The Christmas countdown is on and there are not many days left until the excitement of Christmas morning, when torn wrapping paper will be spread throughout the house.
Gifts will be eagerly opened and the look of delight on your little one’s face will make everything worthwhile. So, how do these beautiful presents get under the Christmas tree? Why Santa of course! But even Santa needs a little help deciding just what to bring. Turn writing a letter to Santa into a fun event for the whole family.
Set the mood
Get into the Christmas spirit by turning on festive Christmas music and sipping hot cocoa. You may even want to make a batch of cookies for your kids to enjoy while they write. Get the materials you need ready and lay them out on a table so that everyone in the family can reach. You may even want to take your child shopping first to pick out special paper or decorations for their letter.
Get ready to write
Younger children may need assistance in writing and you may even want to encourage older siblings to help instead of writing it yourself. You could also suggest that the children draw pictures of what they want instead of writing out the words. After they have selected their paper and decorated it to their liking, it is time to write.
Teach them etiquette
Everyone knows that Santa loves good manners, so use this opportunity to teach your young children about letter writing etiquette — something they may not get much experience with in the technological age! Suggest they start with a proper greeting and then ask Santa how he has been, as he must be extremely busy answering all the letters. Santa will also want to know if your child has been good this past year. Suggest that your child ask about the reindeers and if they are looking forward to their journey around the world. Once the formalities are complete the child can begin their list.
Wish list
Is there something special your child wants? Perhaps you could prompt them with a list of suggestions. Some children are unsure as to what they want, but of course the parents often know. So, if your child simply wants a “surprise” it would be appropriate to ask for that. This is also a good opportunity to narrow down what your child really wants just in case they haven’t communicated it to you yet.
Waiting for a reply
Some shopping centres allow Santa to keep a specially marked North Pole letterbox where letters can be mailed to him and collected at night by his elves. Post offices throughout the country may forward letters to Santa, provided they are addressed correctly, so make sure “Santa North Pole” is on the front of the envelope and be sure to put your return address on it. However, we think you may want to save that letter as a keepsake for years to come. Your child may enjoy looking at it when they are an adult with their own kids. Instead of stuffing their actual letter in an envelope, prepare an envelope while they aren’t paying attention and store away the original. While some post offices or organisations may respond to a child’s letter, you may consider creating a response yourself. You can add in specific details about your child to make it even more special.
More festive family fun
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Fun family gift ideas
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