30 Christmas Tradition Ideas
Rhythms to Help Us Celebrate!
Thoughts on Tradition
As a kid, Christmas is so magical - the tree, the gifts, the lights, the music, everything.
Then, one day, you grow up, and you realize the magic wasn’t Santa, the reindeer, or even the “Christmas spirit,” it was the adults in your life who created that magic for you.
Your parents. Your grandparents, aunts, uncles. Your teachers and church leaders.
Now that I am the adult, the wife, the teacher - I decided it is time to start thinking about what kinds of traditions I want to incorporate in my life, what rhythms I want to look forward to during this season. What magic I want to create for myself and my loved ones.
So here are some ideas for you and for me!
Tradition Ideas…
Participate in Advent - I love the advent season. Slowing down at the end of the year, lighting the candles, reading scripture, and focusing on a specific word. This really helps me stay grounded in the true meaning of the Christmas season.
Create a Gratitude Tree - I know gratitude is typically a Thanksgiving thing, but I love the idea of carrying it into Christmas, especially since it is at the end of a calendar year. This could be a big piece of paper you just tape to the wall and write on whenever you think of something. It could be an actual Christmas tree you make little paper rings to write things on and hang them on the tree. You could get so creative, but make it something that is visible!
Volunteer - This is something we would love to do all year round, but I think the holidays are a great time to start. Look for non-profits, ask your local church, find a friend, and go serve others.
Go on a Hot Chocolate & Lights Walk - We have done this a few times in the last few years, and I absolutely love it. No matter how cold - bundle up, make some hot chocolate, and walk around your neighborhood (or any neighborhood) admiring the Christmas lights.
Watch The Chosen - The Chosen is a TV show that depicts the life of Jesus, and you can watch it anytime. However, I feel like (similar to advent), watching it around Christmas helps to ground you in what is truly important and the reason we all celebrate.
Make Christmas Movie List & Have a Designated Watch Night - One of my students at school recently shared about how over the weekend her and her family made a list together of all the Christmas movies they wanted to watch, and I thought that was such a fun idea! I love that everybody gets input. Make a watch list, hang it on the fridge, and then pick a designated weekly movie night.
Host a Game Night - On dark, dreary, winter nights, being cozy inside with loved ones is extra special. I think having a game night and just bringing laughter and fun and silliness into your home is so important. Maybe you do a game swap where everyone brings a game they love, so you not only get to play a bunch of games but also leave with a new one too!
Have a Gift Wrapping Party - Growing up, I loved wrapping gifts. Often times, my Dad would put as many gifts as he could in boxes, and then we would get to help wrap them. I would always be so surprised when he would tell me to write “to Caroline” on the box. Wrapping the gifts all together made it so much more of a fun experience. And of course, you have gotta turn Christmas music on in the background.
Display a Nativity Scene - These are beautiful and such simple reminders of why we celebrate Christmas. We always had one out growing up, and I loved playing with it as a kid! If you have kids, I think getting a kid-friendly one that they can play with and interact with is extra special.
Work a Christmas Puzzle - I love the idea of having a Christmas puzzle that you do each year, or maybe you do a new one each year. When you have a spare moment or a free night at home, being able to sit down and work a few pieces is such a good way to calm our busy minds and bodies.
Go Caroling - This might sound terrifying to a lot of people. But I did this with some friends one time in high school, and it was actually so fun!
Be Generous - This time of year it is easy to get caught up in what you want, how much money you are spending, etc. I challenge you to be extra generous- with your money, with your stuff, and with your time. Maybe you even make a list together as a family of ways you can be generous and bless others during this time of year.
Take a Festive Trip - I know it would be cold, but I would love to go to NYC during Christmastime. I feel like there’s something really magical about the city during the holidays. But a trip to the mountains or even the beach could also be such a fun Christmas tradition!
Go to the Movies - We just went to see Wicked this past weekend, and I forgot how much fun the movies are! Lots of new movies tend to come out around Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I feel like this could be a great time of year to go.
Bake a Birthday Cake for Jesus - I have seen people do this, especially with kids, and I just think it is so sweet. You are reminded of who we are celebrating, you get to bake, and it is a very tangible way for kids to grasp onto the season as well.
