Christmas is a time for family, when everyone gets together and decorates their homes before celebrating the holiday.

Now, even the youngest members of the families can get involved and add to the festive atmosphere with a new course that teaches them how to put the finishing touches to Christmas.

The Kids Gallery Christmas Workshops aim to teach children between four and seven years old how to make their own original cards, wrapping paper and create a fun and snowy landscape to get them in the holiday spirit.

"These workshops can be very special for expat children as for many of them, this may be the first time they are away from home at Christmas time and it is a way to make them feel closer to home," explains Jacqueline Mao, Kids Gallery's marketing manager and visual arts teacher.

As the second year that the gallery has organized Christmas workshops, she continues: "Last year, they proved very popular. The children were very proud of what they had achieved and their parents were very impressed by what they were capable of."

This years workshops are planned to be even more special. "With the 'Holiday Wrap-up,' children will learn how they can add a creative touch to holiday gifts, while in the 'Winter Wonderland,' students will create a snow-filled landscape to get them in the Christmas mood."

The skills that the children will be able to take away from the workshops include drawing and printing.

"By drawing images on foam boards, they can create a stamp to use on a large sheet of colored paper, so with different colors they will create beautiful wrapping paper."

Also, through building a 3D art project they will learn about perspective, space design and even electricity, the Shanghainese native continues.

"Through creating a cozy log cabin in the middle of a snowy scene, the children will learn about electricity and very simple circuits and switches. Then the students will make their cabins glow by putting a small light bulb inside."

Parents can even get involved with the workshops every Friday.

"It is a good time for families and friends to gather together and have fun by doing arts and crafts and for mums to spend time with their children doing things together," Mao says.

In the family art project planned for December, each family will complete a project at the end of the session, called "Candy Christmas Tree."

"For this everyone will decorate a Christmas tree, glue candy on stencils to make beautiful ornaments and thread popcorn and candy together for wrapping around the tree."

Describing the workshops as a fun, creative play-date, Mao concluded: "We do not have strict rules as we are not a school; it is just a fun place for children to learn to be creative and to make their personal contribution to Christmas."

Date: December 19-28 (every Wednesday and Friday), 9:30am-12pm

Address: Bldg 5-9, 650 Biyun Rd, Jinqiao, Pudong

Tel: 6105-9336

Fee: 380 yuan per workshop

E-mail: infoShanghai@KidsGallery.com

(Shanghai Daily December 12, 2007)