THE LETTER FOR FATHER CHRISTMAS HOW TO ENJOY THIS MOMENT IN THE FAMILY, MAKING IT A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Nothing can compare to the magical time of Christmas that involves adults and children right from the first few days of December when the shops are transformed into wonderful Christmas villages inhabited by elves, reindeer and mountains of snow. The joy is infectious, making everyone suddenly feel happy and eager to enjoy unforgettable moments with their families. At the beginning of December, as well as preparing the tree and the nativity scene, there is also the long-awaited moment of writing a letter to Father Christmas, an experience that can be used as an opportunity to pass on values to your child from an early age. But the question is, what can they learn through the letter to Father Christmas? There are two answers to this question: the concept of choice and anticipation. 

Choice, because children of today are constantly inundated with multiple stimuli from the TV or digital devices, making them almost lose the real value of owning an object. This is because the moment when presents are unwrapped is often full of frenzy and emotion, two elements that can make children take everything for granted. Anticipation, on the other hand, because often, precisely because of the speed with which children are satisfied, they lose the beauty of wanting something and obtaining it with sacrifice. Often, people don’t even have time to ask for something and it is already packed in front of them.

That is why writing a letter to Father Christmas can be a formative moment, to be spent with the family, to help children understand that receiving a gift must not be taken for granted and that, above all, it does not come in just one form. The first thing to remember as parents, and therefore also to pass on to children, is that a gift does not necessarily have to be a physical object, but it can also be something useful or abstract. It could be an educational toy, something creative, or a book. An outing with the grandparents, a day on the farm with the aunts and uncles or an afternoon painting with mum and dad can also be a gift. What does that teach? That time with the people you love is also a beautiful gift, made even more beautiful by the possibility of sharing it. 

Now it's time to figure out how to write the long-awaited Christmas letter. The first piece of advice? It should be written by hand, so the emotions are truly felt. Young children can play by drawing pictures, sticking stickers or signing with their handprint. It is important to explain to the child that what they are putting in the letter is a wish and not a demand, so there is no guarantee that they will receive what they have asked for in the letter, but it is just a way of expressing what it would be nice to receive. 

A game to introduce in the letter could be to make a list in categories. The child can tell Father Christmas about themself and their wishes and then go and fill in some boxes. Starting with the gifts mentioned in the list, the child can indicate their top three, putting the biggest wish first and the others below. They can then suggest a gift that features something to wear, something to read, something they need as well as an experience to have with someone. This way the child will understand the various meanings a gift can have.

In this way, the letter will become a magical moment in which mum and dad will be involved, helping their child to write, draw and colour, but also guiding them as they learn to realise that the greatest gift they can receive is to spend time with the people they love and who, in turn, love them most. 

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