Holiday Traditions

It's the most wonderful time of the year to be a kid and do all of the fun traditions that lead up to Christmas.  Christmas is the best time to be a kid.  You just never know what will stick out in your child's mind and what he/she will remember.  Here are some ideas to try to keep your little one busy until the big day and make memories while you are at it!

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Amazon Associates, Walmart.com, and Etsy.

1.  Get some sort of an advent calendar with numbered pouches or boxes or doors your child can open each day

With our children, we take usually take turns with who does this each day.  Some years we buy them each a candy box with doors they can open and enjoy. This one is made by Etsy vendor WildBluYonder.

2.  Shop for supplies and make a homemade Christmas gift for Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles or Friends

It is so fun to search the internet together for an idea, make a shopping list, then shop together for the supplies, make the gift together as a family and then see the receiver's eyes light up when they receive the gift.  There is so much that goes into the whole Christmas experience that makes it memorable and you can start in early December!

One idea for a homemade Christmas gift is to get colored pencils and have each child and teen color a bookmark to give as a gift.

Bookmarks for children to color downloadable on Etsy…

 

Bookmarks for teens to color digital download on Etsy…

 

 

3.  Write and Mail Christmas cards to your favorite people

Get some stickers or colors and you can write on the cards, then pass them to your little one to decorate the inside of the card with stickers or color on it to make the card that much more special because it comes from their little heart too!  This could be done early in December to keep little ones busy leading up to the special day.

 

4.  Decorate the house

Get out the decorations and make the house look merry and bright with these rustic trees from Etsy shop owner bushelnapeck2017

5.  Make a handmade holiday decoration

You could make a DIY No Sew Snowman Pillow, ornament or other item to decorate your home that your child can feel proud to display.

6.  Put up a Christmas Tree and decorate it

Memories of decorating the tree go on a long time!  I am over 40 and still remember decorating the tree with my family.  We had an antique sleigh bell that we would each take a turn ringing then my Dad would hang it on our tree.

7.  Put together and decorate a Gingerbread House

You don't have to do the full-out baking experience here.  You could buy a box set to save on steps and time.

 

8.  Shop for gifts, wrap them, and make gift tags

It is so fun to go shopping, wrap presents and make tags!  The whole experience could be separated into several days.  Start with the shopping trip(s), make the tags, then wrap them.

 

9.  Bake cookies

Ask each child and your spouse what kind they want and make those first, then make others.  That way, if you don't get it all done, your child will still be happy.  I have 9 people to ask.  I ask them separately without others hearing and end up not making so many because then I get duplicates.  I found that if I ask them in the same room, I have to make more because after a child hears I am already going to make their favorite, they ask for a second or third favorite.  Oddly, they usually prefer chocolate chip cookies over all the fancy ones I like to make!  We dress up some of the chocolate chip cookies by making a cookie sandwich with light green frosting in the middle.

 

10.  Take a Christmas light tour

In our area, there is a large park that is decorated with lights that we can drive, walk, or ride in a horse-drawn carriage through.  We make it a point to get there at least once a year.  If you don't have that, it is still fun to just drive around and see how people decorate their homes or businesses.

 

11.  Attend a candlelit church service

Even in my 40s, I still remember singing Christmas Carols and holding a candle with a circle of paper under it to catch the drips as a child.  Judge whether your child is ready to hold a candle, watch closely and be ready to blow it out quick if needed.

12.  Christmas Eve game and pajamas

On Christmas Eve, I wrap up a new board game and new pajamas for each member of my family, including myself.  When we get home from church, we open the pajamas first, then the board game.  We play the new board game, sometimes while wearing our new jammies!  When my third son was younger, he had sensitive skin and I would pre-wash his pjs, then try to repackage as well as I could so it looked new.  The holidays are the best time of year when you're a kid as long as your parent(s) help you make those memories.  Cozy pajama mornings are one of the magical moments you don't want to miss.

Some Gift Ideas…

• 30 GIFT IDEAS UNDER $30 FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS EVERYTHING

• 10 GREAT GIFTS FOR FUN DADS TO ENJOY WITH THEIR KIDS

• GREAT GIFTS FOR A SIX YEAR OLD BOY

• WHAT TO GET THE ESSENTIAL OILS LADY FOR CHRISTMAS

• MATCHING CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS FOUND AT JANE

• WALUIGI GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR TEEN

• FANDOM MIRACULOUS LADYBUG AND CAT NOIR GIFTS

• UNIQUE STOCKING STUFFERS FOR YOUR ADULT CHILDREN

• DIY WHITE ELEPHANT CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS UNDER FIVE DOLLARS

• DIY NO SEW SNOWMAN PILLOW CHRISTMAS DECORATION FOR THE HOME

• CUTE CREATIVE PRACTICAL GIFT IDEA DIY MICROWAVE POPCORN BAG (TUTORIAL)

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The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year – Holiday Traditions