How many of parents take a moment to sit down and think about the amount of quality time spent with their children at Christmas?
Caught up in the act of choosing and buying gifts, wading through the crowds, or trawling the web for the perfect toys or latest ‘must-haves’, parents will go to great lengths to ensure there are no disappointments come Christmas morning.
Convinced they must have all of the things their little heart’s desire, many parents equate the depth of their love for them with the quantity of parcels under the tree. They simply cannot help themselves. But is it all really necessary? More to the point, what is it that our children’s hearts truly do desire?
The simple answer is that they need time and connection more than anything you can buy. To be clear, it wouldn’t be practical to suggest doing away with the presents. But what about replacing one or two of them for something far more precious.
To give you some ideas here’s 7 ways to give children the gift of time this festive period and create memories that that will stay with them long after all those presents have been discarded and forgotten about.
1. A walk in the Park
Instead of battling the crowds on Christmas Eve wrap up warm and spend a morning in the park with the kids, collecting different shaped leaves, twigs, pine cones etc. Bring them all home and spend the afternoon painting them and turning them into pretty decorations for the tree or even some festive wreaths.
2. Have a Craft Day and Make Gifts
Don’t all children love crafts? Take some inspiration from sites such as Pinterest, or even a book from the local library, and spend a day together making gifts. Family and friends will find thoughtfully made gifts much more meaningful and special, particularly if they’ve come from the children.
3. Volunteer Your Services
Take some of the focus away from receiving and towards giving instead. Volunteering is a great way to instil these values. Contact some local charities and arrange for you all to spend an hour or two visiting the elderly, for example, or even that elderly neighbour who might just be alone this Christmas.
4. Leave A Sack For Santa
Children really do get a buzz out of giving. Try going through last year’s toys and gifts and explain to your child that not all children receive much at Christmas. Suggest that they pick out toys they no longer play with and fill up a sack for Santa to collect from under the tree – you’ll have to play Santa when they’re not around and take it away to a charity shop. Then leave a note for your child from ’Santa’ thanking them and telling them he knows just the boy or girl that would love each toy.
5. Do Some Good Old Fashioned Baking
There’s nothing like the smell of baking and Christmas spices wafting through the kitchen. From cutting and rolling out pastry for mince pies, to decorating Christmas gingerbread and cakes, a day spent arm deep in flour, licking fingers and bowls along the way, will bring joy to most children. Even better, turn their efforts into gifts and watch the glow of pride as the hand them out.
6. Make a Movie
How about making a video or a scrapbook diary of the festive period together? There are free Apps such Stop Motion, for example, that will allow your child to turn Christmas snaps into great movies.
7. Give Them An I.O.U.
If time really is an issue then try making a little scroll and write ‘I give you ‘x’ amount of my time on a day of your choice to do something together you choose’. Hang it from the tree or pop it inside a cracker and just make sure you stick to it.