Host a Santa Letter-Writing Party

So, it's that time of year, again. Your son is being bombarded with thousands of commercials, touting all the "must-have" toys and kid-gadgets available this Christmas. He's at the age now, when he pays attention, and of course, he wants everything he sees. And he's obsessed with getting the word out. Time for the tried-and-true letter to Santa Claus, when parents learn each year just what's expected of them, to make their child's Christmas merry.

All your friends with children are facing the same situation, right now. Now you all have to find the time to sit down with your children and help them compose their letters, following "Santa's rules", this year-i.e., how many special gifts can be requested in one letter, what your children wish for others this holiday season, etc. Then you'll have to scour the ads in your Sunday papers or spend time online, searching for the exact brands of toys your children want, and hope that it's not too late to find them-and hope that you can still afford everything.

Since you and your friends are all in the same seasonal boat, why not combine your efforts? Sometime shortly after Thanksgiving, consider hosting a Santa Letter-Writing Party-or, rather, having your son host the party. It's a great way to address this annual holiday project, helping the kids in your son's circle to pinpoint and record their Christmas wish-lists. It's a great help to the other parents to know exactly what to shop for.

Whether you arrange an afternoon get-together or a weekend night sleepover, invite your son's guests at least a week in advance, with instructions that they think about exactly what they'd like to ask for in their letters. If they're not old enough to write on their own, have them look through the Sunday papers' toy ads and cut out pictures of the gifts they'd like. Ask them, as well, to think about what they'd like Santa to bring someone else in their lives, and a good deed they'd like to perform, in order to warrant Santa's special attention.

Work out some guidelines ahead of time, with the other parents-how many gifts can be requested in each letter, whether there should be one "special" gift each child requests, etc.

Have plenty of construction paper, children's glue, and crayons-or washable markers-available, so that all the kids can design and work on their own letters, with a minimum of adult supervision, in order to make each "letter" individual and unique.

Make the letter composition the focus of your party, the important event for which they've all gathered. Solidifying their requests in such a concrete fashion is a way of avoiding the inevitable "fickle-factor", to which all children are prone; they've made their choices and can't change their minds at the last second, because the mailman can't get to Santa in time.

Once the "letters" have been created, and you've promised to get them to Santa immediately, the party continues with a feast of potluck food, provided by the other parents. Games, Christmas videos, and carol singing are great ways to cap off the gathering.

Now you and the other parents have specific items you know your kids want for Christmas. Your shopping, at least for them, should be much simpler, this year.