It’s your baby’s first Christmas, or it’s the first Christmas of a special baby in your life. What kinds of gifts can you give to a baby? Sweet, small, and huggable Waldorf dolls are an ideal baby gift for Christmas or for a first birthday.
Waldorf dolls are often made and dyed with natural and organic materials. This makes them the ideal gift for small children who put everything in their mouths. Traditional Waldorf dolls will be made with wool, and many of them will have organic cotton terry on the outside. Wool is naturally antibacterial, so it’s an ideal choice for babies.
Look for very simple dolls without a lot of accessories that can be torn off by small babies. Many will have a hood over the head, which is better than hair for a small child – hair on dolls is the first thing that goes in the mouth. These dolls are also washable, which is one of the top attributes that I look for in a baby gift.
For those who expect a huge smile on the face of a doll, you’ll find that Waldorf dolls aren’t jolly. They have neutral expressions, so that as a child grows up, he can pretend that the doll is happy, sad, or angry without being guided by the facial expression of the doll.
If you’re interested in making a Waldorf doll for a child’s first Christmas, the book A Waldorf Doll-Making Handbook by Maricristin Sealey outlines the steps to making such a doll. Look on Etsy or in a wool or Waldorf store for wool roving, since this is what you need to use to stuff the doll. For those who are feeling slightly less ambitious, you can buy Waldorf dolls online at A Toy Garden and Dancing Rain Dolls. Dancing Rain actually makes custom dolls for special occasions.
A Waldorf doll is a sweet, simple, and durable gift that is perfect for child’s first Christmas.