A Gentler Kind of Christmas: Creating Festive Moments That Support Your Children and Respect Nature

When the festive season arrives it brings a special type of magic. The warmth of bundling up in blankets, the awe of coloured lights and the sense of togetherness all create memories of wonder that are felt deeply. For parents in particular, we want Christmas to be an enjoyable and wondrous time for our children. A time to slow down and enjoy the small moments, the shared laughter and the quiet pockets of play that unfold every day. 

Supporting our children’s happiness throughout this season does not require excess. It asks for intention, calmness and spaces that allow them to feel safe, seen and free to explore.

Choosing Intention Over Excess

Many parents are choosing to step away from the idea that Christmas needs to be filled with a plethora of plastic toys. Gifting new toys to your children can be a magical part of the day but in excess it can leave you with a house cluttered with items they may never play with again and a child overwhelmed by choice. 

Instead, selecting a few thoughtful, naturally made gifts can allow your child to have the excitement of opening presents whilst ensuring what they receive will be loved, used and stand the test of time. 

In addition to this, creating a designated space for your children to play with their new toys when your family gathers at your house, or you visit others, can help your child feel less overstimulated by the abundance of noise and activity. A safe space marked by a cork activity mat can help them to settle amidst the chaos, regulating their emotions as they play individually or bond with relatives. 

A cork activity mat can be vital in creating this space for a variety of reasons. The natural material of the cork, for example, with its cushioning effect, can connect your little ones to nature; grounding them as they play. Our cork playmats are also waterproof and easily cleaned so if your little one would prefer to eat their dinner in their own space you shouldn’t have to worry about cleaning up: soap and water will wipe the mess away. 

Furthermore, our cork activity mat can be used as a calm, shared floor space where grown-ups, children and pets can play, stretch and unwind together as they celebrate. Any gathering can be made better when you give your little one a familiar, safe space to play one on one with each guest: creating lasting memories this festive season. 

Celebrating Giving and Caring for Others

The festive season and the end of the year brings with it a time of reflection. Reflection on how you can move into the new year intentionally and help both your community and your family with the little acts of kindness you decide to make each day. 

By involving your children in charitable activities around the holidays, such as donating their older, unused toys to the community or volunteering at local fundraisers or even spending an afternoon cleaning up your local park or school, you can help them develop their generosity and understanding of how they can help their community. 

Additionally, by donating older toys or clothes that your children have perhaps grown out of or don’t use anymore, you can free up space in your home for any new toys they may receive; ensuring that all the toys they have align with their stage of development, the amount of toys your child has is not overstimulating and that they are easier to store away when not being played with. 

By donating older toys and clothes together you can help your children understand that generosity is part of celebration. It shows them that joy can be shared and that looking after what we have matters.

Respecting Nature Through Everyday Choices

Within the home, even in winter, a respect for nature can be echoed through the materials we choose to surround ourselves with. Wooden toys are not only overall better for the environment but they also offer a tactile connection to nature. Natural fibres such as wool and cotton are soft and insulating: keeping your children warm no matter the weather; and cork, such as that found in our playmats, is renewable, durable and kind to the environment.

By investing in a lower number of higher quality natural toys you can help your children stay grounded to the earth whilst protecting the environment from plastic alternatives and, by creating a play space with a Portuguese cork yoga mat instead of a plastic alternative, you can bring moments of calm and a connection to nature into any play activity. 

A Festive Season the Whole Family Can Enjoy

Celebrating the festive season with thoughtful gifting, natural materials and a dedication to charitable efforts in the community allows the whole family to enjoy the spirit of the holidays and capture the magic this time of year brings. In the end, it is these gentle choices that shape a Christmas children carry with them long after the decorations are packed away.