What does Christmas mean for children?
For children, Christmas is one of the most exciting times of the year, if not the most exciting! It is the time when the family is at the center and in which, with many customs and rituals, one can experience the magic of Christmas. Children love the many beautiful things that Advent brings. They want to bake cookies with you, decorate the house, the Christmas tree and, of course, look forward to many great gifts on Christmas Eve. At the same time, they want to spend as much time as possible with mom and dad and feel safe, because Christmas time is family time!
Enjoying Advent with children
Not only children look forward to Christmas: even in the Christian understanding, Advent (Latin adventus for 'arrival') is all about preparing for the arrival of Jesus Christ on earth. Advent is primarily a time of waiting – and who waits more eagerly for Christmas Eve than children? Let's make the waiting for Christmas special by consciously enjoying Advent, the festive atmosphere and the many small and large Christmas customs with the family consciously.
How is Christmas celebrated in other countries?
Christmas is celebrated by Christians all over the world , and yet every country has its own Christmas customs and traditions:Did you know that in Iceland no fewer than 13 mischievous Yule Lads bring the presents after they have been making mischief in people's homes for almost two weeks?
Or do your children know why the Swedes place a bowl of porridge on the windowsill on Christmas Eve and in which country a Christmas witch brings the gifts? Use Advent to learn about international Christmas customs!
Enjoy the anticipation of Christmas with children
Christmas fans of all ages look forward every year with great excitement to the special highlights of the Christmas season – which vary from family to family. Family rituals at Christmas are simply part of it and increase the children's anticipation of the celebration. In some families, making Christmas crafts together is extremely popular; in others, a contemplative Christmas time includes baking Christmas cookies or a shared movie night with Christmas classics. Here you'll find inspiration for each of these lovely Christmas highlights!
Christmas crafts with children
Wintertime is craft time!Cozy up together and craftis especially fun during the dark season. When it's cold outside and a hot cup of tea is on the table inside, young and old canreally look forward to Christmas while cutting, gluing and creating.
Atmospheric Christmas decoration
When you and your childrenslowly get into the Christmas spirit, of course the festive decorations in the home shouldn't be missing. In addition to store-bought Christmas decorations, homemade decorations also look great in your home – and are in most cases very easy to make! Whether festive garlands, colorful felt ornaments, imaginative window pictures or winter candle holders – the craft ideas cover the whole Advent season!
Craft beautiful Christmas stars
Craft beautiful Christmas stars
As one of the most important Christmas symbols, the star is found everywhere around Christmas: on the top of the Christmas tree, above the stable roof of the nativity scene, on tablecloths, wrapping paper and as a chocolate star in the Advent calendar. And of course as a craft motif – from star-shaped tealight holders to a star ornament for the window, you can create stars from a wide variety of craft materials.
Make your own Christmas cards
Christmas cards are traditional and in many families the Christmas mail is lovingly laid out or hung up to enjoy the many colorful cards with Christmas motifs to enjoy.
Homemade Christmas cards are especially personal – and there are many ideas you can implement with your children. A few pre-cut folding cards made of cardstock and some craft materials are enough to get creative.
Make your own Advent calendar
The Advent calendar is one of the most exciting Christmas traditions in every household. With each little door, Christmas Eve draws nearer and the anticipation grows.
An absolute classic is the Advent calendar with chocolate. If you want a real one-of-a-kind, craft the calendar yourself and choose the filling entirely according to the children's tastes: whether small gifts, vouchers or sweets – you decide what goes in!
You have no time to craft? Here you'll find Advent calendars that will make your kids very happy:
Get and decorate a Christmas tree
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree – like many other customs, the Christmas tree as part of the celebration. Bring your children along to pick out the most beautiful tree – then the little ones will be all the more pleased when thedecorated tree then stands in your home. It gets even more exciting if you cut down the tree yourselves and your child is allowed to be there.
Traditionally, the Christmas tree is only decorated on Christmas Eve and remains until the Feast of the Three Kings (January 6). Ideally, you should get the tree a few days earlier and set it up at home so the branches can unfold.
Decorating together with the family is the most fun – there are no limits to what you can do.Let your child help and be creative. Ideally, let your child decorate the lower part of the tree, i.e. everything that is within easy reach. The upper part can be decorated by you adults. But let your children show you here too which ornament belongs where.
Tip: Explain to your children (depending on age) that they should not play with the Christmas tree, so that your beautiful store-bought or homemade Christmas decorations don't get broken and they don't hurt themselves. With all the colorful, dangling decorations this can be tempting, so it's best to clarify this straight after decorating to avoid any nasty surprises.
Tips for Christmas gifts
Gifts are a must at Christmas and surely your little ones are already very curious about what they will find under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. As parents, give some thought in good time to suitable gifts, so that you don't get stressed shortly before Christmas and can look forward to the celebration with the whole family in a relaxed way.
