Our tips to simplify the Christmas season

The festive season is just around the corner. Meaning we can calm down, get away from the stress of everyday life and enjoy time with the people who are important to us. It’s a contemplative time. At least that’s the theory! In reality, its time pressure, lots of social commitments, perhaps financial worries, high expectations and the endless to-do list that comes with it.

What do our children really wish for?

The Christmas season can be stressful. Above all, we want to give our children a wonderful Christmas time. As a result, we get caught up in a whirlwind of things that need to be done and that are supposed to be especially nice. The higher the expectations, the longer the to-do list, the greater the stress.

But what makes Christmas fun for our children? Is it the perfectly decorated biscuits? The perfect Advent wreath or the harmonious table decorations on the first advent? No. The best thing is the time we spend together. The stress-free times, without pressure, without perfectionism, in which wonderful moments are experienced and memories are created.

Unfortunately, there is no magic formula for creating these moments. But what you should definitely not do is try to fulfil expectations that are too high, meet unrealistic expectations, work through to-do lists that are too long and “get everything done because that’s how it’s always done”.

Pick out the things that are really fun and relaxing for you and your family. Be bold and simplify your Christmas time:

The advent calender:

The advent calendar can come in different shapes. And every shape, no matter how elaborate, will make children’s eyes light up for 24 days

• A lot of effort: Wrap 24 individually collected gifts and present them creatively every year. One idea would be to make a Christmas tree Advent calendar (in German) out of paper bags, but there are many more ideas (in German).
• Effort: Advent calendar to fill. These can be 24 fabric bags that are filled with little things and sweets every year.
• Little effort: Buy an Advent calendar filling that has already been put together.
• Little effort: Buy a ready-made Advent calendar, whether with toys or chocolate. Lego, Peppa Wutz or Pixie books are also an idea. The choice is endless and there is something for every taste.

The advent wreath:

It has to be there in time for the 1st advent. Regardless of whether it hangs from the ceiling, stands on the dining table or on a shelf. Tradition dictates that the first candle is lit on the first day of Advent. If you want, you can invest a lot of time and love in a homemade or specially decorated Advent wreath. But if you prefer, you can buy it with just as much love:

• A lot of effort: making your own Advent wreath. You can make your own special Advent wreath from various materials – whether it’s made from a candlestick or draped on a tray. For the classic Advent wreath, you need a straw wreath, wire and lots of fresh fir greenery. Plus decorations to suit your own taste and plenty of time.
• Effort: Buy a ready-made Advent wreath – from your trusted florist – and decorate it to your own taste.
• Little effort: There are beautiful ready-made Advent wreaths for sale, both in local florists and online.

Baking biscuits:

Baking together with the children can be great. If it brings you joy, then go for it! But it can also turn into extreme stress.

• A lot of effort: baking cookies yourself, regardless of whether you prepare the dough yourself or work with ready-made dough. The dough has to be prepared, cooled, rolled out, cut out and decorated. Many small steps that can always lead to frustration, but also to a lot of fun. Our tip: Spread the work steps over several days.
• Effort: Buy ready-made dough, for example cookie dough rolls or dough for vanilla crescents. The dough is ready prepared, can be stored in the fridge and can be cut, cut out and decorated. Just as the fancy takes you!
• Little effort: buy ready-made cookies and decorate them. Christmas decorative sprinkles can be found in any well-stocked supermarket or online, for example at Super Streusel.

Gingerbread house:

Building a gingerbread house can be great fun for children and adults alike! But it can quickly turn into a lot of work and effort:

• A lot of effort: baking and building a gingerbread house. Make the dough yourself, assemble it and decorate it at the end. You can find detailed instructions on einfachbacken.de
• Effort: Buy a kit, for example from Dr. Oetker, and then “just” make and decorate.
• Little effort: No gingerbread house at all, because gingerbread houses aren’t a must at Christmas time.

Writing Christmas cards:

Especially in times of increasing e-mail communication, people are more and more happy to receive a nice card or letter at Christmas. Is that really necessary? Of course not.

• A lot of effort: Making your own Christmas card with the children. Whether with a hand or footprint, with beads or buttons. There are endless ideas.
• Effort: Design a photo Christmas card with your own pictures and text, order it and send it off. There are many providers with a wide variety of templates, e.g. at Rosemood or dm.
• Little effort: buy a ready-made card and stick in a printed text, send it and you’re done. Alternatively, send Christmas greetings via WhatsApp or email.

The Secret Santa door:

The Secret Santa door is a Scandinavian Advent tradition that has also become increasingly popular in Germany in recent years. The idea behind it is that a gnome visits every day during Advent and leaves a little surprise.

• A lot of effort: making the Secret Santa door yourself. Every day from December 1 to 24, the elf writes letters, plays pranks or leaves small gifts. Effort:
• Buy a set that has already been put together, for example from Wichtelfreund. There are also ready-made Secret Santa letters and other templates to download and print out. The Secret Santa doesn’t have to come every day, 1-2 per week is enough.
• Less effort: Don’t send a Secret Santa at all. It’s a tradition from Scandinavia, which is why we have an Advent calendar.

… and two more ideas for uncomplicated handicrafts:

There are children and parents who do handicrafts all year round and have a lot of fun doing them. And even if you don’t do that much crafting the rest of the year, the Christmas season is the perfect time for it.

• It’s easy to make little nutcrackers from toilet paper rolls. You can find a printable template here.
• Decorate the windows with Christmas motifs: Older children can draw on the windows with chalk pens. Smaller children enjoy decorating the windows with the Woodys. Templates can be bought, printed out and painted. Or simply use them as inspiration and draw freely on the windows. Chalk markers are available from Edding, for example, where you can also print out templates directly.