Sending Playful Holiday Mail With The Jolly Christmas Postman
Growing up, many of my grade school teachers kept The Jolly Christmas Postman in their holiday libraries. My classmates and I were always enamored with the sweet book. There’s something so magical about a book children are able to interact with. I’m so excited for the opportunity to share this adorable picture book with my own children. Read on to see the simple and fun project that The Jolly Christmas Postman inspired!
Reading The Jolly Christmas Postman
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Janet & Allan Ahlberg created this sweet storybook. The book tells the story of the Jolly Postman as he goes on his delivery route. The Jolly Postman is busy bringing holiday mail to classic nursery rhyme characters. Young readers will love the sense of familiarity as he delivers to Red Riding Hood, Humpty Dumpty, and others. The story is a quick and engaging read, told in lyrical rhymes. When each character receives mail, readers are able to reach into the built-in envelopes and pull out the cards. As a child, I loved pulling out those little cards, puzzles, and other goodies. You can’t help but feel you have become part of the story.
Sending our own Holiday Mail
It’s impossible to read The Jolly Christmas Postman without being inspired to send a little holiday mail yourself! I put together a very simple project with my two-year-old in mind. It’s a flexible activity, so it adapts easily to a wide range of ages. You can make the mail as simple or complicated as you’d like.
Materials Needed for Creating and Sending your Holiday Mail
Printer – We love our HP Envy with Insta Ink as I never run out
Crayons, Colored Pencils, Markers
Christmas Stickers and Christmas Stamps
Optional – Use Christmas Wrapping Paper or Christmas Scrapbooking Paper
Making your Holiday Mail with your Kids
- Start by printing out the envelope template I created.
- Younger children will need help cutting along the solid lines. Older children can get some great scissor skills practice completing this task.
- Provide kids with crayons, colored pencils or markers, and encourage them to decorate their holiday mail.
- Add stickers, stamps, and other goodies if you’re feeling extra festive!
- To make your mail a little fancier, use the printable as a template to trace. You can create brightly colored or patterned Christmas mail by tracing the template onto wrapping paper, etc.
- When the envelopes are decorated fold along the dotted lines.
- Kids can tuck notes, pictures, or other goodies inside to make the mail extra special.
- Close up the holiday envelopes, and encourage toddlers to deliver them throughout the house.
Is there Christmas mail for a favorite stuffed animal, or maybe an older sibling? Your little one will love taking on the role of The Jolly Postman!
Why not set up a mailbox at home for the kids to send everyone their holiday mail. This play mailbox is similar to the one in the book or you could have a home mailbox that the children could fill up and deliver their letters.
More Jolly Christmas Postman Inspired Activities for Kids
Easy Hot Cocoa Gift to Leave for your Mailman
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE CHRISTMAS BOOK FROM YOUR OWN CHILDHOOD? I’D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT IN THE COMMENTS!
Kate is a semi-reluctant stay at home mom who turned to blogging as a creative outlet in 2016. A former fashion designer, she loves to use her design experience to pair favorite children’s books with ideas for fun & learning on her blog Homebound But Hopeful. Follow along on Instagram to be sure you never miss an idea.
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