What if Christmas isn’t so magical? How to support children struggling
Christmas isn’t always full of magic and sparkle. It should and it can be but unfortunately, the festive period can also come with a side of body shame. The food chat, the comments on bodies, the photos, the “new year, new me” noise all put more pressure on those already struggling with body image. But you can help…
This year, as the festivities start to heat up, you can do something different. If you overhear negative talk around appearance or notice children questioning what they can and can’t eat, here are some tips to change conversations, boost confidence and support the children and young people in your care:
Celebrate body diversity
Explain that all bodies are good bodies.
Use inclusive stories and visual resources featuring a range of body types.
Respect body boundaries
Children should understand that their body is their own. Encourage phrases like “my body, my rules”.
Teach consent in a broad sense — not just touch, but also commenting on others’ bodies is not appropriate.
Critical thinking about messages from adults
Help children recognise that even some adults can have flawed ideas about bodies or health. Allow them to question assumptions.
Use media literacy approaches — when children see images in adverts or on social media, pause and discuss what’s “real” and what might be manipulated.
Model neutral language around food
Avoid labelling food as “good” or “bad”. This neutral approach helps children understand that food is not a moral issue.
Talk about nourishment, balance and what bodies need rather than dieting — food is more than just fuel. Educators can support this through PSHE lessons or lunchtime conversations.
Avoid appearance-based comments
Refrain from commenting on a child’s or someone else’s body. Instead, praise what the body can do, not how it looks.
Create a culture where compliments are tied to effort, kindness, creativity, or other non-appearance qualities.
Provide safe spaces for conversation
Give students opportunities to talk about their worries — perhaps through pastoral mentoring, circle time, or dedicated wellbeing sessions.
Encourage them to express concerns about appearance, social media, or body change (especially in a season when food and gift-giving are rife).
A new story
This Advent, the Body Happy Org is wrapping all of this up in our Christmas fundraising campaign: 24 days of body respect We are reframing fear and shame into celebration. Every day of Advent, we will share a prompt to inspire you to shift conversations, spread kindness and find joy and gratitude in the power of your body - do it with your family, your sports group or your class.
Research shows a simple shift in perspective creates a powerful buffer against self-criticism. But it's also good fun! And we would love to raise money for our Body Happy Schools Programme to help us build body respect in future generations.
Find out more about how to get involved, here
Buy resources to help you talk about body respect, here
