Kiddipedia
Christmas with kids can be magical, chaotic and, sometimes, a test of every parenting trick in the book. With presents to share, turns to take and excitement levels at an all-time high, even the most festive households aren’t immune to a few squabbles.
New research from Telstra has found more than 70% of parents say their children argue just as much or even more over the Christmas period, while 43% find keeping kids patient while waiting to meet or call Santa challenging and almost one in three (29%) struggle to make sure every child gets a fair turn.*
This Christmas, Telstra’s Free Calls to Santa is helping take one of those turn-taking moments off parents’ plates. For the first time, siblings, cousins and friends can speak to Santa together on the same call, sharing their Christmas wishes and the excitement of hearing from Santa together.
So, as festive excitement ramps up, here are some simple ways families can navigate sharing, waiting and taking turns, while making the most of the Christmas magic.
1. Let them experience the magic together
When children are excited, deciding who gets to go first can quickly become a source of friction. Where possible, look for Christmas activities that children can enjoy together instead of separately.
That’s the idea behind the latest evolution of Telstra’s Free Calls to Santa, which now lets more than one child speak to Santa on the same call. Siblings, cousins and friends can gather around the new family-sized Telstra payphone, decide on their Christmas wishes and hear Santa’s response together.
From 10 November, families across Australia can dial #HOHOHO (#464646) for free from any of Telstra’s 14,000+ payphones, with Free Calls to Santa available until Christmas Eve.
2. Take the pressure off who goes first
According to Telstra’s research, 43% of parents say keeping their children patient while waiting to meet or call Santa can be challenging, while 29% struggle to ensure every child gets a fair turn.*
Rather than leaving the decision until excitement is running high, agree on turns beforehand or choose activities where everyone can take part at once.
With Free Calls to Santa, for example, there’s no need to choose who gets the first call. Kids can jump on together and make sharing the experience part of the tradition.
3. Make waiting part of the fun
The anticipation of Christmas can sometimes be just as intense as the big day itself. Giving children something to focus on while they wait can help channel some of that excitement.
Before making their Free Call to Santa, kids could work together on their wish lists, decide what they each want to ask Santa or even come up with a question they want to ask him together.
For families in Melbourne, Telstra has supersized the experience this year with Australia’s first family-sized payphone at Queen Victoria Market. Designed so families can experience the call together, it features overhead speakers allowing everyone to hear Santa’s replies.
4. Use a little Santa magic when you need it
Parents have a few festive tricks up their sleeves, too.
More than a third (37%) say they’ve resorted to the Christmas classic of reminding their children that Santa is watching.*
But Santa can also provide a more positive prompt for conversations about kindness, patience and sharing. Before their Free Call to Santa, for example, parents can encourage children to think about what they might want to tell Santa they’ve enjoyed doing with their siblings or family that year.
5. Make giving part of the Christmas experience
Christmas is also an opportunity to show children that small actions can make a difference to someone else.
This year, Free Calls to Santa has an added way for families to give back. From 10 to 17 November, Telstra will donate $1 to Kids Helpline for every Free Call to Santa made from a payphone nationally, helping support children and young people across Australia this Christmas.
It’s a simple way for parents to explain that their family’s fun call to Santa is also helping support other kids. Last Christmas Day, Kids Helpline received a call for help every four minutes.
6. Create traditions they can share
Some of the best Christmas traditions are the ones children can experience year after year.
Telstra introduced Free Calls to Santa in 2021 as a way to bring some extra Christmas cheer to Aussie kids. Since then, callers have made nearly 2.5 million calls to Santa, totalling almost 6 million minutes of Christmas conversations.
Whether it’s decorating the tree together, leaving out something for Santa on Christmas Eve or heading to the local payphone for a Free Call to Santa, making an activity something siblings and families share can help turn it into a tradition of their own.
7. Embrace the Christmas chaos
Even with the best preparation, chances are there will still be a few disagreements over presents, turns and whose Christmas wish Santa liked best.
And that’s okay.
Christmas with kids doesn’t need to be perfectly peaceful to be memorable. Sometimes, giving children opportunities to experience the excitement together, rather than managing every moment individually, can help take a little pressure off parents and put the focus back on the fun.
How to make a Free Call to Santa
From 10 November until Christmas Eve, families can visit any of Telstra’s 14,000+ payphones across Australia and dial #HOHOHO (#464646) to speak to Santa for free.
And this year, don’t worry about deciding who gets to call first. Siblings, cousins and friends can say hello to Santa together.
