Your child might be asking the question, "Is Santa real?" Or not. Either way, the time will soon come when you’ll have to talk to your child about Santa, and what his role in our society is.

But you can do more than that. Instead of focusing on the attributes and qualities of Santa, the better idea would be to ask your child how they can emulate the brilliance of Santa in their everyday life and during the holidays. 

Especially right now, with the COVID-19 pandemic still at large, and the realization that many people might not be having a great holiday season this year, it's time for you and your child to think about ways to pump up the holidays. For someone else.

Play Santa's role! It doesn't only have to be a big-bellied man in a red suit that can bring joy to people during the holiday season. Read on to see how children can help Santa make this holiday season a more festive and cheerful one. 

Is Santa real? He's real to you

Millions of people have been impacted by the pandemic — with many people not even able to safely go outside to purchase basic necessities. This is the time where your child, in the form of Santa, can help them out. This holiday season we’ll be playing a game with our children, asking them to bring out their inner Santa this season (or Santa’s helpers — the elfs!).

Either way, it would be their responsibility to find someone, a neighbor, or a friend, or someone in their school, who needs help. From helping deliver groceries to asking a neighbor in need if they’d like help, you can teach your child what the holiday season is all about, and how they can put the principles of Santa into action. 

Not only is this a great way to help them realize their own empathic skills, but it also builds compassion within their tiny heart, and helps them realize that there are needy people in the world. 

Help your child understand unselfish giving 

Empathy. It’s one of our favorite words — and one of our favorite principles to teach our children. Typically, the holidays for children are only about receiving gifts (and lots of them...if they’re lucky!). But how about you try to switch the paradigm around this year? And every year henceforth?

How about you try to teach your children about not only receiving gifts but actually giving gifts to others, unselfishly. That is, not expecting anything back in return. 

Handmade gifts are the best gifts

In the past, Santa must have been the sort that gave out handmade gifts down the chimney. But it's been a while since they’re been thrown down! 

But why not bring that back? Children are naturally creative. And they have such big hearts. If you suggested the idea of making handmade gifts this year for the people they care about, we bet your children would love it.

Santa brings cheer to the world nowadays...in the form of Playstations and Paw Patrol. But adding a handmade greeting card or a handcrafted snowglobe into the mix would be appreciated too! 

Your children are going to grow up sooner than you realize. To savor the moments that you have with them now, why not sit over the holidays and craft some handmade gifts? It would be a great way to spend some quality time together and to teach them some great lessons about gift-giving, Santa-style. 

Santa isn't only a gift-giver, he's also a cheer bringer

In children’s eyes, Santa might merely be a gift-giver. But you can make them realize that he's doing more than just bringing gifts to the families of the world, he's bringing families together! This is just one way how children can help during Christmas. It's about appreciating family more, laughing, and coming together!

It's easy for children to spend their holidays complaining about the gifts they received (trust us, we did that all the time growing up). But how about you teach them that if they wish to help Santa, they need to bring their A-game. That comes through being thankful! It’s always important to be grateful for everything you have — because not everyone is as lucky. While explaining that seems easy, teaching that to children takes time. How about using Santa as an example, and asking them to help Santa out. They can do this by not questioning, is Santa real or not, but by bringing good cheer and gratitude to the table every single day this holiday season.

How will you celebrate the holidays?

The question, "Is Santa real?", is a big one that your children will be asking. If you’re asked, it’s a great time to use that question to propel them into a greater answer.

After all, that's our role as parents — to make every moment a teaching moment, even if it might land during difficult times. 

The holiday seasons will be upon you and your children soon. What will you all make of it this year?