Last Christmas was Tate’s first and our family was still in pure survival mode with a four-month old. Continuing traditions or beginning any new ones was not at all on our minds! Holidays, though, are a time for building memories with your family and loved ones. Traditions help build those bonds and reconnect family members. So, this Christmas I have been all about traditions!
I have put together a list of Christmas traditions I have begun this year or just to help inspire me! Merry Christmas and I hope this list helps to make your season a little brighter!
20 Best Christmas Traditions
- Every year make the same meal for Christmas Eve (cooked ham) or Christmas morning (cinnamon buns). It may be fun to even throw an unusual dish for fun!
- Decorate sugar cookies or make a gingerbread house. You can even make it a competition! Are we the only family that a little friendly competition brings together?! … See pictures from the beginning of our sugar cookie decorating tradition!!
- Get in your car, turn on a holiday playlist, and find brightly lit houses in your area Christmas Eve.
- Visit Santa!
- Encourage your kids to be on their best behavior with the ‘Elf on a Shelf’ tradition.
- Start a “We Are Thankful For” list during the month of November. Have each member of the family write a different thing they are thankful for each day on a piece of paper. Turn the this into a decoration strung throughout the house and leave up through the month of December to remember the things your family is thankful for.
- Make an ornament of each child’s handprint every year.
- Make your own holiday decorations!
- Volunteer as a family at a soup kitchen or food bank.
- Visit a local festival of lights (i.e. city zoo, local farm).
- Track Santa’s movement across the globe.
- Video chat with family members far away Christmas morning as the kids open gifts so that everyone can share in the joy and excitement.
- Make reindeer food on Christmas Eve and toss it on the lawn for Santa’s team.
- Leave footprints from the chimney to the tree to show Santa’s route in the house.
- Get matching pajamas for the kids to wear Christmas Eve night and photograph all the children in them Christmas morning in the same spot (i.e. stairs) each year.
- Have family, friends, or neighbors over Christmas evening for games and desserts to decompress from the holiday.
- Set aside one night each week, or on Christmas Eve, to watch a holiday movie or television special, such as “Miracle on 34th Street” or “Home Alone.”
- Read about the birth of Christ from the scriptures or have little children help act out the story.
- Read holiday books before bed each night for the month of December to book your family’s holiday spirit.
- Find a giving tree that allows you to sponsor a family in need or purchase toys for children in need. Go shopping as a family and donate them together.
Our family has begun tradition #2 this year!! Tate had so much decorating the cookies, though, he may have eaten more icing than put on the cookie.
^^”What is this stuff, Mom?!”
^^”Oh, I remember this stuff now!!”
I love making memories as a family and hope we can keep up with a few of these each year to bond our family together!
What are some of your favorite family traditions?
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