Character Matters: Christmas Activities
New for 2021 the Jubilee Centre’s Character Matters: Christmas Activities resource pack presents nine activities for parents, carers and guardians to enjoy with their children, offering opportunities for character development outside of the classroom during the festive season. The activities focus on community, adapting everyday festive ideas and traditions, both old and new, to allow everyone to consider their character and the virtues that define who they are. Developed particularly for those in Key Stage Two (aged 7 – 11), these activities can also be adapted for children of all ages, no matter how you choose to celebrate.
Virtues in Christmas Adverts
The Christmas adverts below, updated for 2021, contain important messages which inspire us all to think more about others during the festive period. We encourage children to watch the adverts with an adult or older sibling and to use the reflection questions provided to discuss what can be learnt from each one. A follow-up activity is suggested to reinforce the message and to put the virtue into action. We hope this activity provides an opportunity to consider the significant difference we can each make to the lives of others, through simple acts of kindness.| Advert | Reflection Questions | Activities |
M&S 2021 (NEW)
Virtue: CURIOSITY |
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Research the food eaten in different countries on Christmas day. Turn your research into a poster or PowerPoint presentation to share with your family and friends. How many interesting facts can you include to help spark their curiosity? |
Disney 2021 (NEW)
Virtue: See Activity
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Go to page 5 of The Jubilee Centre’s A Framework for Character Education in Schools. Using the examples listed underneath each of the four building blocks of character, select which virtues you think are displayed throughout this advert. Can you explain to someone where and how you think that virtue is demonstrated? |
John Lewis 2020:
Virtue: KINDNESS
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Draw a large heart on a piece of paper. Fill it with all the different ways you could show kindness this Christmas. Decorate and hang somewhere in your house to remind you to be kind. |
Tesco 2020:
Virtue: HONESTY |
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Think about a time you have made a mistake. Were you honest about it straight away or did you try to keep it hidden from others? Write down what went wrong, how you felt, how others may have felt and what you would do differently next time. |
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Think of someone in your class or at school with a special talent (they might be a great friend, be good at sport, art, music, making people laugh). Tell them how much you admire their talent and encourage them to keep it up! |
Amazon 2016:
Virtue: NEIGHBOURLINESS |
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Try to be more observant of the people around you. Watch carefully to see if they are struggling with anything and think about how you might be able to help them. |
Sainsbury’s 2014:
Virtue: CIVILITY/RESPECT |
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Think of someone you don’t normally play with at school. Ask them if they’d like to play a game with you and ask questions to get to know them more. |
John Lewis 2011:
Virtue: GENEROSITY |
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Write a ‘reverse’ Christmas list – a list of ways you would like to be generous to others this Christmas. This can include: giving someone a hug, drawing someone a picture, playing with your younger sibling. Tick each one off as you complete them. |
Other Christmas materials, including reading lists, activities and further video links can be found below and are filtered by age group.
Dream SnowPerfect for younger readers Dream Snow paints a beautiful picture of a kind, animal-loving Santa Claus. It tells the story of a farmer dreaming of Christmas snow and how he takes care of his animals when the flakes actually begin to fall. He wears a red suit, goes outside and places presents under a tree for his five animals. |
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Paddington and the Christmas SurpriseIn this festive story about Paddington’s adventures at the Christmas grotto, Britain’s most loved bear explores kindness at Christmas. On meeting Santa Claus, Paddington discovers what makes Christmas truly special. |
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Room for a Little OneThis illustrated book tells the story of Jesus’ birth from the perspective of the animals who have to make room in the stable and the tired donkey who carries Mary to them. |
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The Squirrels who SquabbledTwo greedy squirrels, Cyril and Bruce, learn to share in this hilarious rhyming adventure. While they begin by fighting over the last nut of the season, they soon realise that, in times of need, working together might be better for both of them. This is a great story to use to speak to young children about sharing in a funny and engaging way. |
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The GrinchWe have produced some fun activities to develop gratitude and kindness among children. There is a kind deeds bingo which encourages children to complete a range of kind deeds, a template for a thank you letter to someone who has been kind to them and an activity asking children to draw a picture of things they are grateful for. |
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| You can find inspiration by watching The Grinch trailer here: |  |
Room for a Little OneThis illustrated book tells the story of Jesus’s birth from the perspective of the animals who have to make room in the stable and the tired donkey who carries Mary to them. |
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Stick ManWhen Stick Man finds himself a long way from home, Santa kindly steps in to help him find his way back. A beautifully illustrated, rhyming story from the ever-popular Julia Donaldson. |
