This blog post was originally published on JoJo Maman Bebe on 1 Dec. 2023.
All across the world, children get excited for 25 December. There’s so much to look forward to unwrapping presents, eating lots of roast turkey and all the trimmings, wearing paper crowns, and playing with all their new games and toys. With lots to pack in a day, it’s a relief that Christmas activities for kids aren’t limited to 1 day a year. Instead, families can spend weeks getting ready for the big day and treasure every moment.
Here at JoJo, we love 1 December. It’s finally time to feel the Christmas spirit at home —
children (and big kids too!) can open the first door of their advent calendars. There are plenty of fun home-based activities to keep little ones entertained all month long. Here’s how we’re spending December with our families, so count down to Christmas with JoJo Maman Bebé.
Write a Letter to Father Christmas
Father Christmas delivers millions of presents to every child on Christmas Eve. So keeping a list of what everyone would like under the tree on Christmas morning is pretty tricky.
Make sure Father Christmas (ahem) knows what your children want by asking them to write a letter to post to the North Pole. Gone are the days of cutting up the catalogue book and sticking pictures to create a collage. Instead, use our 8-pack of Chunky Wooden Colouring Pencils to draw sparkling Christmas scenes and teach children about letters, numbers, and words. After writing a Christmas list, choose to post the letter to Father Christmas, or leave the letter with Leffy the Jellycat Elf to make sure it gets to the North Pole.
Decorate The Tree
Transforming the house from its normal look into a winter wonderland is a surefire way to get into the Christmas spirit. Here at JoJo, we wish we could keep our tree up all year round, so when it’s time to unpack all the Christmas decorations and make our houses sparkle, we revel in it.
Get the kids involved in a Christmas tradition by sharing tree decorating responsibilities. If you’ve got 2 or more children, why not give little ones their section of the tree and see how different they make their branches? Give your tree a JoJo touch with our gorgeous ornaments, designed to last a lifetime.
Want to get extra creative? Use our baking set to make gingerbread decorations in the shapes of family, friends, and popular characters. Let the smells of pine trees and warm spices linger around the house and make every day feel a little bit more festive.
Have a Family Games Night
It’s beginning to look a lot like…game night! As children burst with excitement about Christmas, focus their little minds on something creative with a fun-filled Christmas game night. Spread the cheer with Elf Lotto and Christmas puzzles, and see how fast the child can build the seasonal toys and create their imaginary worlds. End the evening by reading a jolly bedtime story (and maybe put extra chocolate in the advent calendar as a reward…)
Wear Matching Christmas Pyjamas
You’ve decorated the tree. You’ve started to buy gifts. Next step — time to get that all-important Christmas family photo in front of the tree. Ensure a one-of-a-kind photo that the whole family will love by coordinating the ‘fits and wearing matching Christmas pyjamas. We’ve got matching sets for parents and children in traditional tartan and jolly illustrated prints. Made from super soft cotton, nobody will judge you for cosying up in our holiday pyjamas all season. Why not bulk-buy for everyone in your family so you can all wear the same outfit and feel together, wherever you are. Continue the coordinating theme with a family set of matching Christmas jumpers. We’ve got fun and colourful prints and traditional designs for parents, children, and even pets. Check out our Christmas jumpers!
Create a Christmas Eve Box
It feels like you have months to prepare for the big day. Then suddenly, it’s December 24, and Christmas Day is nearly here! We know it can be difficult to relax all the time, especially if you’ve got lots to plan. Treasure all the special trinkets by creating a festive Christmas Eve box to keep everything safe. Store timeless memories in these boxes: school nativity pictures, Christmas cards, paintings, homemade tree decorations, and more. Start a Christmas Eve box from Baby’s First Christmas, and add to it every year until they’re 18 years old for a one-of-a-kind gift to last a lifetime. Open it up once a year for a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
Christmas Eve gifts are becoming more popular too. The Orchard Toys Christmas Eve Box is filled with bumper activities and puzzles to keep little ones occupied — perfect if you need to do any last-minute wrapping. Or, if you want to build your own, then build a Christmas Eve Box and put affordable gifts inside like rattles, comforters, and clothes.
If you don’t want to use a box, why not use a JoJo stocking or sack? With gorgeous patterns and prints as well as roomy interiors, you’ll be able to store a childhood’s worth of Christmasses in them. Plus, you can personalise a Christmas stocking with their name to add an extra-special touch.
PS… While the children are asleep, you can sort out the Christmas presents. Our Five Gift Rule blog post makes shopping easier than saying “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
Sophie Thomas 