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until Christmas!
How to help your kids get to sleep before Christmas
We all remember what it’s like being a kid on Christmas Eve – full of excitement, butterflies in the stomach, wondering what presents are enticingly wrapped under the tree.
This is a great feeling, but one that does little to help sleep! Here are some tips for helping your kids sleep easier not just on Christmas Eve, but all year round.
365 days
Santa returns!
Santa’s full of mince pies & brandy and his reindeer have had enough carrots to last the year as they travel back to their home in the North Pole after a busy night delivering presents to children around the world.
Fun fact!
Santa and his reindeer are super-human fast at delivering presents. Clever science boffs have worked-out that Santa visits 822 homes a second – make sure you don’t blink or you’ll miss him!
200 days
Santa's holiday
Even Santa likes a holiday, so he and Mrs Claus have packed their suitcases and are having a little summer break before the big Christmas preparations begin!
Fun fact!
The largest ever Christmas tree measured a massive 221 ft high – that’s probably taller than your house!
100 days
Meet the Elves
Santa and Mrs Claus are back and tanned after their break in the sun – it’s now time to start the real work as the Elves begin making gazillions of gifts in their huge workshop to deliver to kids across the globe on Christmas Eve.
Fun fact!
Most people love tucking into turkey on Christmas Day, but this has not always been the tradition. In the UK, folk used to sit-down to pig’s head and mustard to get the festivities started!
25 days
Santa gets packing
Not long to go – we hope you’ve got your advent calendar open. There are lot of kids to deliver to on Christmas Eve, so Santa and his Elves have already started packing their bags to get ready for the big day.
Fun fact!
Santa Claus has many different names depending on where you’re from. In Brazil he’s known as Papai Noel, in France he’s called Pere Noel and in Turkey they call him Noel Baba!
10 days
And we're off!
Santa and his reindeer – Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Rudolph and Blitzen – have set off from their home in the North Pole. Keep your peeps peeled as you might be lucky enough to Santa’s sleigh flying across the sky soon.
Fun fact!
Who doesn’t love Christmas dinner? Especially the Italians, who have more than 7 courses when they tuck in on the big day! Sounds like a good plan to us...
1 day
The big day!
Get your lists ready, the mince pies in the oven and the chimneys cleared - Santa and his reindeer are on their way with bags-full of presents! Have a great Christmas everyone!
Oh and don’t forget a carrot for Santa’s hard-working reindeer too!
Fun fact!
Mince pies used to be made with actual meat back in the Victorian days. Thankfully today we use fruit and spices instead. We know which we’d prefer...
Read a bedtime story
Reading is great for inducing deep, healthy sleep. It’s also a welcome distraction for kid’s who are excited on Christmas Eve.
Reading a bedtime story will help your little one relax and more likely to slip-off into a blissful slumber.
Not only that, reading with your child helps improve their concentration and teaches them skills that will be beneficial for years to come.
You can check out our favourite bedtime reads here for inspiration.
Routine, routine, routine
It’s really important to instil a consistent bedtime routine from a young age.
For example, having a bath at a specific time or reading a book before sleep can help teach your child to feel sleepy just before bedtime. In time, they’ll naturally become sleepy before dozing off.
Reduce screen time
This is not just good advice for kids – we adults could also learn a thing or two here.
TV, phone, tablet and computer screens have been proven to reduce the amount of melatonin you produce.
Melatonin is the hormone you produce to help maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle, when this is disturbed, your sleep is disturbed.
Experts recommended you prevent all screen time at least two hours before sleep. We know this can be difficult, but maybe just start with half-an-hour to an hour and increase over time. You’ll see the benefits.
Create the ideal environment for sleep
Our bedroom should be a haven – a welcoming retreat after a busy day which invites sleep.
Here are some tips for creating an environment that encourages sleep:
- Keeping the bedroom a little cooler is better for sleep – over-heating through the night can disrupt sleeping patterns
- It’s best for the room to be dark as this helps your child tell the difference between day and night and, in turn, when to be awake and asleep
- Loud or repetitive noises can be really disruptive. Keep noise to a minimum so there’s nothing distracting or alarming to your little one
