I will shamelessly admit that I am the mom who is encouraging my child to sing Christmas Carols as soon as possible. I love getting into the holiday spirit pretty much as soon as I can after Halloween and making the season last. Music has always played a huge role in our holiday’s and thanks to Staccato Music Studios, it will continue on this year with their Holiday Sing Along Classes! I am hoping we learn a few new songs, as much as I love Christmas music, I can only hear jingle bells so many times before I want to hide.
Start a holiday music tradition in your family;
– Grab your favorite holiday albums and introduce them to your child! I am sure most of us do this already but you can feel great knowing that your children will love the familiarity of hearing these tunes each holiday season and at the same time you are supporting their musical growth and bonding together! Sing, dance and jam out to Rudolph. Don’t forget to grab your jingle bells. : )
–Plan for an annual musical outing with your family, visit a local ballet (the nutcracker for example, we heard even Max & Ruby did a ballet this year!). Not only will you be feeling that holiday spirit but you are also providing the inspiring and exciting experience of a live performance for your little one. It is amazing to watch their eyes widen as they soak up the dancing, music and environment around them.
–Host a singalong with friends and family – invite them to your home OR attend a local sing along event in your community. If you choose to do one at home, print off a few song sheets of your favorite well known Christmas carols and get Uncle Bob to dust off his guitar (or piano!) This is a great activity since it can be done at your annual family gathering or holiday party. Check your local communities for sing-along events in your area.
–Sing for the local seniors centre -This one requires a bit more planning but it is totally worth it, there is nothing more rewarding then putting smiles on the faces of others. Kera from Staccato Studios did this with a group of classmates when they were in university and found it incredibly rewarding! People love the experience of live music. If you’re not quite ready for your public debut, you can warm up by calling up far away loved ones and sharing a song with them! I can’t tell you how much I love hearing my niece singing songs to me over the phone. Thanks smartphones, tablets and computers, you can share a song over Skype, Facetime or even record one and mail it to a loved one on a CD.
Holiday Music Gift Ideas
We have always found that musical instruments are a hit for gift giving. We have a basket full of different bells, guitars, drums, maracas, clackers and eggs (to name a few) and pull them out often to jam together as a family! Some other ideas;
– Gift your favorite albums or dvd’s of holiday musicals, include some hot chocolate and mugs so they can enjoy it throughout the holidays. We happen to know that Bobs & LoLo’s Wave your Antlers Holiday Cd is out now, grab yours and share it with friends and family! Available on iTunes, Amazon.ca, HMV Canada and Spotify!
– Musical Instruments – whether young or old, there are lots of options for the perfect gift – from baby maracas to a guitar, drum kits, the list is endless. Kera recommends checking out Loog Guitars, a super cool guitar gift for children 6 years and up!
– Music Lessons, give the gift of experiences instead of products, you could be introducing someone to the start of something that may become a lifelong love. We love receiving lessons as the gift lasts for weeks instead of just a few hours. We look forward to our weekly class! Staccato Studios offers not only Music Together classes but also piano, guitar/bass, drums, voice and more! The prices are very reasonable and you’ll feel great knowing it is a gift that will keep on giving.
– Tickets to a musical event, be it a concert, ballet or symphony it is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with a loved one and share the experience of live music.
– Get the kids involved in making some home made gifts for their friends and family. Try making some homemade shakers or drums!
Our best advice is to remember that not everyone is a fantastic singer, and that is OKAY. Children don’t care and just want us to sing, dance and be silly with them. Turn on some Christmas tunes while you clean up around the house and sing loud, encourage your children to join in and be silly with you! You’ll be amazed at how much they will soak up just watching you.
