It’s in no time your little one whose eyes used to light up at the sight of shiny baubles & ornaments of a Christmas tree becomes so big & mature that the astonishing stories of elves & fairies get boring or a myth. Their little minds outgrow the concept of Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas. Does this mean you allow the transition to happen?! It’s important, the evolution of mind but for that do, we need to give up the little things that constitute our being?! Maybe not, maybe there are ways to hold on to them and keep them in our kids’ lives and our lives as well, here are a few simple tricks which can be of help!
Encourage Them to be The Santa
‘With great powers comes great responsibilities!’ said Spiderman once. And while growing up one thing they definitely love taking up are responsibilities. Responsibilities give a sense of growing up. So why don’t we assign them the responsibility of being Santa? Share with them the tales of how you had created the illusion for them when they were little. Bringing smiles to little ones’ faces is a noble responsibility which they would love to take. Be it Christmas decorations or songs, assign them the task of getting it all organized.
Try Imparting the Spiritual Perspective
They would be all grown up now & magic would exist only in Hogwarts for them. But there is one thing they grew up with, your spiritual beliefs. Remind them of the beliefs you inculcated in them. Gratitude is a good place to start & what better time than a time of giving & Christmas?! And here is a little secret, the ‘Jingle Bell poem’, well does it ever get old?! Let them explore & come with their millennial ways of inculcating it!
Nurture the Gift of Anticipation
The surprise element, well it works. Google has killed this gift of anticipation to a good extent but we still can work on it & instill it in our kids as well. The anticipation of what Santa might bring you this Christmas is one thing that keeps us going. Brainstorm on ways where your older kids can implement this in their lives, maybe they can take up the roles of undercover agents and keep an eye on the younger lot & make sure the surprises are intact! And oh those Christmas songs & stories, they can have a secret plan on how to surprise the Little one with these.
The Wishlist Never Gets Old
No matter how adulthood would hit your wishlist is one thing that has a permanent place in your life. Letters to Santa are those little things that have all our dream wishes jotted down. The younger ones may have cotton candies to the unicorn in their Christmas wish list, the older ones may be perplexed. Even the whole letter thing might sound kiddish. Now reinvent the whole letter thing. Ask them to pour out their anxieties on it and send it across to Santa. Even if not, in reality, this virtual exercise can be encouraged for mental well-being. A little trick to make them know their mental health matters!
Say Hello to a New Tradition
One thing about growing up is getting bored with things often. Even your close-knit family might appear a crowd. Figure out ways that will keep the excitement going & the family close. The age-old traditions might get old & boring, form new ones. A family visit to a farmhouse or group baking sessions can help. Make sure you aren’t abandoning the age-old Santa traditions though they don’t believe in them anymore. Try inculcating them into the new age ones by revamping & giving them a whole new approach. Christmas movies‘ nights would be a welcome change with tons of cookies, cakes, popcorn & of course Hot chocolate. Let them take the responsibility of making the watch list & arranging for the edibles. And yes the Christmas riddles, never get old!
Don’t Forget to Celebrate Yourself
Yes, I totally get it, festival times can really be stressful especially when you have to get it all together and back em up with finances. It sure takes a toll. But do remember your kids might not pay heed to what you have to say but they are quite watchful of what you do. So make sure you are giving in active participation and not a passive one. The festive & especially the magic of Christmas is contagious it spreads across in no time.
These hard times when we are neck-deep in figuring out the updated versions of Covid it becomes more important to keep your family closer and what better time than the Christmas season, the magic of Christmas is in the air. All you need to do is open your heart and feel it.
Hope you all have a fun & love-filled Christmas!
