I have a non believer

[TeaBoxFlower]

Christmas is magical when they believe in the big red guy, but it's been a couple of years since my DD has done and she said the other day that Christmas feels less special now.

We had a think about how to make it feel a bit more exciting/magical/fun, but I'm looking for more suggestions.

I remember feeling this way too and then rediscovered my christmas mojo when DD came along. Seeing the magic through her eyes. So I suggested doing Santa Clause like things for kids who still believe. We don't have any younger kids in our or the extended family, but we have left wrapped presents in the local park on Christmas Eve from 'secret santa' for a few years and DD loves doing that. Any other suggestions of good deeds to give DD the altruistic glow?

Or any other activities around Christmas time now that she's too old to see father Christmas in a garden centre 🤣? Previously we've done (and may do some again) things like
Christmas light hunt, Christingle service, crib service, making decorations like paper snowflakes or paperchains, christmas quizzes, panto, Christmas themed baking, watching christmas films...
New on the list this year is to go see a comedy show

We don't have any younger kids in our or the extended family, but we have left wrapped presents in the local park on Christmas Eve from 'secret santa' for a few years and DD loves doing that. Any other suggestions of good deeds to give DD the altruistic glow?

to be picked up by a child no doubt with parents very capable of buying their own presents

better getting involved in one of the local charity christmas toy drives

If you have a Dunelm store close to you they usually do a christmas tree with gift tags on. You choose a tag and buy a gift for the age range on the tag (it usually has a suggestion of what they would like too) then drop it unwrapped in a gift bag to thr store and they distribute them

It doesn't matter.
We get a present every year from a charity that supports bereaved children. I could afford to buy that present (and indeed I buy a present for another child in our circumstances in return).
It's nice to feel someone cares whatever income level you are at.

Can she be 'Santa' for you. Give her £10 or whatever amount in your budget and ask her to choose and wrap something as a surprise for you?

Do a christmas film night or weekend. Get some nice snacks and watch what christmas films you like

Set up a hot chocolate station

Is there a lights trail close to where you live?

There's lots of ways she can make nice christmassy memories without being a believer. Ask her what made Christmas special to her

sounds lovely

but chances are, and let’s be realistic, it will be picked up by a child being taken to the playground with his parents, and will be opened, played with on walk home and then discarded amongst all toys already at home.

whereas give to local charity drive… and it will go to someone who definitely and genuinely needs it

Look up random acts of Christmas kindness. I made them into an advent calendar with my kids, so we did one each day for the month of December, but you don't necessarily have to go that far, you could just pick a few from the list. On the other hand if you do like the idea, get 24 boxes, or mini stockings, and place one RaCK in each one together with a sweet or mini choc, and away you go!

One of our traditions is the kids are given £30 each and go and choose their own Christmas treats which we then put in the food bank trolley. Cash for kids is a Christmas toy drive which we try and donate to as well!

We do paper chains and snowflakes, decorate the windows with fake snow and Hobbycraft stickers. We’ve done pretend snowball fights with the giant pom-poms, lots of Christmas baking (sometimes we give to neighbours if there is loads!) easy stuff like peppermint bark, trickier things like snow globe biscuits.

My middle child loves cooking so she chooses a course of Xmas dinner and designs that. She also makes the table settings and draws/colours a menu for us.

perhaps a secret Santa? DD’s have been in charge of what to buy each other and ds for a couple of years now, also they contribute ideas for grandparents etc.

Could she have her own tree? To make her own decs for or buy some fun things.

I think the present bit is quite a small part of our Christmas, there’s loads of other elements!

Lovely ideas here.

Do you have any castles/museums/attractions near you doing anything festive over Christmas? I'm up North and found lots of ideas for dgd as an alternative day out to Father Christmas that feel festive for her age. We are doing Beamish at christmas this year, bit of history, nostalgia and being outdoors during winter. Other ideas like outdoor ice skating, her own tree and decorations, a new christmas book to enjoy during December.
As pps have mentioned Dunelm Christmas gift tree already, we've been doing it for a few years now and dgd bought a gift for that last year. Or in December let her choose some bits in the supermarket for a local food bank, most supermarkets have a food bank donation basket (Bits like boxes of biscuits, selection boxes and smellies)
.

Find your local women's refuge and do presents for the kids and women there.

Disneyland Paris Christmas parades, just go for the day and one night, Christmas markets in the evening, little villages sometimes have carol singing nights which is super festive!

I agree with you the majority of the families within walking distance of the park could afford to by the gifts we leave. But our intention with doing this isn't charity. It's creating joy. Joy doesn't need a specific parental income bracket

Our donations to charity are separate from this. Thanks for the judgement

Thanks for the replies! We haven't done a Christmas light trail before, I'll have a look at that, also a Christmas Market (although Disneyland Paris is out of our budget!) I'll also look to see if any of the local touristy places do anything festive. Also want to see if there is anything on at local theatres

I'll add to the list of things we've done in the past in case anyone else wants ideas - we have a tradition to do an advent activity each day and have done lots of things over the years!

Paper snowflakes
Paper chains
Popcorn garlands
Cut up old Xmas cards to make bunting
Xmas themed craft kits
Christmas disco bath (Xmas music and glowsticks in the water and underwater lights)
Going on a walk to collect holly and greenery to decorate with
Xmas singstar
Xmas disco in the sitting room
Xmas film night
Donate to local foodbank
Donate to local toy charity
Donate ££ to charity of DD's choice
Decorating her room
Panto
Ice skating
Crib service
Carol service
Christingle service
Making Xmas cards for family
Making marzipan sweets and rum truffles for family gifts
Baking sausage rolls, mince pies etc
Drying orange slices with cloves in the oven for tree decorations
Making a snowglobe with a jam jar and liquid glucose
Christmas light hunt
Chocolate and sweets for breakfast
Making elf doughnuts from cheerios
Decorating pinecone to make little mice
Makeing gingerbread men or a house
Making mulled apple juice
Potato print brown paper to make wrapping paper

I know we've done a lot there! Looking for new ideas!

Some lovely ideas! Love that your child makes a course for Xmas dinner and makes a menu, that one might be a winner!

I'm going to have to Google snow globe biscuits, they sound impressive!

DD buys for us and grandparents too

I will certainly look up the random acts of kindness... That sounds perfect. Thank you

Agree with the Women's Aid idea. Every six months we go through toys and books and clothes. Also save any Christmas gifts of toiletries. Chuck in san pro and my and DD are off to drop off.
Some big shopping centres have a big tree where you take a star on buy the gift written on the back. You attach the star to the gift and it goes to the person who needs it.
My dad and I were in tears one year because there were no stars left as everyone had taken them. It was a powerful , visual representation of the good in society.

They sound impressive and the picture looked great - it was a Christmas good food recipe. Honestly I’m fairly creative (can draw, paint, create etc!) and they looked like they’d been made by Hagrid

I just felt despondent 😂

How about visiting a place nursing home and taking some small gifts with you, or maybe give some of the ladies there a manicure and paint their nails.

I'm interested to know why you can't still see Santa at the local garden centre? My kids are 12, 14 and 16 and have already booked and paid (themselves) for the yearly last day of school garden centre Santa visit.
The look I got when I suggested that maybe we stop going.

I know most children play games on devices now but I think there is something very Christmassy about board games. Maybe it’s all sitting around a table together playing the same game, and perhaps the old fashionedness fits in with Christmas. Maybe even card games.