Do we do Santa? We do. I know there are a variety of opinions about whether to have Santa show up this Christmas. Here is my opinion on the topic. So, Santa continues in our home. While Santa definitely isn’t our main focus at Christmas, it’s a fun component we throw in here or there as a whimsical addition. Today I want to tell you about a Santa tradition I grew up with and how I’ve adapted that to my own children’s magical Christmas experience.
When I was little, Santa wasn’t a one day experience. We would go and sit on Santa’s lap, but my older sister came up with a new Santa tradition that I looked forward to each year. It happened throughout advent season alongside all sorts of meaningful and lasting Christmas experiences.
Santa Tradition
At the beginning of the season I would receive a letter from Santa saying someone from the North Pole had chosen me…ME!?…as their secret pal. Out of all of the kids in the world, I had been chosen. When I say someone from the North Pole, it could have been anyone: Frosty, an elf, a reindeer, Mrs. Claus or even Santa himself. Leading up to Christmas I would be given a small present and a note every few days with a hint to who my secret pal was, and I would try and guess who it could be. The secret would be revealed on Christmas Eve. I remember one year I was given a charm bracelet and then a little plastic charm with each note. Do your remember those charm bracelets from the 80’s? Can someone bring those back, please?
What I like about this tradition is that it gives the older knowing sibling a chance to get involved in the Santa fun and teaches them about generosity, thoughtfulness and giving. I think I will continue the tradition with our older kids after we tell them the truth about Santa. It will be a nice transition and give the older kids an opportunity to be a part of the magic.
Letters from Santa
Until then, there are no secret pals. However, this is the second year that my kids have received a letter from Santa, and it tends to be just as magical. Here is a look at what we did last year. We had made reindeer Oreo truffles to go with the experience. This year I printed out my kids personalized letter from Santa, brought to me by my local Safeway store. These are customizable letters and envelopes that you can download and print for your kids. Stick those in your mailbox and kids will be delighted when they go to gather the mail. If you like my first tradition as well, these letters still can accompany it. This Santa letter can also be delivered Christmas morning along with the gifts.
To get your own year, go to the Safeway Letters from Santa page. Fill in the form to give little pieces of information so that a personalized letter can be created. Review the letter and hit send. You will receive a printable PDF letter with envelope that can be stuck in the mailbox. Make sure the kids help you get the mail that day so you can enjoy the excitement on their faces. A bonus is that following your letter submission, you’ll receive coupons from our partners, Coke, Oreo and Redbox, to help you save money as you prepare for your celebrations.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Albertsons Stores. The opinions and text are all mine.
