Christmas Tradition Ideas
Last week I asked y’all on Instagram for your favorite Christmas traditions you’ve either done with your family in the past or now do with your own children. Having Davis this year for Christmas has made me so excited to start a few family traditions for the Christmas season!
Many of you asked me to share the responses, so I am going to list them out here so that I can save this as a resource in the future!
*Since so many of the traditions incorporated Christmas books, I attached some children’s Christmas book favorites (all available from Amazon) at the end of this post!*
- Elf on the Shelf – some of y’all said getting a couple pictures of your elf watching your baby because they are fascinated by this when they are older! Click here to order your own Elf on the Shelf & book!
- St. Nicholas Day
- Open one present (Christmas pajamas) on Christmas Eve and then watch a favorite Christmas movie.
- Open first present (Christmas pajamas) on Christmas Day and watch favorite Christmas movie before opening the rest of your gifts
- Read the Bible passages from the first Christmas before opening gifts – my dad has done this every year and we will continue to use this one with our family.
- Watch a favorite Christmas movie once a week as a family leading up to Christmas.
- Bake a favorite Christmas treat or cookies and watch Christmas movies on Christmas Eve.
- Wrap 25 Christmas books (reuse them from each year) and put them under the tree. Let your kid(s) pick one out each evening in December before bedtime to read for that night. You could also throw in a couple new ones each year. We will definitely be doing this one once our kids are old enough to understand!
- Advent – read about key Christmas themes each night in December leading up to Christmas. I bought this Advent book that is wonderful.
- Walk through a neighborhood that has really good Christmas lights with hot chocolate.
- Family sleepover out by the tree on December 23 with Christmas movies.
- Christmas Eve church service.
- Have friends over (and littles) for a cookie swap in December
- Decorate your tree together with hot chocolate and then watch a Christmas movie.
- Let your kids each pick out their own ornament. Write their name and year on the bottom of it with a sharpie.
- Hang a personalized stocking on their door and put their first Christmas present in it on Christmas morning.
- Santa leaves a note for the whole family and says something to everyone.
- Bake cookies on Christmas Eve to leave out for Santa
- Stay in PJs all day on Christmas and have waffles (or favorite breakfast).
- Read “The Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve.
- Read a chapter from Luke each night in December.
- Christmas Eve Box – Have a little gift box for them with pajamas, snacks and a Christmas book
- Have the kids write letters to Santa
- Have the kids make homemade Christmas cards for family members or nursing home residents
- Have an easy Christmas craft on Christmas Eve for the kids
Thank you all for the wonderful ideas! I am so excited to start some of these with my family this year.
Merry Christmas!