Santa’s Little Helpers: Ways for Children to Help with Christmas at Home
Evergreen-scented bows and countless festive events adorn the holiday season with cheer and warmth. What better time to gather with family and friends than Christmas to show appreciation through gifting, feeding happy bellies with a feast, and saying goodbye to another year past with loved ones.
Of course, the children have their sights on greater things like piles of presents and debunking how Santa makes it down the chimney at night, but they also love making homemade presents, setting out carrots for the reindeer, and snuggling up to a cozy bedtime story about the Night Before Christmas with mom or dad.
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It’s a magical time for all, but the magic doesn’t just happen. Sometimes as parents, we need to fuel the magic, keep the fire burning, and usher in a whole slew of responsibilities to make it all happen. If only we had our own little elves to help us. Oh, but wait…we do!
Here’s how your children can help you with the holiday-making this year!
Decorating for the Holiday
In my house, we start early. In fact, every year it seems to get earlier and earlier. It used to be that we bought the tree from the lot on Thanksgiving weekend, but since trees got so expensive and the fake ones got so grandiose, I find myself decorating the weekend before Thanksgiving now. Call it what you will, but I call it Christmas spirit!
But with all the stuff that comes along with Christmas, I really need help. We’ve got boxes and boxes of decor! Here’s how the kids can help:
- Unravel strings of lights
- Have helpers hold the lights while you hang them in the yard
- Place the Christmas star or angel on top of the tree
- Add ornaments to the tree
- Make paper chains to decorate the mantle
- Make Christmas crafts that double as gifts like painted ornaments or bead craft ornaments
Christmas Season Chores
Water the Tree
Let your little one be in charge of watering the Christmas tree, if you have a real tree. Explain the importance of keeping it watered and discuss fire hazards when it comes to real trees in the house.
Vacuum the Needles
Give them the job of vacuuming up the falling needles every day. A handheld dirt devil is perfect for this chore and easy for even the littlest elves to help out with.
Help Make Fireplace Fires
Help in making the fireplace fires (or outdoor fires) by gathering kindlings and sticks from the yard. I often have a hard time carrying in all the firewood by myself, so I make an outing of it with my daughter and we will first gather sticks in the yard together.
After they are assembled in the fireplace, we’ll go back out and pick the best logs from the pile. She’ll help me crumple up balls of newspaper and get a pile of logs going for refueling later.
Turn On/Off Holiday Lights
In all likelihood, your indoor and outdoor holiday lights will be on timers for the season, but we often save a few for turning on manually. Give these responsibilities to your little ones so they feel in charge of something all season long.
Our Editor has artificial trees in her home and uses a foot pedal switch to turn on the trees. It’s easy for her six-year-old son to push anytime they are ready to illuminate their living room.
Christmas Day Jobs for the Little Elves
Official Gift Passer-Outer
Your little helper will want to be first to open gifts, but temper their excitement by first having them pass out a few presents to each family member. Once the first round of gifts has been handed out and opened, have them fetch some more gifts from under the tree.
Gift Wrap Cleanup Committee
After gift giving is done, before they can start playing with their new stuff, have them be in charge of gift wrap cleanup. We often reuse bags and tissue paper, so we’ll have three piles – one for gift wrap (straight into a black garbage bag headed to the recycling bin), one for tissue paper (to be carefully folded later), and one for bags (to go back into storage after Christmas).
Whatever task is most fun for them is fine, whether it’s sorting, folding, or trashing.
Sous Chef
Have them participate in meal prep! From stirring to frosting, keep little hands busy in the kitchen with odd jobs. My girl loves to be part of any task that involves measuring out milk, oil, water, etc, and then pouring it into the pan. It fosters good math skills and is fun, too!
Craft Coordinator
During some downtime, help your child make place card wreaths or napkin holders and set one at every place setting at the Christmas dinner table. You can purchase plastic pine needle pipe cleaners at Hobby Lobby that are perfect for this simple craft.
Entertainment Director
Keep the family entertained while the hosts are in the kitchen by reading a book, doing a puzzle together, building a toy from Christmas morning, or making a gingerbread house together!
Film Director
I like to spend a couple of hours on Christmas morning after the chaos of breakfast and presents to relax a bit while the adults are cooking in the kitchen (I’m still the kid sometimes too!) and I watch the Polar Express. It’s kind of an annual thing in my world, so I’ve been sharing it with my daughter for the last couple of years too.
Have a fireplace burning and crackling, finish your morning coffee, and enjoy a couple of hours of downtime with your little elf. It’s important to take a moment to relax and enjoy the day in its simplest moments.
Caroling MC
For the musically inclined, have your child round up the singers for some sing-along fun. Karaoke machines are great for this, and everyone knows how to sing Christmas carols. I found a small children’s karaoke set at Macy’s Backstage for less than $10 that works perfectly for this, with a simple speaker output and included microphone. Get as wild as you want by adding instruments or even taking it down the block to your neighbor’s house!
The Elf’s Most Important Job
Whether it’s mama elf, papa elf, or the little ones, the Elf’s Most Important Job of all is to have fun and enjoy time with loved ones. Keep them busy with some of these activities, but remember the magic of Christmas is within each other.
Don’t worry about piles of new clothes and toys, the family roast catching on fire (yeah, this happens at my house), whether you got the gift you asked for, or if the weather is too crummy to eat outside after all.
It’s not about gifting or what you eat, it’s about the people you spend it with. Hug your little elves and have a Happy Holiday, Orlando.
