Santa’s Day Off
What happens when Santa decides to take a nap instead of delivering presents? In this festive bedtime story, children all over the world discover the magic of giving, kindness, and family celebrations when they share their own gifts from the heart.
This story has been written and illustrated by real humans.
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Let’s talk about ‘Santa’s Day Off’!
Spark a conversation with your child and connect the story to real-life lessons.
Giving
- How did the children in the story come up with their own gifts when Santa was asleep?
- Can you think of a time when you gave something homemade or special to someone you love?
- Why do you think giving made the children feel even happier than receiving presents?
Family
- How did families around the world celebrate differently when Santa didn’t deliver gifts?
- Why do you think the story shows children helping parents with chores and spending time together?
- What are some special things your family does at Christmas or holidays that make you feel loved?
Community
- Children from many different countries shared gifts and kindness. How does this show the idea of community?
- What does the story teach us about how communities can shine when everyone joins in?
- Can you think of something kind you could do to make your school or neighbourhood brighter?
Celebration
- Why did Mrs Claus smile when she saw the magical screens showing acts of kindness?
- What are some ways people celebrated Christmas without Santa’s gifts?
- How do you like to celebrate when something special happens?
Vocabulary
- Napping
- Taking a short sleep or rest during the day.
- Elves
- Santa’s small magical helpers who make toys.
- Taiyaki
- A fish-shaped sweet cake from Japan, often filled with red bean paste or custard.
- Lanterns
- Lights with a cover, often used in celebrations or festivals.
- Snored
- The sound made when someone breathes noisily in their sleep.
- Kindness
- Caring for others with gentle and helpful actions.
- Twinkle
- To shine with small, bright, flashing lights.
- Astonishing
- Something that surprises or amazes you.
Context
Santa’s Day Off is a modern Christmas fairy tale that explores what happens when Santa decides to rest instead of delivering presents. The story introduces familiar figures like Santa, Mrs Claus, and the elves, but shifts the focus to children around the world creating their own gifts and celebrating through kindness.
By weaving together symbols of Christmas traditions and cultural differences, the tale highlights values such as giving, family, and community. Children are encouraged to see how celebrations are enriched not only by receiving but by creating and sharing. This helps develop empathy, cultural understanding, and a deeper appreciation of how joy can spread in many ways.
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FAQs about ‘Santa’s Day Off’
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Credits
This story was brought to life by these awesome real humans!
- Written by: Jade Maitre
- Illustrated by: Faishal Aziz
- Edited, designed and narrated by: Jade Maitre
- Music: Music video from “Adeste Fideles (Shorter)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Holiday Weasel” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Christmas Rap” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Deck the Halls B” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The post Santa’s Day Off first appeared on Bedtime Stories.
