Oh Baby! Couple Welcomes Laramie’s First Baby of 2024 at Ivinson

Laramie's first baby of 2024 entered the world at 5:48 p.m. on New Year's Day. The sweet bundle of joy was expected on New Year's Eve...but she decided to greet the world on January 1, 2024, instead.

Wren Marie Palmer was born to parents Adalyn and Kody Palmer. She weighed in at 7 lbs and 10 oz and measured 20 inches long. Mom and Dad Palmer look so proud in their photo announcing the birth!

Welcome to the world, little Wren!

The Tradition of Announcing a New Year's Baby

Every year, the Ivinson Foundation gifts the first child born in the New Year with an assortment of newborn essentials and a gift card to Walmart. But where does the tradition come from?

Origins of a 'Baby New Year' date back as far as 600 B.C. in ancient Greece. The ancient Greeks would celebrate the rebirth of the fertility god Dionysus by parading a baby in a basket through the city. The celebration marked the beginning of spring - a time of rebirth and renewal. Eventually, Dionysus would be replaced by baby Jesus in the festivities. (History Channel)

But, New Year's Babies really received national attention in the U.S. in the 1900s when a series of comics by J.C. Leyendecker depicted the character 'Baby New Year.' The character went on to feature in a holiday film, 'Rudolph's Shiny New Year.'

The tradition of recognizing the first baby born in a New Year has no noted origin. But, the tradition has continued on for decades in the U.S. Many towns across the country recognize the first baby of the New Year with gifts and celebrations...just like Laramie's Ivinson Hospital!