Don't forget: write a wish list
The wish list has its firm place in the pre-Christmas season. For children, because it's important to them, to communicate their Christmas wishes to Santa Claus or the Christ Child. And for you parents it's practical because it is the shopping list for your Christmas shopping is. Whether the wish list is hung up at home or sent by post to one of the Christmas post offices, what matters is that it is written with lots of love and lovingly designed.
Handmade Christmas gifts
Giving homemade gifts is almost as nice as being given gifts. Children know this and are enthusiastic when it comes to painting and crafting for family and friends. Besides the classic homemade Christmas gifts such as homemade Christmas decorations and colorfully decorated picture frames with a child's photo there are many other gift ideas that even the little ones can craft.
How many gifts should you give children?
There are no fixed number of gifts and also no right or wrong. How many gifts you give your child is best decided based on intuition and previous experience. Too many gifts can overwhelm especially small children quickly, because they don't know exactly what to play with first. The more gifts you give, the less important each individual gift becomes. So consider whether you'd rather give many small pleasures or fulfill your child's big heartfelt wish. If you decide on fewer gifts, sweets and nuts as extras are always well received by the little ones.
Avoid sibling quarrels during gift opening
When everyone has unwrapped their gifts, among siblings the feeling can arise that their brother or sister got the better gift. The actual material value of the gift is usually not significant for children and, depending on age, not comprehensible either – but precisely that makes it so difficult for parents to to gift siblings 'fairly'.
Rather, it depends on what the little ones wish for. Either both have a heartfelt wish fulfilled or none. If both receive a long-awaited gift, everyone is usually satisfied and it doesn't matter how much the gifts cost.
Recipes for cooking and baking with children
The Christmas season is full of delicious scents and aromas. Gingerbread and fir greenery, candles and holiday roast make the celebration what it is: a feast for the senses. Children enjoy the Christmas season even more when they are allowed to help with baking, cooking and crafting.
Delicious Christmas recipes for children
Of course, cookies and gingerbread are not the only treats that Christmas has to offer. From delicious homemade sweets and fragrant baked apples to the warming Christmas punch for the cold days, is the Advent season full of wonderful aromas that only exist at this time of year. A wonderful opportunity to try out delicious Christmas recipes together. The little ones can help out and in the end it tastes great!
Christmas baking – twice as nice with children
The baking together is the most wonderful thing for many children during the whole pre-Christmas season. Although it's usually a bit chaotic and tidying up takes a little longer than usual, for that reason you'll knead, taste, cut out and decorate to your heart's content. Of course we also have the right tips for you here, how Christmas baking can run stress-free for everyone involved and what to watch out for.
The most beautiful Christmas movie classics for children
In the weeks before Christmas it gets colder outside and really cozy inside – especially when you've planned a relaxed movie night with special Christmas classics! How about, for example, one of the following family films to get into the contemplative Christmas spirit?
Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella
The Grinch
Kevin – Home Alone
Frozen
The Polar Express
Elliot, the Littlest Reindeer
3 tips for a relaxed Christmas
Christmas can be wonderful – and sometimes quite stressful. To prevent that from happening, we have 3 tips for a relaxed Christmas ready for you:
Plan together: Discuss together with the kids how a wonderful Christmas celebration for everyone could look – great ideas will come together and everyone can contribute their wishes.
Assign tasks clearly: The success of your Christmas celebration doesn't have to depend on one person. If everyone has a task, for example decorating, the Christmas meal, or tidying up, things will be easier and get done faster; it helps prevent some Christmas chaos and no one will be left alone with a mountain of work.
Schedule family and alone time: It's nice to spend a lot of time together during the holidays. You can set fixed times for this, which also increases the anticipation for this period. But moments alone – for adults as well as for children – are also important to recharge their batteries during the holidays. Take such times into account when you plan family meals, activities & co.
How to arrange the gift-giving with children?
After the shared Christmas meal it's time to bridge the time until the gift-giving. A short winter walk is a good idea. One parent should preferably stay at home to prepare the gift-giving and put the presents under the Christmas tree. If it snows, you can even go sledding or build a snowman on the way before heading back home.
For the children the excitement is now hardly bearable and the joy is enormous when the presents are under the tree. A little bell announces the gift-giving — and then unwrapping can begin. Often the little ones are hard to stop. But let your child calmly unwrap one present after another and take plenty of time so that no present goes missing. Then the new toy can be tried out in peace and you can fully enjoy the time together as a family. Read Christmas stories together and enjoy the shared family time under the Christmas tree.
Frequently Asked Questions about Christmas with Children
At what age do children understand the background of Christmas?
How long have children believed in Santa Claus and the Christ Child?
Why are there presents at Christmas?
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Image credits
Child in front of an Advent calendar © ninelutsk - stock.adobe.com
Children holding candles © Halfpoint - stock.adobe.com
Two toddlers painting Christmas cards @ sweetlaniko - stock.adobe.com
Child decorating the Christmas tree © Halfpoint - stock.adobe.com
Mom and child nibble cookie dough © Halfpoint - stock.adobe.com
Child holding a gift © Irina Schmidt - stock.adobe.com