It’s time to deck the halls with calm and colour, thanks to the launch of a Christmas activity book with a mindful twist.
A Calm Christmas Countdown is designed to help children slow down amid the seasonal rush, offering a variety of creative and reflective activities including mindful colouring, gentle activities such as decorating your Christmas tree, and fun festive exercises. Each activity encourages children to pause, reflect, and take in the joy of the season, creating meaningful moments for families.
It has been created by Moray/Aberdeenshire entrepreneur Arlene Anderson, the creator of the popular My Passport colouring book series, which encourages families to visit local attractions and support small businesses in the process.
While Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year, it’s also one of the busiest. Research shows that mindfulness practices can reduce stress and anxiety in children by up to 23%, while improving focus, creativity, and emotional wellbeing.
The activity book is centred around three key themes, with activities linked into these.
They include:
Calm – ideas to help children feel calm and especially get to sleep on Christmas Eve
Affirmation – A feel good phrase to say to themselves and others.
Gratitude – reminders of small gestures and thoughts children can do for others
Arlene said: “I wanted to create something that helps children, and their parents, slow down and actually enjoy the festive season, instead of just surviving it. As a mum of three myself, I know how December can feel like a marathon of nativity plays, parties and gift lifts, not to mention tidying up behind the elf!
Last year, I even turned up to a school nativity, only realised halfway through that my children’s age groups weren’t in it! That’s the level of Christmas chaos we’re dealing with. Between the ultra-consumerism, the noise, and the pressure to make everything perfect, it’s Easy to forget what really matters.
I created A Calm Christmas Countdown as a gentle antidote to all that, a space for children (and parents) to pause, play, colour, and reconnect. It’s about bringing the focus back to joy, creativity, and calm in the middle of all the excitement.”
