From cash to photo ops to free sausages, the first baby of the new year is often celebrated with a fun (and quirky) array of gifts
If You Have a Baby on New Year’s, Here’s What May Happen
Published on Dec. 19, 2024
Pop quiz: What do Betsy Ross, J.D. Salinger, Grandmaster Flash and J. Edgar Hoover have in common? Beyond being instrumental figures in U.S. culture, they’re all New Year’s babies! If you or someone you love has a due date near New Year’s Eve or Day, it’s natural to wonder if the baby will be someone extra special. While they may not be a historical figure or famous rapper (although who knows?), the little one may get the first baby born on New Year’s Day prize.
Yep, you read that right—an actual prize! If a newborn arrives just before the ball drops or right after the clock strikes midnight, there are often special perks given to the first or last baby of the year. Read on to learn about the bonuses and a few surprising challenges that come with having your very own Baby New Year.
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What are the perks of being a New Year’s baby?
Being a New Year’s baby is more than just a fun fact to share at parties. While every New Year’s baby is special, some unique perks apply only to those who earn the title of being the very first baby born at a particular hospital, town or country. These perks range from prizes and recognition to quirky local traditions. While this New Year’s tradition has become rarer in recent years, it is still around—you just need to know where to look and do a little digging in your hometown.
Here are a few possible perks, along with some places that currently offer them:
Gift baskets
Many hospitals and local businesses shower the first baby born in the new year with gift baskets full of baby essentials. These often include items like a year’s supply of diapers, baby clothes, baby wash, diaper cream, bottles, formula and gift cards.
In 2022, Dignity Health St. Rose Dominican Hospital in Las Vegas, for example, gave the first baby of the year a large gift basket filled with diapers and baby supplies. Similarly, in Buffalo, New York, the first baby born (which was actually twins!) in 2023 at Kaleida Health’s Oishei Children’s Hospital received a basket of baby essentials and a $1,000 savings bond.
These types of baby gifts are common throughout the country but vary based on the hospital or health-care network. So if you’re due around the 1st, it’s worth asking your hospital if it does anything similar.
Money
Money, in the form of cash, bonds, certificates of deposit and scholarship accounts, is also a popular gift for New Year’s babies. The Las Vegas hospital noted above included a $500 gift card, while the Buffalo hospital added a $1,000 savings bond. And University Hospital in San Antonio awarded its first baby of the year with a whopping $10,000 scholarship, along with other goodies.
In 2020, online bank Ally awarded every baby born on New Year’s Eve $250 in a custodial online savings account. While that was a one-time offer for 2020 babies, other local banks may offer similar awards, so check with your local branch or hospital maternity ward.
Local services and products
When the 2024 First Baby of Newtown, Connecticut, was announced, his parents were ecstatic. As the 66th winner of the yearly award, their baby won them an impressive list of services and goods from local businesses. This included certificates for $100 off trash service; gift cards to multiple restaurants, bookstores, salons, gyms, car washes, toy stores and a hardware store; two free cheese pizzas; complimentary tickets to the movies; and multiple gift cards for wine, an underrated gift for new parents.
Newtown isn’t the only city to go all out for their newest citizen of the year, so talk to your city’s office of tourism or municipal office to see what it offers.
Personalized goods
When you’re born on Jan. 1, it’s pretty easy to remember your birthdate—and get it personalized on everything. Just take a look at the prizes offered to the first baby of the new year at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, Iowa. In addition to the usual baby gift-basket items, the hospital also offered a personalized mommy-and-me necklace, an embroidered blanket and hat, a free first baby photo shoot and something called the “$100 meat package.” (Just say “thank you” and leave it at that.)
Fame and photo ops
Some New Year’s babies find themselves in the spotlight, as newspapers, TV stations and social media outlets rush to cover the story. Parents and newborns may be featured in news articles or on local broadcasts.
Ceremonial titles and plaques
Some regions bestow honorary titles or certificates to mark the occasion. For instance, in San Antonio, the first baby born each year at Methodist Hospital is given a special certificate and a photo opportunity with the city’s mayor. In New Orleans, the first baby of the year at Ochsner Baptist Medical Center receives an honorary “New Year’s Baby” plaque and a commemorative blanket—which may be a little less useful than some of the other perks, but it’s still pretty cool!
What are the downsides of being a New Year’s baby?
While the perks are fun, there are also a few less-glamorous realities of being born around New Year’s Eve or Day. These challenges range from financial considerations to logistical headaches during an already busy season.
- Higher hospital costs: For those with deductibles or insurance plans that reset on Jan. 1, the timing of your baby’s arrival can make a big difference. Babies born just hours apart might incur drastically different medical bills. If your baby arrives before midnight on Dec. 31, any out-of-pocket costs will fall under the current year’s insurance plan. A delivery after midnight on Jan. 1 might mean starting over with a new deductible. Depending on your specific plan, this could mean paying two or three times the amount out of pocket. Ouch.
- Double (or triple) the holiday madness: The holiday season is already packed for most people. Now, imagine adding a birthday celebration right after New Year’s Eve. December and January can quickly turn into a marathon of events, leaving little room to breathe—or budget! This can make planning vacations, parties or even simple gatherings more complicated and expensive.
- A birthday overshadowed by other celebrations: New Year’s is one of the biggest celebrations around the world, which means the birthday boy or girl will always share the spotlight with New Year’s celebrations. Birthday parties might be tricky to organize when friends and family are off celebrating elsewhere. Some kids may love the dual celebration, while others might feel their birthday gets lost in the shuffle. So remember to properly fete the New Year’s babies in your life even as they become adults and remind them how special they are to you!
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Sources:
- Facebook: “Dignity health”
- The Standard: “Many gifts await the first First Baby of the New Year born at Veterans Memorial Hospital”
- KTXS12: “First baby of new year born 20 seconds after midnight, receives scholarship for $10,000”
- Kaleida Health: “Kaleida Health Welcomes First Babies of 2023”
- CNBC: “Ally Bank is offering $250 in a custodial savings account for all babies born on New Year’s Eve 2020”
- Newtown Bee: “Meet the 66th Annual First Baby of Newtown: Ellis John Carlor”