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The Squirrels who SquabbledTwo greedy squirrels, Cyril and Bruce, learn to share in this hilarious rhyming adventure. While they begin by fighting over the last nut of the season, they soon realise that, in times of need, working together might be better for both of them. This is a great story to use to speak to young children about sharing in a funny and engaging way. |
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Winnie-the-PoohWith a host of lovable, but imperfect characters, this heartfelt classic explores a range of themes pertinent to discussing the virtues. While gratitude and courage, as well as sadness, and insecurity, are woven throughout, the theme that draws all these together is kindness; “Love is taking a few steps backward, maybe even more…to give way to the happiness of the person you love.” – Winnie-the-Pooh. |
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The GrinchWe have produced some fun activities to develop gratitude and kindness among children. There is a kind deeds bingo which encourages children to complete a range of kind deeds, a template for a thank you letter to someone who has been kind to them and an activity asking children to draw a picture of things they are grateful for. |
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| You can find inspiration by watching The Grinch trailer here: |  |
Auggie & Me: Three Wonder StoriesAuggie Pullman is an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face, whose first year at school changed the lives and the perspectives of everyone around him. This book contains three chapters from three different characters – the school bully, Auggie’s oldest friend and his classmate – who each give an insight into how Auggie has touched their own lives. This is powerful story which explores the real life repercussions of cruelty and kindness. |
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Father Christmas and MeAmelia lives in the magical town of Elfhelm, newly adopted by Father Christmas and Mary Christmas. When the jealous Easter Bunny launches an attack to ruin Christmas, it’s up to Amelia to keep Christmas alive! This charming adventure story uncovers some poignant themes around kindness and outsiders. |
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Toto the Ninja Cat and the Incredible Cheese HeistThe story follows Toto through her hilarious Ninja adventure as she narrowly overcomes a series of adversities, uncovering gentle themes of kindness, friendship and inclusivity. With brilliant black and white illustrations, this would be a great book to read to children or for more competent readers to try independently. |
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The Boy At the Back of the ClassTold with heart and humour, ‘The Boy at the Back of the Class’ is a child’s perspective on the refugee crisis, highlighting the importance of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn’t always make sense. This is a touching story which engages young audiences with contemporary issues in an approachable and sensitive way. |
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Flamingo BoySet in the South of France during World War 2, Flamingo Boy is a story about a young autistic boy making sense of a radically changed world. Before the Germans occupied his town, he enjoyed the routine of his parent’s farm, the animals that he helped look after and the flamingos that lived on the salt flats. As his world gets turned upside down, the boy befriends a kind German sergeant – a man with a young boy of his own at home, and between them, they try to mend what has been broken. This is an incredibly moving book about kindness and friendship in the most unlikely of places. |
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SnowglobeThis magical story tells the tale of Clementine who has to use bravely, courage and compassion as she learns to harness her magical powers and explore an enchanted realm of snowglobes. This book looks at the importance of being true to yourself and explores loss, love, magic and friendship. |
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A Christmas CarolEbenezer Scrooge has no care for his own or anyone else’s happiness. Then, one Christmas Eve, he is visited by three ghosts: the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. As they turn the clock back on Scrooge’s own life, it’s tragedies and wrongdoings, and reveal the shadow of the life that is yet to come, they reveal to him the power of kindness and the true meaning of Christmas. |
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Flamingo BoySet in the South of France during World War 2, Flamingo Boy is a story about a young autistic boy making sense of a radically changed world. Before the Germans occupied his town, he enjoyed the routine of his parent’s farm, the animals that he helped look after and the flamingos that lived on the salt flats. As his world gets turned upside down, the boy befriends a kind German sergeant – a man with a young boy of his own at home, and between them, they try to mend what has been broken. This is an incredibly moving book about kindness and friendship in the most unlikely of places. |
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SnowglobeThis magical story tells the tale of Clementine who has to use bravely, courage and compassion as she learns to harness her magical powers and explore an enchanted realm of snowglobes. This book looks at the importance of being true to yourself and explores loss, love, magic and friendship. |
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A Christmas CarolEbenezer Scrooge has no care for his own or anyone else’s happiness. Then, one Christmas Eve, he is visited by three ghosts: the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. As they turn the clock back on Scrooge’s own life, it’s tragedies and wrongdoings, and reveal the shadow of the life that is yet to come, they reveal to him the power of kindness and the true meaning of Christmas. |
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