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The Christmas season has always been one of my favorite times of the year. Yes, presents are great, but it was the time I spent with my family preparing for Christmas day that I remember so fondly. Don’t get me wrong, I recall a few gifts I received, but it was the Christmas traditions that we performed year after year that I hold so dear.
One of my favorite memories will always be sharing the magic of Santa with my sisters. I would decorate my room with lights and put on Christmas music for them to fall asleep to while my mom and I wrapped their gifts. Christmas traditions for kids can be a delightful way to create lasting memories and build a sense of joy and excitement during the holiday season.
Continuing Christmas Traditions and Making New Ones
Decorating the Christmas Tree: Involve kids in decorating the Christmas tree. Let them hang ornaments, place the star or angel topper, and string lights. Consider making some homemade ornaments together. When my kids were little, I helped them make the tree theirs. We found kid-friendly ornaments from local dollar stores and made our ornaments so that they could touch and move them as they pleased. It might not have been magazine-worthy, but it was beautiful, and my kids loved it.
Christmas Crafts: Engage in Christmas craft activities. You can make ornaments and wreaths, or create personalized Christmas cards for friends and family. My kids have always loved making new ornaments for the tree each Christmas. We make sure to label them with name and date, and they will be passed down to them when they have their own trees to decorate. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.
- Salt Dough Ornaments
- Gingerbread Ornaments
- Bead Candy Canes or Wreaths (This is great for working on fine motor skills and patterning.)
Season of Giving
Advent Calendar: Use an advent calendar to count down the days until Christmas. Kids can open a new door or pocket to reveal a small treat, toy, or festive activity. A variation of this is to do a kind deed each day. You can download the calendar below to get you started or make up some of your kind acts.
Volunteer Together: Teach kids the spirit of giving by volunteering as a family. Participate in charity events or find opportunities to help those in need during the holiday season. Many local non-profit groups that do a great job helping others open up more service opportunities at Christmas. Maybe now is the time to start a tradition of giving back with your time.
Letters to Santa: Have kids write letters to Santa Claus, expressing their wishes and sharing highlights from the past year. You can even help them mail the letters to the North Pole. USPS has Operation Santa up and running!
Visit Santa: Take a trip to visit Santa Claus at a local mall or participate in community events where kids can meet Santa and share their Christmas wishes.
Christmas Eve Box: Create a Christmas Eve box filled with goodies like pajamas, a holiday movie, hot cocoa, and a Christmas book. Open it on Christmas Eve for a cozy and festive evening. Even better, make another box with your kids for someone special.
Sweeten the Christmas Tradition
Baking Cookies: Get kids involved in baking Christmas cookies. Let them help with mixing, rolling, and decorating the cookies. It’s a fun and tasty activity for the whole family. Not to mention a great way to introduce math and science to those littles. Make enough to share with others or have a cookie swap with another family.
Gingerbread House Decorating: Build and decorate gingerbread houses together. Use icing, candies, and other edible decorations to make unique and festive creations. This E-Z Build Gingerbread house comes with everything ready to decorate. There are even things like Ugly Sweater Kits. For those of us with zero decorating skills, it’s a win!
Outdoor Activities: If you live in a snowy area, try activities like going sledding, building a snowman, or having a snowball fight. Go for a walk through the neighborhood to look at the lights or through a holiday display. There’s something magical about holiday light displays, Christmas music, and a chill in the air. Outdoor activities can add an extra layer of magic to the holiday season. You can even set up a hot cocoa bar to warm up afterward.
Holiday Movie Night: Have a special holiday movie night where the family gathers to watch classic Christmas movies. Prepare some popcorn and hot cocoa, and enjoy the films together. Here’s a list of kids’ Christmas Movies and where to stream them.
Last, but not at all least…
Christmas Storytime: One of my favorite traditions when my kids were little was to read to them nightly. Set aside time for Christmas-themed story sessions. Read classic holiday books like the ones below, or create your own family stories about the season. Here are a few of my suggestions:
Don’t Let Pigeon Drive the Sleigh!
A World of Cookies for Santa: Follow Santa’s Tasty Trip Around the World
No matter what traditions you start, remember that the most far-reaching aspect of these traditions is spending quality time together as a family and creating cherished moments that will be remembered for years to come. Feel free to adapt and personalize these traditions based on your family’s preferences and cultural background. Until next time, tell me how these ideas worked for you or what traditions your family celebrates.