There’s no doubt about it, as soon as Halloween was over, many families were already anticipating the fun of the holiday season. Santa Claus has been on the tips of many people’s tongues for a few weeks now because the holidays means there is going to be a ton of amazing Santa things for the whole family to enjoy. Of course, if you’re not sure where to start, you might miss out on some of the best elements of the holidays. These ten ideas will help you embrace Santa Claus and all of the holiday fun to be had surrounding him. So, bundle the kids up and enjoy the magic of the season while they’re still little.
1. Parade
For most kids, the Santa fun begins during a parade. Typically, Santa Claus makes his grand appearance at the end of the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving parade. This tends to kick off the holiday season, which can be pretty exciting for kids to watch. You can watch this parade on most basic cable news channels, but you can also find it on news apps like NBC and CBS. There will also be live streaming of the event on YouTube and other streaming services. Apart from the Macy’s Day Parade, Santa Claus loves to make an appearance in local parades, too. You might take the time out to check out when your local parade will be or where you can find a parade that is close to your own community. This shouldn’t be hard and will help keep the kids busy for a couple of hours.
2. Visit Santa
The chances are high that Santa has already made an appearance in your local mall. So, visiting Santa might be another great way to kick off all of the holiday fun. If you’re headed to the mall to visit Santa then prepare for a bit of a line. Kids can sit on Santa’s lap and tell him their Christmas wish, but getting a photo of the moment will cost you a bundle. There should be other locations that promote a Santa visit too. For instance, just about every holiday festival or activity will have a Santa to visit. Many of these options will charge you to take a photo with Santa, but you might also find that some will gladly allow you to take your own Santa photo. This can actually be more relaxing for the kids too, which makes it a win-win for everyone.
3. Write Letters
One of the most common activities for kids to enjoy during the holiday season is to write letters to Santa Claus. Kids having been doing this for generations, which makes it a tradition most parents love to take part in. You might take the time to sit down with your child and think over what they would like to say to Santa Claus. If the child is older, you might even have them sit down and honestly reflect on the things that they did throughout the year, instead of just allowing them to say they were good or bad. This is a great time to prep them for making resolutions for the New Year. Your Santa letters can even be addressed and shipped out to the North Pole, with an official address given by the post office. If you’re feeling generous this year, then you can even opt to adopt one of the letters the Post Office receives. These letters tend to be from children that are asking for basic necessities or assistance in other ways.
4. Santa Hotline
With the anticipation of Christmas on the rise, sometimes visiting with Santa and writing him a letter isn’t really enough for some kids. Luckily, there is a hotline that you can call to get your child a personalized phone call from Santa. This can be one of the most exciting things for a kid, especially when they hear Santa speak their name. The Santa Hotline is very easy to use too, so parents won’t have to put in a lot of effort in order to plan this out for their child. It can also be a great motivator for kids that are still being a bit naughty and need the extra boost to get back on track.
5. Community Events
Community events are probably one of the best ways to have a lot of fun with the family during the holiday. The events depend on your area, but most places will at least do a little something to make the kids happy during the holidays. One of the more common items to see is breakfast or cookies with Santa. This allows kids to enjoy a treat while getting to hang out with Santa Claus. Generally, you will also find storytimes, craft sessions, and similar activities to help engage all of the kids. Some areas will have complete festivals with games, rides, food, as well as, a meet and greet with Father Christmas. There are also numerous tree lighting and Christmas light events that feature the man in red. So, make sure to check out what’s going on in your area, as you’re certain to enjoy some holiday cheer from these activities.
6. Santa Radar
If the kids are getting super excited about the big day, you might want to pull up the Santa radar. This amazing website gives updates about Santa and his whereabouts, so kids can know when they need to hit the sack for the night. The Santa radar also offers tidbits about what is going on at the workshop, which can help your kids feel even more excited about Christmas. The Santa radar is a free website as well, which makes it even more fun for the whole family. With this amazing radar on your side, your certain to have your kids in bed well before the estimated arrival of Santa, thanks to the announcer’s helpful suggestions.
7. Bake Cookies
It might not be time for Santa if you don’t have the cookies to welcome him into the home. Baking cookies for St. Nick is definitely a holiday tradition that many families have passed down from generation to generation. Baking cookies can be a great way of keeping kids busy as they anticipate the big night. The kind of cookies you make are totally up to your family, too. In fact, you can have a bake-a-thon and make a variety of cookies, if you want. These make easy gifts for loved ones on the holidays too. Of course, two of the more popular options are sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies. This is largely because the cookies are easy to decorate, which makes them even more fun for kids to enjoy.
8. Santa Crafts
Bringing more Santa fun to the holidays is easily accomplished when you try out some Santa crafts. There are so many fun options that you can make, which will allow you to easily keep the kids busy throughout the holiday season. Holiday ornaments featuring Santa are especially fun and can be used year after year. You might start by using a salt dough to create handprints and then transform them into a cute Santa that everyone will love. You can also make Santas out of recyclables, like toilet rolls or unused paper plates. If you don’t want to get too in-depth then there are lots of Santa print outs online that will allow your kids to show off their creativity.
9. Elf on a Shelf
If you want to add to the magic of your home, while having some fun with the kids, then an elf on the shelf might be a good option. This toy typically comes with a book so kids can learn all about the elf that has been assigned to keep an eye on their behavior and report in to Santa. Elf on the shelf toys can be purchased in both genders and can be improved with custom clothing and fun pets. Of course, the best thing about the elf on the shelf is parents get to move it around in fun ways to help make the magic come to life for the children of the home. All in all, you will find that there are lots of fun ideas for your elves too, if you are having problems figuring out how you would like to display the elves on a daily basis.
10. Holiday Shows
When it comes to activities at home that won’t cost you anything, you’ll love all of the holiday shows the family can engage in. Almost every streaming service is going to have an abundance of great options, and cable will have numerous channels dedicated to offering some holiday favorites. Of course, you can also bring out your own collection. If you have a lot of holiday movies, then wrap them up and have the kids unwrap one every day in December. It will help prevent fighting over what to watch while adding some holiday magic to each day. Its also a great bonding experience for the whole family.
Allowing your kids to embrace the Santa experience can be one of the best things about the holidays. These ten ideas will help your kids get even more out of their love of Santa, which will definitely make the holiday even more magical. So, get ready to make memories with your kiddos as you engage in the holiday fun together.
