this swaddle blankets set). It may not seen Christmas related, but new (and organic) sheets kinda feel like Christmas morning all over again, right?

And speaking of Xmas morning, let’s jump into the gifting stuff because, let’s face it, gifts and presents are a big part of the holiday season. I’ve put together a guide of my favorite things from Crate and Kids in 3 different price ranges.

Many of the items are things I also got for Hayes. But whether I have them for him or not, ALL of the gifts on these lists are things I absolutely love and would most definitely buy. Seriously, so many great gifts and lots of affordable options too! Let me know what you think.

Holiday Gifts for Baby / Kids $30 and Under

Looking for a budget-friendly gift or stocking stuffer for babies and/or kids? This list of kid and baby gifts under $30 has tons of options – all from Crate and Kids. They have sooooo many amazing gifts! I got Hayes a bunch of books and toys that fell under the thirty dollar limit and they have great stuff for boys AND girls. Here are some of my favorite holidays gifts under $30 for kids and babies…

1. when I am big book $17.95 – Love this book!

2. beeswax crayons set $12.99 – I’ve been wanting to get beeswax crayons for a while and these are perfect. We love ’em.

3. gemstones chalk set $16 – How cute is this gemstone sidewalk chalk?

4. elephant pull toy $25 – Really good price for this fabric and wood pull toy, don’t you think?

5. tug boat bath toy $15 – Hayes has this boat and it’s so useful for bath time! He uses it as a toy, but I can use it for pouring water onto him too when I’m washing off soap from his hair, etc.

6. night and day book $19.95 – This book is really cool because there are pop ups and little activities to keep tiny hands busy.

7. roxy marj tiger lovey $7.97 – Another item that we have and love. Roxy Marj designs really cute stuff, huh? We also have the sun rattle, which is great for bringing on the go.

8. dollhouse furniture $25 – If you’re kiddo has a dollhouse already, this furniture is adorable!

9. duck pull toy $25 – When you pull it the ducks little feet actually ‘walk’. It’s really cute.

10. animal parade giant floor puzzle $18.99 – I love the way this puzzle is illustrated and the giant pieces make it fun for kids of all ages.

And here are a few more things we love that didn’t make the list (but still fall into the under $30 category)… pantone: box of color $12.95 // walk this world at christmastime book $17.99 // little concepts: abc spanish book $12.95 // color me: who’s in the rain forest? $12.95 // here is the world: a year of jewish holidays (got this for Hayes so I can read to him about different cultures, traditions, religions during the holiday season) $18.95.

Holiday Gifts for Baby / Kids $100 and Under

If you have a little bit more to spend, you have plenty of options. Here’s 10 gift ideas under $100!

1. mini modern house kit $50 – Forget about the kids, I want to make one of these!

2. etched wooden blocks $59 – We have these and they’re a huge hit! They have letters, numbers, and cute designs. They’re the blocks I used to spell out Hayes’ name on his peg rail shelf.

3. wooden cash register $39 – Wooden toys are the best!

4. modern baby gym $79 – I like how simple and modern this one is.

5. play little architect $50 – Another cool architectural toy.

6. raccoon doll $69 – This raccoon is so cute.

7. kitty animal adoption set $49 – An ‘adoption’ kit for cat lovers.

8. planetarium book $40 – What kid doesn’t love a pop-up book?

9. polar bear play mat $99 – Doesn’t this play mat look cozy?

10. hand sign alphabet flash cards $40 – I have to get these for Hayes!

Holiday Gifts for Baby / Kids $100+

Looking for that super special gift that kids will run to the tree for on Christmas morning? The ones that Santa brings and don’t even get wrapped bc they’re so exciting? This is that list of presents! There’s a wooden bike, a giant block set (this will be one of Hayes’ big Christmas gifts because he loves blocks), and so much more.

1. ride on walker $129.99 – Omg! Hayes LOVES this thing. He can push it as a walker, rock on it, or ride.

2. large block set $149 – These blocks are way bigger than they look! Well worth the price, if you have a kiddo that loves blocks.

3. wooden art easel $149 – Totally getting this when Hayes is a little older.

4. 3 in 1 bike $249.99 – This 3-in-1 bike is a multi-use, learn-to-ride system for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

5. ride on tiger $124.97 – There are other animals available too.

6. wooden fire truck $120 – I love wood toys like this.

7. victorian dollhouse $350 – Now that is a dollhouse!

8. rainbow wall rug $159 – Obviously, I love the muted tones in this giant wall hanging.

9. wooden play stand $179 – For a nightly puppet show!

10. rattan rocking horse $199 – Ahhh! I love this. What about you?

That wraps up the Crate and Kids gift guides. See any presents on the list you plan to get for your kiddos?

Before I go, I wanted tis hare a few more photos of how we derated in the nursery and then I’ll send you on your way…

 

Well, we’ve finally reached the end! Hope you enjoyed my holiday kid and baby gift guides with Crate and Kids and the holiday decorating too! I’d love to know how you decorate during the holidays! What’s your favorite room of the house to make festive?

Any holiday traditions you love that you could share? We’re always looking to add some new ones to our list!

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This post is in partnership with Crate and Barrel. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Paper and Stitch running.