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Posts Tagged ‘Christmas Music’

During the holiday season, Santa loves reading mail from little children all over the world, and writing Santa is an excellent way for youngsters to practice their letter writing skills. And it’s fun for parents, too! If you’d like to help your child write a first letter to Santa Claus, here are some pointers about the process.

1. Set the mood . Pick a quiet time when you won’t have to rush your child to finish the letter before dinner, sports practice, or some other commitment. Then put on some Christmas music and have fun! If your child is not yet very good at writing, be sure to emphasize that this is fun, and then make sure it is! Don’t yell or get upset if your child spells a word wrong or makes other mistakes. Just encourage them to do their best.

2. Help your child create a Christmas wish list . Santa doesn’t like to disappoint any of his young admirers , but there are some gifts he simply can’t bring. Before starting the letter, you and your child can make a list of the toys he or she would like Santa to bring for Christmas. Try to gently dissuade your child from putting items on the list that Santa simply won’t be able to fit in his sleigh. You may also want to encourage your child to be considerate of others by asking Santa to bring toys to siblings, friends, or others.

3. Discuss your child’s accomplishments.  It’s easy for kids to tell Santa, “I’ve been good this year,” but help your child think of specific achievements during the year. Did he learn to ride a bike? Or learn to read? Has she been especially nice to her brother or feeding the family dog? How about starting preschool or kindergarten? Help your child think of at least two or three good things accomplished this year. This is not only a great way to help your child’s self esteem, but if you save all your children’s letters to Santa (which you should!) it’s a great way to remember those events years from now.

4. Help your child write the letter. Get some paper and a pencil or crayon. You can use plain paper, buy special colored paper at your local store , or download and print a free letter to Santa template for your child to use as stationery. Then help him or her format the letter. Start with a salutation (such as “Dear Santa”), followed by the body of the letter in which your child lists his or her accomplishments and then politely asks for gifts, and ending with a thank you and a closing valediction such as “Sincerely yours .”

5. Make sure Santa responds. Old St. Nick always tries to answer his mail, but he’s a very busy man during the holidays, so sometimes he needs a little assistance . You can customize and print kids Santa letters or printable Santa letter templates online from sites such as My Kids Santa Letters.com or purchase letters through full-serve companies such as Package from Santa. Either way, your child is sure to be delighted when Santa’s response arrives!

The key to any successful event is proper planning, and that’s even true when you’re planning a Christmas cookie exchange. Try these 5 tips to make sure your exchange is a success.

1. Select a date that works for everyone – You’ll have the best luck if you plan your party for early in December before everyone gets busy with other holiday obligations and shopping. Check with friends and family verbally to see what days and times are best, and then try to pick the one that works for the most people.

2. Send invitations early – After you select a date, send invitations to make it official. Try to give about three to four weeks’ notice since people are busy this time of year.

3. Give clear instructions – In the invitation, give clear details about the kind and quantity of cookies each guest should bring. If you’ve never held a Christmas cookie exchange, a good rule of thumb is to ask each guest to bring one dozen cookies. Also, be sure to let your guest know whether store-bought cookies are ok for anyone who might be too busy to bake or is domestically challenged.

4. Get recipes beforehand – Ask your guests to send their cookie recipe with their RSVP . Then print out all the recipes so each guest can have a copy on the day of the exchange. This will prevent everyone from trying to scribble recipes of their favorite cookies during the event. You can also use the recipes to make labels or place cards for each batch of cookies so guests will know which cookies are which.

5. Get in the Christmas spirit – Make sure you plan your party for a time AFTER you know you’ll be done decorating for the holdays. Then on the day of the event, turn on some Christmas music and serve spiced cider or egg nog to bring out the holiday spirit in everyone!

And a final tip — have fun ! A successful Christmas cookie exchange should be a relaxing event. Turn off your TV, computer or any other distraction, and just enjoy spending time with your family and friends while chewing on some tasty treats.

For more articles about the holidays, visit the Free Santa Letters blog.