Beware The Christmas Monster

ADvTECH Group • December 14, 2021

How To Build A More Meaningful Christmas

A person is putting a pair of socks in a donation box.

Have you ever tried to get your kids into the Christmas spirit by encouraging them to write a letter to Santa, only to read that letter later and realise that you need to extend your bond to meet expectation? If so, you have probably created Christmas monsters! Playstations, iPhones, hover boards and drones are not what Christmas is all about. It’s time we reintroduced some heart, some soul, some quality vs quantity.

How do we build a more meaningful Christmas? Here are some steps to achieving meaning over materialism.

Thanksgiving

Gratitude Advent: Christmas is a time to take stock and realise all that you should be grateful for. Together with the traditional Advent Calendar, and the daily bite of chocolate, each family member can say or write something which they are thankful for. This will make the traditional countdown to the 25th filled with more love and gratitude.

Home-Made Christmas Cards Only: The rule should be, no bought cards or tags! They are banned this year. Every child, and even adult, must make a member of their family a homemade Christmas card. Encourage your kids to consider the person they are making the card for: what they like, what makes them happy, their favourite colours, things they say, and the reason why you love them so much. Set up a crafters table with coloured paper, pencils and glitter and watch the love unfold.

Personalised Christmas Tree Decoration: In the run up to Christmas, you could hold a pre-Christmas ‘Bauble Ceremony!’ - like an awards ceremony but with dangly Christmas “trophies”. Look for tree decorations or baubles that have meaning to each person- they do exist! For instance, my husband’s first car was a Volkswagen kombi, and we found him one with a Christmas tree on top. We have also seen Dinosaur Santas, Christmas turtles, Pizza decorations and even a dangly gin and tonic for mom. This exercise is fun and helps everyone really think about the people in their family.

Sharing

Do Good: Make it a family exercise to select a dedicated charity for the year and get everyone to work towards helping that charity. Non profit organisation also didn’t have it easy the last two years and they are struggling to make ends meet. Look at your options: the local old age home, an orphanage in town, or your local SPCA. Your family’s time, collection of goods, monetary contribution or even just a visit will make a huge difference to others and to the spirit of your Christmas too.

Caring

Thoughtfulness: Get your family to take a moment to think of a special friend or family that might need something extra these holidays. Is it someone who had many financial challenges this year? Is it someone who had to bury one of their loved ones? Perhaps a jar of ‘thought cookies’ would mean a lot. The cookies could have words such as: Love, Caring, Happiness, Friendship, or even their names on it. Maybe a delivery of some grocery items to their door might be the splash of hope they need. Perhaps you could even invite them to your family dinner to show you really care.

Kindness

Kindness Elf: In many homes the Elf on the Shelf is responsible for fun and crazy mornings, after late night Elf shenanigans. From messing cereal all over the kitchen counter to wrapping the Christmas tree in toilet paper, they keep us on our toes. Perhaps this festive season, the Elf and his friends could rather send messages to our kids of suggested acts of kindness. Here are some to consider:

Today we spread the Christmas cheer, say a special thank you to the car guard and the shop cashier.”
There is no time to be a bore, surprise your sibling by doing their chores.”
Choose one of your teddies or a special toy, and give it to a child to spread the joy.”

Studies have shown that kids who engage in random acts of kindness are more likely to be accepted by their peers. Their good deeds improve their well-being and help them develop positive perceptions of their world.

Gifting

5 Gift Rule

Every year there are heaps of gifts under the Christmas tree. This brings so much joy to young and old, but in this journey of rethinking our ways, perhaps we can think of gifts that won’t blow the budget and gifts that will be appreciated. Why not stick to the “5 Gift Rule”:

Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
Something to read
Something to do

Experience

Instead of material things why not wrap an experience? Like a flight ticket or a day trip to the Zoo? Print the tickets or vouchers out and wrap them up beautifully. When the kids finally get to redeem the gift, even if it is weeks later, it still feels like Christmas to them. And the best gift you could ever give is memories.

May this Christmas be meaningful to you and your family, and may the kindness and thoughtfulness extend beyond Christmas. Norman Wesley Brooks said: Christmas is forever, not for just one day, For loving, sharing, giving are not to be put away, Like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf. The good you do for others is good you do yourself.”

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Helping your child make smart subject choices: a guide for South African parents

September 10, 2025

One of the most significant academic decisions your child will make in their school career is which subjects to select. For many South African families, it can feel like a daunting task filled with pressure, uncertainty, and long-term consequences. But with the right support, tools, and guidance, parents can help their children make well-informed decisions that set them up for future success, both academically and professionally. The foundation of good subject choices lies in understanding your child’s academic ability and current performance. Subjects like Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Accounting require solid results in Grade 9 and a strong grasp of key concepts. Similarly, subjects like Engineering Graphics & Design (EGD) or Visual Arts cater to students with practical and creative aptitudes. Consider your child’s learning style: do they prefer theory, or do they thrive with hands-on learning? Although, it is normal to want what’s best for your child’s future, you should not force them to live up to your ideal of success. Rather initiate conversations about possible careers or areas of interest and explore how different subjects align with those pathways. Platforms like YENZA Careers are incredibly helpful in this regard. YENZA uses psychometric assessments to offer realistic subject recommendations based on your child’s strengths, interests, and potential career matches, and it gives parents access to the results too. “Choosing the right subjects is a balance of academic ability, interest, and long-term thinking,” says Sumari Purdon , Head of Academics for Trinityhouse Schools. “We encourage families to use this opportunity to start meaningful conversations about the future, with support from tools like YENZA and input from educators who know the student well.”