If you are looking for unique and child friendly family Christmas traditions then this is for you.
While it is nice to give and bless others, the financial expenditures and exhaustive organizing that come with the holiday season can be daunting and stressful.
Instead of worrying about family togetherness and bonding, we’re worried about how much to spend on each person.
There’s a better way!
Why not start or continue some family Christmas traditions that are easy, inexpensive, and don’t require tons of planning and organizing?
Or, if they do require organizing, at least it’s the type of organizing that feels worth it in the end. If you know what I mean!
Personally, as the years go by I am learning to steer away from things that seem to take a lot of time and effort, but never seem to be worth it.
I know that list is completely individual and different for every family. Still, it’s such a relief to feel that you’ve spent your time in the best way possible.
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Family Christmas Traditions Everyone Will Enjoy
Without further ado, here are my top five ideas for unique family (and friend) Christmas traditions.
I hope it gets your mind whirling with possibilities.
1. Games
One example is a candy cane hunt.
Grab a huge box of candy canes at the store and hide them around the house.
I love this idea!
My kids are young enough to appreciate this to the full potential and honestly, how else do you use up those 50 pack candy cane boxes?
I also think this will be a gift that keeps on giving because you know you’ll continue to find candy canes throughout the year :)
Other Christmas games families can play together
- Minute To Win It Games
- Santa Limbo | Put a pillow under our shirt like Santa and have a limbo competition to Christmas music
- Charades | You can print out a list of Christmas terms to act out. Get some here.
- Stocking Guessing Game | Put random things in the stocking and have everyone feel and guess.
- Decorate a person as a Christmas tree
2. DIY Christmas crackers for the big day meal
I’ve lived in both the UK and Australia and I will attest to the fun and tradition of the table cracker.
No, not the type of crackers you put on cheese, but the kind that two people pull apart together filled with goodies.
You can do it as a craft with the kids or by yourself as you listen to some Christmas music. Honestly, it’s something fun, easy, and inexpensive to do together that can even double as table decoration.
Also, you can buy them inexpensively.
3. Sleepover movie nights
If you do family movie nights each week (like we do!) then watching Christmas movies is a no brainer.
I say do one of these every Friday throughout the whole month of December!
Make popcorn (or your favorite desert) and snuggle up on the couch with the family and friends to watch the best of the best Christmas movies.
Personally, my favorites are A Christmas Story and the Grinch. You could even mandate a Name_Your_Link
4. Christmas food… literally
Along with your chocolate chip cookies and eggnog, why not start a tradition of cooking or baking food that actually looks like Christmas?
The possibilities are endless and tasty.
- Pita Tree Appetizers
- Chocolate Pine Cones
- HO-HO-HO Hotdog Christmas stockings
- Christmas Tree Brownies
5. Watch A Christmas Tree Lighting
Google “Christmas Tree lightings” in your area.
Most are free and it’ll be like an entire day or evening of Christmas festivities. You may even want to catch two or three in one year… if you’re a super duper Christmas lover.
6. Look At Christmas Lights
If there aren’t a lot of lights in your own neighborhood, go scour your area to find the places that have the best lights.
It’s worth driving an hour or two if you can find a Christmas village of sorts that lets you walk around in it.
Kids love this!
7. A Themed Christmas Eve
A friend just told me that on Christmas Eve, they always have a theme.
- Star Wars
- Nerf Wars
- Christmas sweaters
You name it, doesn’t matter.
Think of a theme, and everyone can dress up and play it up. It makes the day before Christmas something to really look forward to.
Strong and happy families have carefully crafted Family Cultures. They don’t let guilt drive them, rather they spend their time and energy digging deep into a few key family areas that pay off in spades.
Learn More8. Read Christmas Books Together
Keep Christmas books in your Christmas decoration boxes.
Bring them out once a year and they will be far more interesting to the kids.
Truly, you’ll love the nostalgic feel of reading these books together.
9. Go Caroling With The Kids
Teach the kids a few songs they will be able to learn well, and go caroling in your neighborhood.
Okay, okay, if you don’t really know the neighbors or your kids will get embarrassed in front of strangers, sing to family members and friends! Nursing homes are usually open to welcoming carolers if you are looking for a warm place to spread Christmas cheer!
10. Decorate Gingerbread Houses
Whether you want to make it all from scratch or buy a kit, do Gingerbread houses some time during the holiday season. You can buy easy kits from the store or work together in the kitchen!
Strong and happy families have carefully crafted Family Cultures. They don’t let guilt drive them, rather they spend their time and energy digging deep into a few key family areas that pay off in spades.
Learn More11. Christmas Eve Boxes
Get a box for each family member and then – for Christmas Eve – bring it out to open. The idea behind Christmas Eve boxes are that you fill them with inexpensive sentimental and family bonding gifts. The whole family will enjoy their time together opening these gifts year after year!
FAQs
If your kids are old enough, have them help you choose the activities you make into Christmas traditions. Then, they will be excited and bought into the activities that you do together as a family. If your kids are young, they will enjoy the activities you choose because they will become part of your family traditions you will do together.
Family togetherness, spending time together, bonding, creating memories. These are the ultimate goal, so the traditions you choose don’t matter as much as if they bring your family together.
Traditions that become set apart activities that are only done this time of year make the holidays special. They create a sense of nostalgia and anticipation but ultimately remembering and celebrating the true meaning of Christmas with people you love makes the holidays special.
Start small! Choose a couple of things that you want to add this year and then evaluate if you want to keep them as traditions. Focus on finding ways to enjoy the season with your family and connecting with your kids over choosing the “perfect” traditions.
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Great traditions Rachel ;) Hope you are enjoying life on the other side of the world. As you know we don’t have any traditions that we do the same each year, but we do love to enjoy lots of fun and festive activities. These would make great family bonding activities for the season!
Lauren
I am like you, Lauren! We don’t have any traditions either, but like to change things up. Maybe when the kids get older they’ll request things each year, but for this year… we’ll keep it fresh. Ha! Link up your no traditions post here if you don’t mind, I’m sure there are many families exactly the same!
Love the idea of a candy cane hunt. We may try that this year!
Exactly! So easy but so fun for kids
You made a good point that while it is a fun Christmas tradition on its own, Christmas crackers also double as colorful decorations for the dinner table. This year will be the first time my nephews and nieces will be spending the holidays with me so I’d like to prepare accordingly and have as much goodies for them as I can. Perhaps I should consider looking for wholesale Christmas crackers.
Our family from the UK and Australia LOVE the crackers!