7 Ways to Get Your Children to Sleep On Christmas Eve

Ways to Get Your Children to Sleep On Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is a magical time for children with the promise of Santa paying a visit and leaving things under the tree. However, it can be a real struggle for parents to get children to sleep due to the excitement.

The good news is that there are several things you can do to make your children tired and promote sleep. This article reveals how to get your children to sleep on Christmas Eve so you can settle down and enjoy the night too.

Let’s jump in!

Load the day with activities to burn up your child’s energy

The best thing you can do to help your child sleep on Christmas Eve (or any other night) is to burn up their energy during the day.

You can load the day with fun activities like the floor is lava, mental activities like painting and crafting, or just head out on a Christmas walk.

The more energy your child burns up, the more likely they will fall asleep early and stay asleep until the morning.

Serve up some warm milk

Milk contains several sleep-promoting nutrients, including tryptophan, magnesium, and melatonin. Warming the milk helps activate the tryptophan and melatonin, making it easier for your body to metabolise and inducing sleep.  

Tryptophan is also naturally found in almond milk, so even if your child has a dairy allergy, you can harness the power of milk for better sleep.

Banish caffeine six hours before bedtime

Did you know that caffeine interrupts sleep up to six hours before bedtime? This makes it a no-no if you want your child to sleep on Christmas Eve.

Unfortunately, chocolate products contain caffeine, so your child’s favourite chocolate treats will be off-limits. We recommend replacing chocolate with fruit, organic honey, and caffeine-free ice cream for a delicious treat.

Cut out sugar early

Just as caffeine is terrible for sleep, sugar is too—sugar metabolism peaks after around forty minutes, giving children a sugar spike that empowers them with energy. However, energy levels stay elevated for around three hours after consumption. If you put your children to bed at 9 pm on Christmas Eve, sugar consumed after 6 pm could keep them awake

Wake up early on Christmas Eve (and keep your child awake all day)

Waking up early on Christmas Eve and keeping your child awake all day will stimulate tiredness as the day draws on. This can make an enormous difference at bedtime, helping your child settle down and sleep.

If your child is over four, daytime naps are unnecessary, and it’s possible to keep them awake safely. Children under the age of three might want to nap, and if so, try to keep naps no closer than three hours before bedtime.

Don’t go to bed too early

One of the biggest mistakes is sending children to bed too early so they can have a drink and enjoy the night. The reality is that extending bedtime to half an hour after regular hours can help children settle down in bed.

Think about it – the later your children stay up, the more tired they get towards bedtime. However, ensure you don’t extend bedtime beyond an hour after regular hours. Otherwise, your children might get cranky.

Keep the noise down

Christmas Eve is the most anticipated night of the year because it’s when Santa comes, so make no mistake – your children will be primed to listen out.

It would be best if you tried to be quiet on Christmas Eve. Keep your television low, wind your laughter in, and try to relax to keep quiet.

Also, ensure you are quiet when taking the presents out of storage to put under the Christmas tree. It’s a good idea to keep the presents somewhere close to the tree (such as your garage or a closet), so you don’t have to cart them around.

Good luck and have a fantastic Christmas!