The December Pressure Point: What Really Matters When Budgets Are Nearly Gone

December is a strange month in the world of holiday provision.

Everyone’s tired. Time feels short.

Delivery windows are shrinking.

And yet — the need is still there.

Kids still need support, clubs still need activities, and families still appreciate anything that helps bring calm, connection and routine.

We’ve spoken to councils, club leaders, and frontline staff over the years, and the same question always comes up:

“What can we give that’s actually useful?”

Not a throwaway item.

Not something that gets lost at the bottom of a bag.

Not more sugar-hyped treats that spike and crash.

Something with meaning.

Something that lasts.

Something that quietly supports wellbeing at a time when families need it most.

That’s the real December pressure point — not getting products printed, but choosing the right thing to spend the last of the budget on.

What Makes a December Resource “Worth It”?

Here’s what councils and clubs tell us they look for:

1. It needs to support families at home.

Clubs run for a few hours — Christmas lasts for weeks.

Anything that stretches beyond the session is a win.

2. It needs to feel calm.

December is stimulating enough — kids need moments of quiet, focus and grounding.

3. It needs to reinforce healthy habits.

Food, sleep, movement, mood — these are the areas families struggle with the most in winter.

4. It needs zero prep for staff.

No glue guns.

No chaos.

No “We need five more volunteers NOW.”

Just open-and-go.

5. It needs to feel good enough to give.

Councils want to offer something with dignity — something that looks like it has been made with thought and care.

So What Fits This Brief?

That’s where our Healthy Living Activity Books tend to land — not because they tick a procurement box, but because they:

• give kids quiet, absorbing, screen-free things to do

• build helpful habits and conversations at home

• support nutrition and wellbeing in a positive, gentle way

• feel substantial, meaningful and worthy of gifting

• can still be printed and delivered in time (just!)
  

And for clubs?

They’re an easy win.

No prep, no fuss — just activities that make sense when energy is high and attention is low.

December doesn't need more noise. It needs simple, purposeful tools.

And if you still have budget to allocate, that’s the question worth asking:

What will actually make a difference to a child or family this winter?

If you think Healthy Living books might be that thing, we can still print before Christmas — but deadlines are very close.

👉 Get in touch to secure a print slot before they’re gone.

Email hello@thewondercompany.co.uk or call us on +44 (0)7822 012771