Creating Christmas memories through traditions with your family is important. It helps you to grow as a family and learn about Jesus while you do it!
There are so many Christmas traditions you could start. Here are a few that my family did when I was growing up and a few I would like to start with my children and husband.
Hopefully, this list gives you a few ideas for activities you could begin doing with your family this Christmas and many to come.
Decorate the Christmas tree as a family
Every year as a child, my family decorated the Christmas tree and the house together with Christmas music playing in the background.
Mom would hand us the ornaments, and my sister and I would hang them.
This is a great way to teach your children to take turns!
Help your child put the angel on the tree
This was one of my families Christmas traditions growing up. My dad would lift me or my sister up onto his shoulders and we would set the angel on top of the tree.
Each year, we traded off who got to do it. To remember who goes next, we simply put a sticky note stating the year and the child’s name inside the box of the Christmas tree topper.
Bake and decorate cookies
I love to bake and do crafty things, so why not combine the two and decorate cookies!
This is not something I did growing up, but it is a tradition I would like to start with my children.
You can do this anytime in the Christmas season, but I thought it would be cool to bake cookies and decorate them on Christmas Eve and set them out for Santa.
This will be exciting for the children because Santa will be seeing their artwork on the cookies!
Need Christmas gift ideas for your baby’s first Christmas? I created a list of gifts for boys and girls 0-12 months.
Listen to Christmas music
Growing up, we listened to Christmas music all throughout the season.
I remember it, especially while decorating the Christmas tree as a family and listening to it while opening our presents.
It would be playing as we came downstairs on Christmas morning to see everything Santa brought for us.
Video the family opening gifts
Every year, my dad would set up the camera and video the family on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.
These videos are fun to look back on to see how everyone grew and what they were interested in at the time.
Going back and listening to the fun conversations that were shared is sure to put a smile on your face.
If you don’t video your children a lot throughout the year, definitely try to remember the camera on Christmas.
Watch a special Christmas movie as a family
There are lots of awesome movies out there to catch the attention of your children and teach them the real meaning of Christmas.
You could also watch one that teaches them who Santa is and why gifts are given at Christmas.
Read your children a Christmas book that is special to you
It is important to me to teach my kids what Christmas is all about.
Not only about Saint Nicholas spreading happiness to all the children, but most importantly about Jesus.
We read books all throughout the year, but after Thanksgiving, we will read lots of books relating to Christmas.
Matching Christmas PJs for the family (take a photo)
Having a family picture taken with everyone in their matching pajamas is such a cute idea!
Everyone can sit in front of the beautiful Christmas tree you decorated as a family or in front of your festive fireplace.
You could even go as far as making a Christmas picture album with the pictures in your matching Christmas pajamas from every year.
Make a homemade Christmas tree ornament
Have a memory from every Christmas by getting crafty and making a Christmas ornament every year.
On the back of the ornament, write your child’s name and the year the ornament was made.
For ideas, just head over to Pinterest.com and search for handmade Christmas ornaments!
Share Christmas Eve with mommy’s side of the family and Christmas Day with daddy’s side or vice versa
Our family has lots of loved ones close by. To share the love and time with one another, my family chooses to spend Christmas Eve with my half and spend Christmas Day with my husband’s half.
This is meaningful to us because we are able to make memories with a smaller group.
My husband and I both get kind of overwhelmed in large groups, so this is a much more relaxed way of celebrating Christmas with everyone we love.
Share Your Ideas
Feel free to leave a comment with some traditions your family has! I’d love to try them out with my family.
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