Fun Christmas Traditions to Start with Your Family

Holiday traditions are one of the most important parts of the Christmas culture.

These family traditions are the activities and events that your children will look forward to all year long. And eventually, they will pass down to their children.

Our family has so many traditions we do during this time of year. Some of them are traditions that were passed down and some are ones that we created ourselves.

1. Cutting Down the Christmas Tree

Clark Griswold style – every year we head out to the local tree farm and cut down our Christmas tree. The kids get to pick the tree and ‘help’ saw it down. I love that we are supporting our local tree farm and it’s such a fun activity to kick off the Christmas season!

2. Special Christmas Movie While Decorating

When we are decorating the Christmas tree and our home, we always watch Home Alone while we do so. When I was little we use to listen to Christmas music. Music or a special movie – whatever it is that works for your family, make it a tradition to do so while decorating the tree and house.

3. Adding One Décor Item to Your Collection

Christmas decorations in the stores are everywhere and of course my kids want to buy them all…ok me too. So we made a rule that every year we would buy one Christmas decoration. This way we are always adding to our collection but not spending so much money at one time. Maybe one day I can reach Clark Griswold status (can you tell I really like that movie?) This year we bought these cute candy canes to line our sidewalk and they are super fun!

4. Getting an Ornament in Their Stocking

Every year I buy an ornament for each kid based on what they were into that year. It goes in their stocking and after they open it, I write the year on the bottom with a marker. That way when they are older I can give all their ornaments to them and they will tell a story of the things they were interested in while growing up.

5. Roll Out Sugar Cookies

It is also a tradition that we make Christmas cookies… you know the roll out sugar cookies that are an absolute mess. We are big bakers in this house but I keep this recipe specifically for Christmas time and my girls look forward to it every year. We usually make a bunch and give them to teachers, USPS workers, coaches, etc.

6. Leave Cookies and Milk for Santa

Yes yes… like so many others we leave cookies and milk out for Santa and a little thing of carrots for the reindeer. Santa also has his very own mug which the girls love. If Santa needs his own mug at your house too – you can buy it here.

7. Oohing and Awwing at Christmas Lights

A week or so before Christmas we have the kids get on warm snuggling PJs and make hot cocoa. We load up in the car and drive around oohing and awwing at all the beautiful Christmas lights (while blaring Christmas music of course)! This is a free and easy activity and it’s one of the kids favorite!

8. Open One Gift on Christmas Eve

Growing up we always got to open one Christmas present on Christmas Eve and I lived for this tradition. It was typically a pair of pajamas that we could wear to bed that night or a nice outfit that we would wear to Christmas dinner the next day at my Grandma and Grandpas.

9. Scavenger Hunt for Their Christmas Gift

Another tradition that we always did as kids was a scavenger hunt that eventually led us to our big Christmas gift. I have passed this on to my family and my kids love this! They know the last thing they open on Christmas morning is an envelope left in the tree with their first clue on it.

10. Experience Over Materialistic

Ask your kids if they remember what they got for Christmas last year…. I guarantee many will not be able to remember all the toys, books, and knick-knacks they were given. This is why we started the tradition of experience gifts over materialistic gifts. We have done everything from movie tickets, ice skating sessions, sea world passes, etc. The kids are making memories they will always remember.