Tell Cadbury about the ways your children remind you of the joy in the festive season - £300 voucher to win NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

It's easy to be a bit of a grinch in the run-up to Christmas when you've spent what feels like months shopping, cleaning and preparing for it. The good thing is that kids have a way of reminding us what it's really all about, and Cadbury would like to know about the little ways your children have made you recognise the joy that comes with the Christmas season.

From excited visits to meet Father Christmas, to interesting homemade tree decorations and their boundless energy on the big day itself, Cadbury would like to hear how your kids have made you full of joy at Christmas time.

All those who share the ways their children remind them of the joy in the festive season in a post below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Singing Jingle Bells in October, ordering Christmas dinner in supermarket cafes in November, asking if I've booked Santa's Grotto yet!

Its always nice to see that they are most excited to put the decorations up and deliver other peoples presents, one year we filled the bike trailer with presents, lights and tinsel and they rode round giving the family their presents - still talked about now and eldest is 14!

My kids getting happy to give presents to others

This year has been dreadful and none of us are really looking forward to Christmas. There will still be presents under the tree but all my daughter really wants is for her uncle to get better. When you take away all the trimmings it is a blessing to spend time with our loved ones, it makes you realise how precious time is. This year we will be making presents for the family and having fun, at Gee's request of course and spending time with her Uncle. Her list is minimal this year and she even left her Christmas wish in the wishing tree at Chatsworth, just like she did last year. But this year we are hoping her wish comes true. Happy Christmas everyone.

The joy they take in the simplest things that we as adults often take for granted or as a chore.
Such as Christmas lights or wrapping carefully chosen gifts. I'm noticing it even more this year as my DS is 9 and I'd thought some of that magic might be lost but he's still totally into the magic of Christmas! I'll make the most of it while it lasts!

The belief in the magic gets me. I live how they light up at the sight of Santa and how excited they are.

The way their eyes light up when they realise how close Christmas is. Singing Christmas songs and decorating the tree. My 2 year old getting excited when she sees Christmas trees in the shops. "It's a merry Christmas tree, merry Christmas is after my happy birthday"
That's a big improvement on last year. Last year she thought Christmas was another birthday for her
My 8 year old carefully writing out Christmas cards for his friends and the excitement when he's talking woth them about what he's asked santa for.

Ds1 (6) demanded he buy an object reviled and laughed at on MN at the school Christmas bazaar last Friday - A recycled blue glass bottle glittered to within an inch of its life on top of a badly painted snow scene, then lights stuffed inside. It's in his bedroom now. Cost me a fiver.

It just reminded me that simple stuff like that decoration that someone has taken the time to make is worth more than shop tat because

a)Someone spent money and time making it.
b)They made a bit of money selling it
c)The school made a bit of money from the stall holder
d)That money gets ploughed back into stuff to make DS's life a bit more fun at school
e) He gets to stare lovingly at his hideous blue decoration
f)He gets to know he (I) have made a contribution.

So next time I laugh at the glitter crap on facebook I will remember it brings simple festive joy to someone with no taste like my son and helps the community in a small way.

I quite like the thing actually

Now my daughter is older (pre-teen) we have lots of fun choosing gifts for other people.
We have a really good laugh together singing cheesy Christmas songs in an opera style ( I think you probably have to be there)
We were in town last night and heard some bells jingling from somewhere (possibly a dog collar) we looked at each other at the same time an said 'ELF'!!
When she was little any jingling noise we heard I would warn her it was likely to be elves, lovely to know she kind of remembers that.
I always look back to the wonderment in her eyes when the tree first went up. The excitement of Santa coming too.
Unfortunately she usually 'chooses' Christmas time to get a nasty cold, so has spent many a Christmas day dosed up as high as I dare!

The only excitement on DDs face when she came in yesterday to find tree up, lights on and the nativity set up. She has been massively helpful in rearranging the decorations on the tree since then!

They remind me of the simple things. My son recently said that his favourite Christmas present every year is his new pyjamas. :) They love the traditions and rituals we've put into place as a family, like getting a new board game to play on Christmas Eve, or each sibling drawing a name so they can go shopping for eachother. They are kind and thoughtful, and take pleasure in giving to others. They are a great example.

The excitement at writing and posting a letter to Santa. The joy each day of discovering a hidden chocolate in their advent calendar. The constant counting down to the 'big day. The sheer joy of seeing the tree lit up for the first time.

DS (8) said to me today that he's looking forward to seeing if our elf will come back tomorrow (elf on shelf!). Then he told me how some people in his class say that its not a real elf, its just toys, but he thinks its just because they haven't been nice enough so they have been given fake elves but ours is definitely real!! I thought he might start to doubt it but I'm so glad he still has that magic

Am also loving that every time we come in the house, DS (2) looks in the living room and says with such excitement "Christmas tree!" It makes coming home a bit more special as he is so excited each time!

The nativity plays. All dressed up as sheep's and Angel's practising lines and singing.

We started a few years ago to make a gingerbread house together each Christmas which I very much look forward too (and so do they), without them I feel I wouldn't have a reason to do so, and it always really gets me in the festive mood.

I am not a Christmas person but the DC bring excitement with their Christmas singing, craft (plastic manger carton with baby Jesus and a Christmas tree on string) and love of FC.

Seeing my dds excitement whenever she sees Christmas decorations anywhere! She loves all the lights and sparkles

This is the first year my DS really 'gets it' even seeing him laugh at the Christmas films is filling me with joy.

Their joy over small things i.e. Special hot chocolate, popcorn and Xmas movie, opening their advent calendars and going on torch walks to look at Christmas lights.

By gifting Fairytrade chocolate to ensure that people have respect dignity and a fair wage

Creeping into each other's rooms on Xmas morning to compare, share and admire stockings. Climbing into bed with each other to eat the goodies together.

I love it when they say thank you for presents without being prompted

The pure innocence of joy. My DC aren't particularly materialistic but DD has rather set her heart on a bloomin Hatchimal. She's my youngest of three and I've managed to avoid any of them ever wanting a big ticket item or a high demand one before.

She saw one on an advert back towards the end of the summer hols and it was just so up her street.

I've done the whole it'll get cheaper - oh dear its out of stock, oh dear its really, really out of stock, frantic searching but DD is very calm.

She happily gave me a cuddle the other day and said 'its okay mummy you don't need to look, I've written to Father Christmas and I have been a very good girl, haven't I mummy? so he'll bring me one'

It's that total faith and pure excitement of being 5, knowing what Christmas is about and the anticipation just bursting out as blasts of song, excited giggles, scribbled lists, blasts from the Christmas story.

On the day she'll be so happy to have her brothers, cousins and family around the Hatchimal wont matter. They tend to barely touch presents at Christmas - stocking chocolates have been known to be well consumed though.