Three fun, festive activities to make the magic happen this Christmas Day

The big day is almost here, and excitement levels are likely to be very high for the young people in your household. Here are three fun and simple activities kids can get stuck into to help make Christmas Day extra special.

Set the table perfectly

You will need:

• Tablecloth (optional)
• Placemats
• Cutlery
• Side plates
• Glasses
• Candlesticks and candles
• Sprigs of holly
• Handwritten place cards (optional)
• A centrepiece

Laying the table is one of the most helpful things your child can be tasked with on Christmas Day. Here are some simple steps for them to follow;

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1. First you'll need to put down the tablecloth (if using).

2. Then go round and lay the placemats, making sure they are evenly spaced.

3. Now, lay the cutlery. The fork should go on the left; on the right you should have your spoon closest to the plate, and your knife outside it.

4. Your side plate goes on the right hand side too.

5. Put a glass to the right, above the knife and spoon.

6. Now, decorate each person's place with a sprig of holly or a place card with their name handwritten on it.

7. A centrepiece can be a lovely addition; some candles or a bowl overflowing with holly, mistletoe and other Christmassy plants, for example.

Stage a pantomine

Christmas is almost here, and with it comes panto season. Why not encourage the kids to stage their own pantomime for Christmas Day? It'll get their imaginations firing and provide heartfelt entertainment for the grown-ups, too.

You can give them this expert guidance, from English and drama teacher Holly King-Mand.

Who's who?

There are lots of roles in pantomime. The playwright writes the script (the words and movements the actors should perform) and the director brings the script to life by telling people how to perform. You will also need actors and maybe a “stage hand” (someone who works offstage) or “props manager” (props are objects that actors handle on stage) to help organise everyone. If you have a small group, it’s fine to double up on jobs.

Main characters

If you choose to put on a performance of a traditional tale, you'll already have what we call archetypal characters (those that fit the mould for goodie, baddie, jester, sidekick adn so on). These might be magical fairies, greedy kings, evil withces or loving princes. Pantomines use these types of characters because the audience already undertands the role they play in a story, and they are easy to exaggerate and have fun performing.

Writing style and conventions

A playwright's script will include the words each actor should say, as well as stage directions (see the next tip for more information). Pantomines have their own script conventions (things we see in most pantomines) and these might include the phrase, "It's behind you!" or "Oh no it ins't; oh yes it is". They often include a short sing-along, lots of silly jokes and silliness - but they always have a happy ending where the goodies win.

Staging

The playwright should include stage directions (performance instructions) in the script that include where actors should stand and where and when they get on and o the stage. It might include other instructions such as “laughs loudly” or “sits down on the toadstool”. Stage directions are usually written in italics or in brackets to separate them from speech. Staging your pantomime might involve costumes, gathering props and making someone responsible for managing these things “backstage” during the performance. Making props and painting a backdrop can be fun but don’t worry if you don’t have time as it’s also fine to mime the object in your hand and leave some things to the audience’s imagination.

Performance

The best part of putting on a pantomime is performing it. It’s always good to open the show with a singalong and ask your audience to clap to the music. This will get the show off to a great start. You can even encourage their involvement throughout by chucking sweets into the audience or getting them to shout “Boooo!” at the baddies.

Whatever happens, don’t worry if it all goes wrong. Make sure the audience are laughing along with you and enjoying your “comedy of errors”.

Write thank-you letters

Writing thank-you letters at Christmas time is a great way to teach your children about expressing gratitude. Here are some tips to inspire your children to write a thank-you letter this Christmas;

• As you open your presents, write down who gave you what. That way you won't thank the wrong person for the wrong gift.
• Write your letters as soon as you can after Christmas. Do it before you go back to school so you don't forget.
• Keep each one short. You don't need to write a really long letter - the person will appreciate the effort you made no matter what.
• Decorate your letters with stickers or pictures. Why not draw a picture of the present, or even include a photo of you enjoying the gift?
• Make sure you have paper and stamps ready before Christmas; that way you can post the letters straight away.

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