Top tips to boost young children’s Christmas excitement

It’s getting closer to Christmas Day, so postbags across the country are stuffed full of hopeful letters to Santa.

Mark O’Donnell, the new headmaster of St Martin’s Ampleforth, the prep school at Ampleforth College, has over 200 excited children eagerly awaiting a fun-filled festive season and has provided some tips on how to manage children’s excitement in a way which puts the true meaning back into the holiday season.

Mark says: “For parents, channeling young children’s Christmas excitement can be both fun and challenging. Finding a balance between the ‘giving’ and ‘receiving’ messages are key to a fulfilling festive season.”

1.      Outside and Festive – Playing in the great outdoors is a fantastic way to wear out excited kids. Ampleforth is set in two thousand acres of scenic Yorkshire countryside so whether it’s building a snowman, sledging or an old fashioned country ramble, busy days mean children sleep well.

2.      Nativity – Popular film “Love, Actually” showed there’s great diversity in nativity plays and this is true across the country. Helping build excitement for your child’s school nativity is a great way to encourage creativity and confidence and their first experience on stage is memorable for both the parent and child.

3.      Church Service – Being a Benedictine school, we have lots of traditional church services around the festive season, but also a big focus on working the earth and being part of nature which is reflected in our Gardening Club where the children are able to collect holly and pine cones to make Christmas wreaths.

4.      School-made creations – Here at St. Martin’s we have a 20ft Christmas tree with all the decorations made by the children at the school. It’s a great way to keep the children entertained and get them involved in some creative Christmas crafting.

5.      Story Time – Reading an extract from a child’s favourite book can be one way to keep a youngster’s attention, as can reading a child’s version of Luke chapter 2, the nativity story. Also, older children can keep younger children occupied by playing board games or other activities.

KEY FACTS:
St Martin’s Ampleforth is the Preparatory School for Ampleforth College and welcomes boys and girls as day or full-boarding students from the ages of seven to 13, with a nursery and pre-prep for children aged three to six.  http://www.stmartins.ampleforth.org.uk)

The school is located in a Grade I listed castle within the 2,000-acre estate of Ampleforth Abbey.

Set in one of North Yorkshire’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Ampleforth is the UK’s largest and most forward-looking Benedictine community.

Steered by a moral ‘Compass for Life’ nurtured by the Benedictine ethos, children are taught at co-educational Prep school St Martin’s Ampleforth (3-13) and Ampleforth College (13-18). Ampleforth also runs a permanent private hall at Oxford University, St Benet's Hall.

Ampleforth Abbey visitor centre welcomed its 10,000 visitor in June 2012 and the Benedictine monastery at Ampleforth is a centre for spirituality, education, pastoral work and evangelisation.

Ampleforth was established in 1802 when the monks returned to England following a 200-year exile in France following the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII. The famous Abbey orchard now has some 2,000 trees and more than 40 varieties of apples, some of which are used to make the famous Ampleforth Abbey Cider and Cider Brandy.

The Abbey also started selling Ampleforth Abbey Beer in 2012. Derived from a 17th century recipe in the Belgian Trappist style, the beer is brewed in partnership with local brewery Little Valley Brewery.

Buckfast Tonic Wine for Christmas

Buckfast Tonic Wine... for Christmas?

But why not? Those clever Benedictine Monks from Buckfast Abbey know a thing or two about the production of wine, and their Buckfast Tonic Wine is a full-bodied red wine with a subtle hint of something a little bit different about the taste.

It's chock full of caffeine, so obviously it's not an ideal bedtime drink, but for a mid-morning pick-me-up (ideal if you have been hit by those irksome little bugs that seem to love to attack us at Christmas time) for example, it is ideal.

Yes, we are fully aware that Buckfast Tonic Wine is no longer able to claim any medicinal benefits from people drinking it, but my wife was introduced to it by an elderly gentleman who had been drinking it for many years.

She hadn't been feeling well and he gave her a bottle to try. Try it she did, and she tells me  she's not looked back, since!

Serve it to your guests with mince pies or Stollen or secrete the bottle in a safe hiding place and bring it out when the last guests have gone. either way, it's all good!

http://www.buckfast.org.uk

POM Wonderful is wonderful for Christmas, too

There's sometimes a temptation to forget the important things in life over the mad and exciting rush of the Christmas and New Year period.

Whilst we make sure there's plenty of beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks available for your guests it's vital not to forget about you and your needs during this fraught, yet fun, period of the year.

One thin that you must not forget is stuff that does you good yet also tastes good, too. In fact why not source some for you and your guests?

You need a super fruit super drink that not only has the potential to do you good, yet also tastes good too.

