Letters from Santa Claus and other Christmas traditions
Writing letters to Santa Claus is perhaps one of the oldest and most beloved Christmas traditions. The reason is really simple. This tradition centers on a festive icon; a hero that children adore. And children can enjoy this tradition with or without the participation of their parents. All they need is a pencil and paper to make this tradition come true. But of course, that’s not the ideal setting for this holiday favorite.
Writing letters to Santa Claus is so much more fun when it becomes a family event. And kids love sending Santa letters artistically decorated with glitter, stickers, and beautiful stationery. And luckily, almost as if by magic, it seems that in every household there is at least one adult who has the true address of Santa Claus at the North Pole.
Letters from Santa Claus naturally lead children to expect letters from Santa Claus. And that has resulted in another kind of tradition. Over the years, parents have gone to great lengths to secretly write letters and try to convince their children that these letters had a North Pole postmark and were actually written by Santa. But today they can simply order authentic Santa letters online.
Children not only receive personalized letters from Santa Claus, they also receive a video greeting from Santa. In fact, parents can request packages that include a certificate from Santa’s Nice List or even one from Mrs. Claus’s famous sugar cookies.
Decorating for the holiday season is another favorite holiday tradition. In addition to having a Christmas tree as a focal point, we like to have obvious Christmas signs in our homes. We accomplish this by adding garlands to our stair railings and along our mantels. We also hang mistletoe over the doors and add table decorations whenever we can. We even moved our thirst for outdoor décor and added lawn decorations and lights to our home and yard.
The most basic Christmas tradition is probably that of gifting. We still give gifts to those we care about during the Christmas holidays. But during these tough economic times, donations have changed a bit. Many people are now giving ‘gifts from the heart’ and the recipients are loving it. These gifts are usually handmade items. They can be things that are simple craft projects, or in other cases, they are family heirlooms passed down as holiday gifts. This ‘back to basics’ has given new meaning to the concept of ‘giving from the heart’.
As you celebrate the holidays this year, consider the ways you celebrate them. Do you follow the traditions that generations of the past have or are you setting new trends for your family? Is writing letters to Santa Claus a family event in your house? And what kind of gifts will you give this year?
The traditions that children follow in their homes as they grow up tend to set the path for how the traditions will follow throughout their lives. We can choose to focus on having time together to write letters to Santa, to create Christmas crafts, or simply to find time to bond. These special moments can help strengthen family ties and create treasured memories that will last a lifetime.