How to Transmit the Spirit of Christmas to Children
It’s very difficult not to get excited about this magical time of year. However, many children aren’t able to get into the spirit of Christmas. In fact, many of them only wait for Santa Claus to arrive in order to get a new cell phone or whatever toys they’ve set their eyes on.
When this time of year approaches, many children fantasize about a sleigh full of gifts. But the magic of Christmas is about much more than satisfying your children’s desires.
It’s a time when sensitivity and empathy towards others reign, and when humility and sharing with others emerge. That’s what Christmas is really about! With that in mind, here are some tips to transmit the true spirit of Christmas to your children. And, at the same time, leave aside that more frivolous and consumerist side of the celebration.
With Christmas just around the corner, people’s spirits begin to change. It’s in this time of year when families pass down their values from generation to generation.
Importance of transmitting the spirit of Christmas to children
Originally, Christmas had a more traditional or religious overtone. While that’s still true for many families, it’s also gradually become a celebration for children to learn important values, regardless of their dominant family belief.
It’s important that these values that families teach children during the Christmas holidays continue throughout their upbringing. These values need to accompany them throughout their lives so we can all build a cohesive society where respect for ourselves and others is paramount.
Transmitting to your children the spirit of Christmas goes beyond the Christmas tree or Santa Claus. Here, we’re talking about teaching values and feelings, explaining to your children that Christmas is much more than gifts and consumerism.
It’s very important to emphasize that it’s a period of kindness, of giving yourselves to the people you love, of generosity, of spending time with family… It’s a time for solidarity and reflecting on our behaviors.
Christmas is a great time to talk to your children about behavioral values. These are essential for their future, since being respectful of others will allow them to be kind adults and get along better with others. In this way, they’ll feel more satisfied with themselves.
How to transmit Christmas values to children?
You have to keep in mind that you can’t force your children to feel excited about Christmas. What you can do is carry out a series of actions at home that will allow them to discover how wonderful the Christmas period can be.
Responsible consumption
In this particular season, gifts are currency. However, it’s advisable that you work together with your children on responsible consumption. This can translate into gathering toys that they no longer play with to give them to needy children, for example. It’s very important for little ones to find a balance between their desires and what they really need. They have to be able to establish priorities.
Empathy and sensitivity
You have to teach your children to think about the fact that there are other children who don’t have the possibility of having toys, clothes, or even a plate of food. They need to learn to empathize with other realities and collaborate by making a donation of toys or with another type of help.
Love and union
Apart from having a religious justification, Christmas has become a celebration among family and friends that stimulates the desire to share and be united. You must make your children aware that Christmas is about reuniting with loved ones and that it isn’t just an event that is limited to receiving gifts.
The best thing you can do this holiday season is to enjoy quality time with your family and to promote the spirit of Christmas. It’s the perfect time for children to strengthen their self identity, esteem and worth. It’s also a great opportunity for you to show your children how important they are to you.
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- De Lanuza, Juan. Educar en un consumo responsable. Sugerencias para el consumo en Navidad. Fapar; Zaragoza; España; 8 págs. https://www.fapar.org/documentos/consumo_responsable.pdf
- González, M. C. P. (2011). Cómo trabajar la Navidad en la educación infantil. Pedagogía Magna, (10), 39-45. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/3628263.pdf