Unveiling Festive Customs to Little Ones

I have always adored Christmas and its traditions. I prefer to ensure I am prepared well ahead of time so that I can fully relish December. Yet, there’s some validity to the phrase “Christmas is for children” that people usually mention. Before I had my twins, I found that notion absurd. I couldn’t imagine anything enhancing my love for Christmas more than it already was. But the twins will be almost 3 this Christmas, and I am absolutely thrilled to involve them in my cherished Christmas customs.

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Introducing Christmas rituals to toddlers isn’t always straightforward

Before a certain age, they don’t fully grasp the concept, and they might lose interest in activities you want them to be enthusiastic about. But I’m not one to give up so easily!

I engaged the twins in some of my beloved traditions immediately. They were just 10 months old and had no understanding of what Christmas was, but we took them to meet Santa (three times…), gave them a Christmas Eve box, and filled December with as many Christmas markets as possible. But they didn’t really understand and couldn’t actively participate. It was more like I was enjoying the traditions and they were just present in the room.

This year will be different

I’ve been discussing Santa and Christmas with them for months – ensuring they have some understanding of what’s happening. They even talk about Christmas among themselves while playing and ask to see “Christmas things” when we shop. They’ve matured so much in the past year. So, it’s time to genuinely involve them. The secret, I believe, is repetition and keeping things uncomplicated.

We have scheduled to meet Santa 4 times this year

Don’t judge me. I can’t resist. It just sort of happened! I adore grottos and the festive atmosphere. I want the twins to love it too. I want to share that joy with them. It’s no secret that at times, little ones don’t love Santa. Especially Alice, who hasn’t been a fan for the last two years. So, I have been talking up how wonderful Santa is for months. We’ve watched my favorite Santa-themed films and Christmas episodes of their cartoons. We’ve looked at pictures and books, and I think they’re excited about meeting Santa, even if it’s just because they know he’ll give them a gift. By our fourth Santa visit, on Christmas Eve, I hope the twins will adore him!

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That elf…

I realize this might be a divisive opinion, but I really don’t like that creepy little elf. I dislike that he encourages children to perform “naughty” acts, then reports to Santa about their behavior… how does that even make sense? There’s a logic there that’s lost on me. But I understand that not everyone uses him as a little spy to coerce children into “good” behavior, and I do like the idea of infusing some extra magic into Christmas. The whole naughty elf concept still doesn’t sit well with me (my two don’t need an elf giving them ideas about mischief they could get into), so we’re introducing a sweet, adorable pair of elves that encourage children to do kind things daily.

We’ll keep it simple this year – sharing toys, helping each other, giving mommy a hug (my favorite). It will serve as a good introduction to the elves for next year when they can do more.

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Christmas Eve Box

This one is straightforward. There are no rules, so you can put anything you like in there and change it up yearly. The last 2 years, we’ve included new Christmas pajamas, a Christmas book, and DVD, and not much else. At this age, it’s about getting them accustomed to seeing the box and allowing them to explore it – so nothing fragile! I made the mistake of putting snow globes in there last year, which was pointless. I couldn’t let the twins handle them and had to remove them from the box before they could even open it – they were undoubtedly for me, rather than for the twins!

Treats for Santa and Rudolph

[amazon_link asins=’B00P03WK5A,B076PSGSZM,B00GB0YQGC,B076B18Z94′ template=’ATCAmazon-IMG’ store=’allthingsch0e-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’bbe78c8a-cd97-11e8-901a-df3264c5e43a’]This is one Christmas tradition that I’ve always yearned to share with my children, but hadn’t been able to until this year. They just weren’t old enough to understand. But this year, we’ll have a special plate for Santa’s treats, a magic key for the door, and a milk bottle for Santa that I’m creating myself… I can’t wait to see their reactions when they notice Santa has eaten his cookies (I’m not a fan of mince pies…) and finished his milk. They can help me bake the cookies and set everything up for Santa and hang the “magic” key on the door handle so Santa can let himself in.

With all these traditions, the key is not expecting too much from your toddlers.

If you’re enthusiastic, they will sense that and become excited, too. But it’s OK if they don’t fully grasp what’s happening. Take plenty of photos, create lots of memories, and know they’ll understand a bit more next year!

About the Guest Author
Becca is a Christmas-enthusiastic twin mom from Kent, who blogs about parenting and mental health (and more) at beccablogsitout.com.