What are we talking about? POM Wonderful.

POM Wonderful is made from 100% California pomegranates, which are grown in  the orchards owned by Wonderful, so they know exactly where the fruits came from.

You should refrigerate POM Wonderful, before shaking it and sharing it amongst your guests who want something uniquely tasty. 

You and your guests will find it just as drinkable as our taste team did!

There's an advisory notification on the bottle warning you to drink it within five days of opening, well, good luck with that, because if it last longer than five seconds before the bottle is empty, you'll be lucky!

It comes in three varieties, Pomegranate, Blueberry or Cranberry flavours, all equally delicious.  

It also makes some super cocktails, too! All of which you can find, here: http://www.pomwonderful.co.uk/pomegranate-cocktails/

Serve baby's Christmas dinner in style with Placematic

Mealtimes with toddlers can be tricky at any time but Christmas Dinner is a whole different and potentially even more stessful ball game!

Trying to keep little ones still at the table when they are so excited by Christmas is no mean feat so treat them to the Placematix range of children's tableware.

The high-quality unique interlocking tableware is designed for both function and fun. Not only does it feature a large non-slip placemat, plate, bowl, spoon and fork, the Placematix Gift Set is all about fun.

It's ideal for fussy eaters, the range features brightly coloured, highly durable, food safe tableware that makes mealtimes more enjoyable for children (and mums!).

And here is what is even more amazing, each piece is compatible with Duplo, Megabloks and other brick construction sets!

So if you like to linger at the table long after the Christmas Pudding has been devoured, the Placematix tableware will keep your toddler entertained and inspire them to eat all their sprouts!

Priced in the region of £24.99, the Placematix Tableware set is available from Jo Jo Maman Bebe and www.goldbug.co.uk.

Lots of fantastic Christmas games from SAMBRO

Top of its game (if you'll pardon that expression!) UK toy firm SAMBRO has a wide variety of games to entertain the whole family this Christmas.

Get toddlers in a spin with the brand new Spin Off Mickey Mouse and Spin Off Minnie Mouse games. As Mickey spins, hang various items on him such as keys, an umbrella, a watch and a mobile phone...but do it quickly before the timer runs out and all the items pop off. Whoever hangs the most on Mickey wins.

Little girls will love Spin Off Minnie...watch how she spins in her pretty pink polka dot dress and hand as many co-ordinating items onto her before the timer runs out. Place cool shades, a pink handbag, a lollipop and much more. Priced at around £25 and available from ToysRUs.

For spooktacular fun, the Zed the Zombie Unrest in Pieces game is a sure-fire hit. Activate the timer on the base unit and then race against the clock to put Zed's body parts and accessories back together.

Hit the stop button before the time runs out - fail and Zombie parts will fly everywhere! Yuck! Priced at around £25 from ARGOS & ToysRUS.

Poochie Bag will make it a great Christmas

The US mini celeb sensation has reached our shores just in time for Christmas!

Poochie&Co is a collection of the cutest handbags that will certainly make it onto your little fashionista's wish list.

These aren't just any old handbag - the Poochie&Co Handbags feature the cutest dogs covered in sequins. Choose from loveable Yorkie with her pretty pink bow and pink sequin body and co-ordinating strap or why not carry your goodies in the super-strokable Golden Labrador bag who has a sparkly gold sequin body.  From pugs and poodles to terriers and spaniels. Whatever breed of dog you love, there is a Poochie&Co handbag just for you.

Seen on some of the most high-profile young celebrities in Hollywood, including 9 year old Oscar nominated start Quvenzhané Wallis, the Poochie&Co range of handbags are the must-have bag for girls and dog-lovers in 2015.

Priced at around £14.99 each, the Poochie&Co Handbags are available from Amazon.

Make Christmas come to light this year with Cool Circuits

Everyone is always on the lookout for the perfect game to play on Christmas Day (and beyond, too!)

Enter Cool Circuits(tm) from Maps Toys. – It’s an award-winning puzzle that will challenge every member of the family and is guaranteed to light up your Christmas...quite literally!

Cool Circuits(tm) features a chunky white circuit board and eight fluorescent 3D puzzle pieces.

All you have to do is solve the 40 different challenges! You can begin with an easy challenge then when you think you are a Cool Circuits(tm) whiz move on to practically impossible!

Choose a puzzle card and create the circuit loop shown and watch the board flash and illuminate with lights and music if you join each circuit correctly.

Cool Circuits(tm) emphasises abstract thinking and spatial reasoning and we defy you not to get hooked by Boxing Day. It should cost £24.99 and it is available from Prezzybox.