Christmas… Looking beyond Santa and Presents
With Christmas around the corner, it’s a great time to reflect on what we can teach children about Christmas beyond the idea that Santa brings presents. Christmas is a wonderful time of the year for many families. A time of excitement for children especially. The Christmas decorations and lights, the presents, the Christmas tree and Santa visit, and of course, the sweet treats. Christmas is also a wonderful time to explore concepts of love, family, giving, gratitude and kindness with children.
Here are some simple ways to teach children about the value of giving at Christmas:
- Donating to charities: encourage your child to donate their clothes or toys that they no longer use. Talk to them about how these items can now be used by those who are more in need
- Support a Christmas appeal: there are some great Christmas appeals where you can donate presents for those in need, or even food hampers to support other families. Involve your child in picking out items for the appeal and physically donating them.
- Making or wrapping gifts: involve your child in making home-made gifts such as baking cookies, making Christmas crafts or even designing their own Christmas cards for family and friends. Children can help in wrapping gifts to give to others which will support them learning about giving and acts of kindness.
- Volunteering: Look into local charities or community organisations where you and your child can volunteer your time to helping others at Christmas time.
- Sharing Storybooks: Read storybooks with your child that highlight the value of giving and helping others. Discuss acts of kindness at Christmas time and hear their ideas on how they can help others.
Christmas provides families with opportunities to be together and express love and gratitude for the special time they have together. Giving your time and attention is a simple way to teach children the value of family and the importance of creating memories and spending quality time together. By adding simple acts to your Christmas traditions, you can lay a foundation for your child understanding and appreciating the value of love, kindness and giving.