Will my 3/4 yo DC remember what we do at Christmas?

[DYIDIY]

Very keen to start our family traditions, prepare an advent calendar for him, bake biscuits together and decorate the house with small little magical objects. Is he too young to remember these details later in life? I will of course do this regardless of that because it's fun and I want him to enjoy the moment but it makes me happy to think he will also remember these things one day.

I have memories of watching Xmas movies with my family, going to be excited on Xmas Eve. I remember the lights and the vintage Xmas statues my granny used to put on her shelves in the living room but not sure what age I was. I'd like my DS to have these types of traditions and objects be part of his childhood memories too one day <3

He is almost 4

No, he probably won’t have long term concrete memories of 3/4 when he’s older. But he will remember how it made him feel. Children can associate feelings of warmth and specialness to experiences even when they can’t remember what happened. But you’ll remember it. And he will enjoy it in the moment, and really it’s about the moment anyway.

No, but the previous post nails it. They won't remember the specifics but they will remember it being a happy time. When they're older they will remember more.

I think children surprise their parents with what sticks in their memory. If you make Christmas special in whatever way you want, he will have warm and exciting memories but the specifics may surprise you as he gets older!

My mum always laughs at me as her utensil holder is older than me and I don't think she'd think twice about it. But I look at it with such fondness as it's been there my whole life and I remember it from when I baked with her growing up. Happy memories.

I was about four years old when I was given a honey monster toy that was bigger than I was. I remember it clear as day. What you can’t do is be certain what will stick. But things will stick.

It's the traditions that are important, doing the same thing year in and year out makes it stick. And they will have a general positive and happy feeling about Christmas. Opposed to those that have terrible Christmases who want to avoid the entire season.

I did the Elf before it became a thing over here. No being naughty and creating a mess. Never any element of surveillance, I hate it when people use Santa as a behioural method and threaten their children - what a way to ruin the magic. Instead of an advent calendar I'd hide a gold coin with a sprinkle of glitter to show he'd been. At the weekend I'd plonk him on the table with whatever we were doing that day,
-Basic ingredients for salt dough decorations

• Ingredients for mince pies
• Ginger bread house kit, or when little made ginger bread and decorated them for each family member with icing pens
• tickets to panto
• Christmas window decorations
• Christmas colouring and sticker books
• compilation of Christmas stories
• I'm a single parent so I'd make a big fuss over a couple of select presents that I wanted and had the elf deliver them with wrapping stuff and shed keep it a secret and proudly present me with it on Christmas morning

The stories and activity books came out every year so had that repetition element.

She's a teen now, isn't fussed by the traditions but looks back on them with comfort I think. The Elf now sits on top of our bookcase at Christmas.

Not necessarily long term, but you can be damned sure they will remember every detail and want it all the same next year, so don't start anything you don't want to carry on 😊 Making your own traditions is brilliant and we love ours. I have maybe one or two real magical Santa Christmasses left and they're just the best. Enjoy!!

I think so. My Ds was 3.5 last Christmas, we made gingerbread biscuits and he iced. He recently saw some for Christmas in a store and asked it we can make then again this Christmas ( he’s now 4.5). So he remembered already

We also have continued our Xmas day traditions the last few years, even as a baby. He probably doesn’t remember yet but soon he will. And he sees pictures of those places and people in past years

I dont think he’s too young at all @DYIDIY 😊 mine is very similar in age and is already asking about things that we did last year and when we’re doing them this year. Funnily enough - it was baking gingerbread biscuits in a very similar situation to what @Caspianberg described with her child 😊

Of course, I have no idea whether these specifics will stick with him later in life but I hope he’ll have lots of fond memories of various seasons and want to create them for his own family too one day.

Forget big fancy elaborate plans, it’s the small stuff that they remember 😊❤️

No but all traditions start somewhere, and he may remember a bit of this year next year.

If it is something that's a one-off, it is unlikely they'll remember it in later life unless it really deeply catches their attention (like the Honey Monster mentioned above), but my experience with my DCs is that they did remember what they had done the previous year at that age. So my DCs would remember that last year (and the year before) had the Panto, stockings, a big meal, the tree etc and would actively ask if it can happen again this year. These things do then become long held memories, as they become family traditions, but the years merge into each other rather than separating out 'Xmas aged 4', 'Xmas aged 5' etc IYKWIM.