Host a Hot Cocoa Bar / Bonfire - I think it would be so fun to host a cozy bonfire. You could set up a hot chocolate bar outside with different flavors and toppings, have blankets, and just enjoy time together around the fire. This would make a really fun Christmas Eve tradition in warmer climates!
Light Christmas Eve Candles - One of my favorite things growing up was going to Christmas Eve service and passing the candle light around while singing Silent Night. Whether you attend a Christmas Eve service or do this at home, I think it is such a good reminder for our souls to watch how light spreads and casts out the darkness.
Give Christmas Eve Gifts - I think opening at gift on Christmas Eve is extra special. When we were younger, my brother and I would always get to open one gift from each other on Christmas Eve. I would love for our family tradition to be for everyone to get a pair of PJs and a new book on Christmas Eve. Then, we could all snuggle up and read together. Peak coziness!
Make a Christmas Countdown Chain - You know how as a kid, you would make those paper chains counting down the days until Christmas? I want to make those again. I think it would be so pretty to make them with scrapbook paper or even fabric and hang it somewhere in your house.
Host a Bake-Off / Have a Weekly Baking Session - I think having a bake-off with friends would be so extra and fun. You could get a couple of friends to judge and make it a whole experience. But if you aren’t up for that, I think a weekly baking session with friends or your spouse or your kids would be a really fun way to try new things, slow down, and spend time with one another!
Gift One Another Ornaments that Represent the Year - My parents always did this for us growing up. We got ornaments for sports we played and hobbies we got into, and now that we are older, we have gotten them for weddings and jobs. Whether you get one to represent the year for your family as a whole or you get one for each person individually, these will be gifts you will treasure forever!
Campout Under the Christmas Tree - This sounds incredibly cozy, and no you do not have to have kids to do this. You could drag the mattress into the living room or build a fort or get out some sleeping bags. The ultimate Christmas sleepover!
Host a Themed Party / Date Night / Family Night - Come up with a theme (retro, sparkly) or maybe pick a movie (Elf, Polar Express, Christmas Vacation), and theme your night around it. Dress up, watch a movie, play games, make food related to your theme. It takes a little extra effort, but those nights are always worth it!
Create & Follow a Christmas Activity Advent Calendar - I am currently reading a book where the main character’s sister made her this advent task calendar full of fun activities to do like volunteer, go sledding, go to a baking class, and more. I think this would be so fun if each day you get surprised with a new fun activity to do! These could range from small activities to bigger trips or outings!
Christmas Morning Brunch - Breakfast food is my favorite. I think hosting a big Christmas breakfast / brunch is perfect! Or if you prefer to have a quieter Christmas morning, you could also do breakfast for dinner on Christmas Eve and have leftovers Christmas morning! The best of both worlds!
Christmas Card Ring - I saw someone recently share about how they started hole punching their Christmas cards each year after the season is over. The next year, they lay out the previous years on their dining room table, and each night before dinner, they randomly pick a card from the ring and pray for that family. I think this is such an easy and unique way to pray for and care for others during the season.
“Secret Santa” - I’m talking an actual secret where they will hopefully never find out you were the person who did it. This is more like a random acts of kindness Secret Santa. I think this would be so fun to pair with the previous idea as well where maybe whatever card you pull, the next day you try to do something to bless that person or family.
Attend a Local Christmas Event - A Christmas Market, a tree lighting, a light show, a play - there has to be some kind of festive outing you could attend in your area!
Gift the Perfect Stockings - If you read last week’s newsletter, you know that I love stockings. I think crafting the perfect stocking for a loved one is so fun! In our family right now, stockings are really the only gifts we give one another, and I think it is perfect!
Reflection & Dreams Night - This is starting to seep into the New Year’s holiday, but I think having a night to reflect on the previous year and dream about the upcoming year together as a family is so important.
And those are my Christmas tradition ideas! I hope this list gave you some new traditions to consider or at least sparked your imagination to create some of your own!
Merry Christmas & thanks for reading!
Take care,
Caroline
Great ideas!