1. Beware the ‘S’ word
As beloved a character as Santa is, many children are actually frightened by the thought of the man in the red suit coming down the chimney and into their bedrooms.
If your little one is apprehensive, leaving stockings and other treats out of the bedroom and letting kids know that Santa will put all the presents in the living room could help.
Knowing there won’t be anyone coming into their personal sleep space will make children more relaxed and hopefully less stressed about going to bed.
2. Hide the festive chocolate
Children need a good balance of the hormones serotonin and melatonin in their system to be able to drift off to sleep, and eating the right food is crucial for boosting these hormones.
December can feel like a whirlwind of party food and festive chocolate but it’s important to make sure your little one eats foods that are high in serotonin.
Good examples are chicken, cheese, tuna, eggs, nuts and milk.
3. Wear them out
There’s nothing like a big winter walk to tire children out over the holidays. If you’re serious about getting some sleep on Christmas Eve, plan as much physical activity for your children as you can during the day.
Not only will the fresh air wear them out, but having time away from screen will stop them being wired and unable to sleep in the evening.
4. Create a calm sleep environment
Bedrooms need to be sleep-friendly and this means a calm environment free from distractions.
Keep the Christmas decorations, advent calendars and other reminders of the big day out of your little one’s room, they are unlikely to forget it’s Christmas Eve but making their sleep space as relaxing as possible can make a big difference.
5. Stick to their normal routine
If you’re a stickler for bath, book, bed then don’t let the routine go out the window just because it’s Christmas Eve.
Keeping to their regular bedtime and letting them wind down with a hot bath and a bedtime story should help with lulling them off to sleep.