12/02/2025
As the holiday gets busy, it is easy to feel the pressure to do more, plan more, or buy more. But as a therapist, I want to offer a gentle reminder: one of the most powerful tools for lowering stress, for both kids and parents, is our time - in play.
This season, simple moments of imagination can regulate nervous systems, strengthen connection, and create emotional safety. And yes 💚❤️ even that little holiday elf can be part of the magic.
When we lean into imaginative play, whether it is moving the elf, inventing stories, creating tiny holiday scenes, engaging in holiday crafts, etc. we are doing more than “keeping a tradition.” We are:
🎁 Supporting emotional development
🎁 Encouraging creativity and problem-solving
🎁 Building regulation skills through laughter and curiosity
🎁 Strengthening our parent-child bond
And here’s the part many parents do not realize:
👉 The small moments of playful energy we invest now can actually save us time later.
👉 That few minutes of setting up the elf or joining a child’s imaginative world can reduce meltdowns, increase cooperation, and make daily transitions smoother, because a regulated child interacts with the world so differently than a stressed one.
During a season that asks a lot of us, let imagination do some of the heavy lifting.
I know play feels like one more task on your list; please try and remember:
✨ it is a stress-relief strategy
✨ it is a connection tool
✨ it is a gift you and your child both get to enjoy
Here is to a season filled with gentleness, wonder, and a little extra magic. 🧝♂️💛🎄
