Can You Help Me Make A 4 Yrr Olds Christmas Specail?

pixie1

My SIL and neice are coming to Oz this christmas! Hubs and I are so excited, we wont have seen them in over 18 months by the time they arrive.

The thing is, we dont have children and have no maternal feelings towards children (we love our neice dearly, pls dont read this the wrong way), what Im trying to say is we dont know what to do to make christmas really child friendly! My sil and bil seperated this time last year, so last christmas wasnt a very nice time for them, emotions were still very raw, so i want to make this christmas an amazing one.


Ive just started reading about the xmas eve hampers which ive never heard of before so im def going to do one of these. but i would love some more ideas. they could be the most simple thing that most parents do - i dont know what they are lol

please help me make this lovely girl smile from ear to ear over christmas!

Thanks

Pix

jetty

depending on when they arrive (and age of your niece!), you can do the xmas elf idea, there is a thread you can read through on here. It's basically a toy elf that causes mischief at night like leaving flour elf footprints in the kitchen for your niece to find etc, there are lots of great ideas on the thread.... some people even make out the elf left the xmas eve hamper. Baking on xmas eve together is fun too. I think your niece will enjoy just being with you and seeing everyone happy after a horrible xmas last year so don't feel too pressured to do loads to make it special, sometimes it's just about being together

elysia2003

Ditto what Jetty said!

Our Christmas elf came December the 1st and got up to allsorts of mischief during the night. I even made a Christmassy notebook/diary and pasted photos in of what he got up to everynight. Your neice would be able to look at this and remember her special christmas all through the year and for a very long time afterwards. If you go with it, your elf could come a couple of days after she arrives, gives her a chance to settle in!

How about a trip to a pantomine or a carol concert? It all adds to the magic.

Kinski

When my brats were young we got a hold of a Santa outfit, I went up to their bedroom and told them I had heard a noise and they should look outside, they opened the curtains and there was Santa in the garden. All of my brats shouted that it was dad, just then my oh walked into the room to see what all the noise was about, he was just in time to see Santa walk out of the garden. Santa was played by my brother who had come just to play him for us, my children never knew it was him.

Terri

Cotton_wool_katie

My kids love decorating the tree and putting decorations up - this could be something your niece could do, also they love having an advent calendar maybe you could make one for the days she will be with you!

hth
katie

Giggles_Fairy

Dont forget to leaving mince pies and milk for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph! Which os course will be half eaten/drunk in the morning!

Panto would be a great idea.

Visit to a Santas grotto.

As a child (and even now hahaha) I loved the whole family atmosphere of christmas and all the bright lights, decorations and smiles . Plan lots of family time activites, from board games, to shopping, to baking, to watching dvds, listening to christmas songs, writing the list for Santa and sending it to the north pole (Maybe do her a personalised reply? She may be concerned that Santa wont know she has come to England for Christmas so you will need to let him know of course ), christmas fayres etc etc

And dont forget lots of decorations . They dont have to be expensive ones, why not get your niece to help you make some decorations to add to them as well.


And I LOVE the brother dressed as Santa in the back garden story terri!

monkeysallsayboo

you could put muddy footprints up the stairs. we used to put out a stocking for xmas and then santa would fill it, and put it in a pillow case with loads of other stuff! we werent allowed down until everyone had opened their pillow case. then we would go down and the lights on the tree were lit, fire on, and piles of presents. there was also always a tin of roses or quality street spread/sprinkled over the presents and floor. laster we would get one special presents when we ate xmas lunch. we would forget about this nearly every year!!
also reindeer dust/food - see various threads for this.

poet123

There are the story books which you get get printed which have all your nieces friends names, and her name throughout the book, there is an xmas version, and they are not too expensive.

Ditto a personalised Xmas stocking/ tree bauble to keep as souvneirs of her Oz Xmas would be nice too.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Personalised-Embroidered-Christmas-Santa-Sack-Stocking-/180472753416?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Celebrations_Occasions_ET&hash=item2a0503ad08

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Funky-Personalised-Christmas-Stockings-/130428369399?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Celebrations_Occasions_ET&hash=item1e5e22f9f7

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Personalised-Christmas-Tree-Decoration-Inc-photo-name-/160371039350?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Celebrations_Occasions_ET&var=&hash=item6b1a27715e

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CHILDS-PERSONALIZED-CHRISTMAS-WISH-STORYBOOK-/310248867826?pt=US_Childrens_Books&hash=item483c4607f2

Hope these help.

Greatwombat

What a lovely person you are wanting to make it so special for them.

The Christmas eve hamper I cannot recommend highly enough. My children LOVED the Christmas eve hamper last year and that is what they are looking forward to most this year, above and over getting presents.

As it's so hot there at that time of the year depending on if you have a barbecue or not make it more child friendly with Christmas plates and decs, maybe an ice cream bar (call the ice cream snow lol). I think part of it should be familiar - still Christmas themed, but that she is also able to embrace the way of life there, hence the barbecue suggestion as it is SO hot there at that time of the year!

I love the outside parties this lady does http://glorioustreats.blogspot.com/
it may look expensive but alot of it she makes herself, especially the cake toppers she makes from paper cut out and ribbons.

jackomdj

Depending on when they are coming you could book a trip to the local panto, it is part of our annual traditions. We usually go the weekend before Xmas, but this year we are going on Xmas eve. We do the Xmas eve hampers & love them. I also do nice advent calendars with lots of "bits" in, things like necklaces, bracelets, smellies, mini toys etc...as i pick them up in sales it is not too costly.

Ask your SIL if they have any traditions that they want you to keep...each family does things differently & it could be that missing out on something she does would make her sad.

We do reindeer dust (not with glitter) & also let a couple of sky lanterns go (not the ones with metal in) on Xmas eve.

Xmas eve hampers usually have new PJ's, tootbrush, bath smellies, DVD, art & craft (last year we made Santa stop here signs), cup & hot chocolate, popcorn (for DVD watching). Remember they are not just for children, last year my OH, Mum, Dad & myself all had one.

We have a small stocking in the childrens room with some bits in that they can play with if they wake really early (last year they were sharing a room & at 3am my 5 year old work the whole house shouting "he's been", they opened their stockings & played for a bit before cuddline a new soft toy back to sleep!)

Have fun!

babymoo

As a child I loved anything to do with christmas, it was always so magical and I still love it now. You've had some great suggestions so far. Get hold of a santa stop here sign .. you can find some with space to put names on, so that she doesn't think santa will get lost.

Write santa a letter telling him where she will be this christmas, with a list of what she would like. As you like in OZ christmas will be in the summer, and a world away from the snow n horrid weather we will get here, could you perhaps get hold of some fake snow, even if just for in your living room? Let her help decorate the house. I think when your neice arrives and you start spending time with her, talking about christmas she will give you her own ideas on how christmas will be special for her. Its a very sweet thought though, hope you have a wonderful time.