♫♫ It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!! ♫♫ Christmas is the season of happiness, kindness and cheer, an all-time favourite holiday for everybody, especially children. Jamaicans mark the beginning of the season with the start of the cool ‘crismus breeze’. The children are off from school and buzzing with holiday excitement. Parents on the other hand, may be busy with holiday shopping, decorating and planning activities to keep the children occupied. Tis’ season, the ECC has compiled a list of fun and educational activities to make this a very Merry Christmas!    

DECORATING THE HOUSE 

Decorating the house is a fun and enjoyable activity for everyone. If the budget is tight, consider making homemade Christmas ornaments and decorations. Be sure to include children in the process as decorating is not only fun but educational. Decorating teaches how “to notice similarities and differences in objects and to use language to describe how these things are different” (The Department of Education, 2022). So, during the decorating exercise, encourage children to pay attention to the shapes and colours of the materials that are being used to make the Christmas ornaments.

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CHRISTMAS FAMILY DINNER

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Christmas is a time for family and togetherness as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Since, hospitality and generosity are key aspects of the season, sharing food is the best way to do it.  Parents can consider hosting or attending a family dinner. This will create an opportunity for children to build relationships with friends and extended family. These interactions have been found to have a positive impact on children self-esteem and will help children to develop language and social skills (Nova Scotia Family Law, 2023).

THOUGHTFUL AND CREATIVE GIFT GIVING 

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Gift giving can be stressful and the pressure to give your children the best can be overwhelming. However, it is important to remember that it is the “thought that counts”. Use this opportunity to spend time with the children, wrapping gifts for other family members and friends. This activity will teach children valuable attributes such as kindness, caring and understanding (Graham, 2021).  To make this activity even more fun, parents can get raw materials and assist children with making gifts as this will allow children to tap into their creativity and imagination.  Give the children a gift of great memories that will last forever.

INTRODUCE CHILDREN TO CULTURAL FOLKLORE AND TRADITIONS

Santa Claus is world renowned. However, different cultures have different Christmas traditions. It is important to educate and share these unique Christmas traditions with children. For Jamaicans, this would mean telling children the stories such as ‘Anancy and Sorrel’ and taking them to experience Junkanoo, the Pantomime or Grand Market. These traditions form the foundation of children’s cultural identity which is a critical to their development, as it influences how children think, learn and grow (Child and Youth Wellbeing, 2020).

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MAKING TRADITIONAL JAMAICAN CHRISTMAS DRINKS AND DESSERTS SUCH AS SORREL AND FRUIT CAKE

One of the most anticipated activities at Christmas time is feasting on Christmas Day. This holiday take children into the kitchen so they can help and learn along the way. You can do this by assigning small tasks to children; such as, mixing the batter or decorating the cake. Take for example, this quick and easy fruit cake recipe from Grace Kitchen: https://gracefoods.com/recipe-a-z/recipe/1790-rich-fruit-cake