Writing Letters to Santa to Avoid Unwanted Gifts
Everyone prepares for the New Year in their own way, but among these preparations, there is an important ritual for children — writing a letter to Santa Claus. Writing a holiday request is a game that parents introduce to their child. At what age should this be done and how, a journalist from NGS learned from Lyudmila Loshakova, an early childhood educator from Novosibirsk with 20 years of experience and a consultant on child-parent relationships.
At What Age to Write
At what age should this be done? From the age at which you introduce Santa Claus, that«s when to start writing. Psychologists recommend from age 3. But at 2 years old, many already take children to performances or invite Santa home, so it»s up to each parent to decide.
Lyudmila Loshakova focuses on age 3+ and says that writing for the child is not necessary, and young children can draw their wish, glue pictures you«ve prepared in advance, or cut them out from a magazine themselves, as well as use ready-made stickers.
«Now there are ready-made sets with luxurious envelopes, forms, and stickers, but organizing it yourself is not a problem and doesn»t strain the budget at this stage,» the expert notes.
Older children can already write. Lyudmila recalls how letters started in our childhood: «Dear Santa Claus, a girl named Lyusya from Novosibirsk is writing to you, I behaved well all year.»
But here questions may arise. What if I didn«t behave well? Who doesn»t get a visit from Santa Claus if they behaved averagely?
«Using fear is a poor and ineffective strategy, and a child isn«t capable of analyzing their own behavior. So write in any format that your heart desires,» the expert recommends.
If this stage is also passed, you can ask the child to write why they want this particular gift. Perhaps from this explanation, Santa«s heart will soften, and he will still bring the puppy that the parents don»t want.
What Can the Gift Be
«Well, if you now have goosebumps running down your spine with cold sweat, and you thought: “Oh God, not a puppy!”, let«s move to the next aspect. What can you actually ask Santa Claus for? Honestly? This is also part of the game, and you are the one who tells the child the rules,» explains Lyudmila Loshakova.
She adds that you decide what Santa usually brings: sweets, toys, living creatures, electronics, and so on, meaning parents should explain what can be asked for.
«And don»t be afraid if last year the factory made electronics, and this year sanctions have affected the wizard«s enterprise. And he can no longer deliver the latest smartphone. That»s also possible: New Year — new rules. Children adapt very easily,» the psychologist says.
And she explains how to handle the situation if Santa brought an «iPhone» to someone you know, but your child got «Lego»:
«Let«s be honest: the age when children still remember and discuss gifts after the New Year holidays, and especially when they can assess the difference in cost — that»s it: it«s time to wrap up the fairy tale and reveal the cards. Children aged 5–6 don»t discuss gifts based on monetary value. These are your own issues, don«t shift the blame.»
How many gifts can be asked for is also set by the parents. And whether you give another gift »from the parents« or all gifts are found under the tree for everyone from Santa Claus.
Where to Put the Letter
And if you»ve managed and written the letter, what to do with it? Lyudmila Loshakova asks to write other options in the comments, and she suggests these:
Put it in the freezer.
Send it by mail to Veliky Ustyug (Russia) (or say that you«ll drop the letter at the post office).
Put it in your mailbox.
Leave the window open and place the letter nearby.
«The principle is clear. You can leave a treat on the table, tell them that we borrowed this method from his brother. The letter, of course, should disappear, and in its place… well, nothing. Or a reply. Or a small surprise. Or traces that he was here. I»m telling you, you are writing this game. As they say, don«t wait for a miracle — create miracles yourself!» Lyudmila Loshakova summarizes.
Previously, the Novosibirsk expert shared how to spend time with children during the holidays so that everyone is comfortable.
