Good morning Friends! Today I wanted to share some Christmas traditions to maybe give you some inspiration for your family this year. Maybe you are a newlywed couple looking to start your own traditions, maybe you just had a baby, maybe you just moved out on your own and want to do some fun things just for you, or you want to add a new tradition to your already long list of them – I am just glad you are here and hopefully I can inspire you this season!
Growing up the holidays were such a special time, my parents always did so many activities with us so we were in the Christmas spirit all month long! Now being married, with a little one on the way, we have been brainstorming ideas of new traditions we will want to start with her next Christmas! Below I have created a list of some of the traditions my parents did with us growing up, and some that are brand new that we may be starting next year!
C H R I S T M A S T R E E F A R M
Since I was a little kid my entire family would meet up at a tree lot to find our Christmas trees and cut them down. We would get hot chocolate, run around in the trees, eat candy canes, and pick out the perfect tree as a family. Once Scott and I got married we started this tradition with our 3 kids as well! We go every year to hunt for the perfect tree, cut it down, and decorate it, the kids love it.
Whether you get a real tree every year or you already have a fake tree this can still be a yearly tradition for you and your family! If you already use a fake tree you can still make it a fun family outing! Get bundled up, get some hot chocolate, and walk through the trees, take family photos, and enjoy the smells and feeling of Christmas. While you are there you can always pick out a fresh wreath or even fresh garland for your home!
womens hunter boot / kids hunter boot / mens water resistant boot / filson beanie / carhartt beanie / baby beanie / teddy mittens / mens nothface gloves / Polaroid camera / fujifilm instant camera / kids mittens
C H R I S T M A S B A K I N G
Doesn’t get much more festive and fun than getting the whole family in the kitchen to bake goodies for the day! Turn on some holiday music or the hallmark channel going in the background and spend some time with your kids, and loved ones in the kitchen. You can make goodies for yourselves, to take to a Christmas party, or to take to neighbors and friends. No matter what it’s such a great tradition you will look forward to each year!
cookie cutters / Yule log pan / Santa’s sleigh loaf pan / Christmas spatula set / red cookie sheet set / rolling pin / cupcake liners / hand mixer / kitchenaid mixer / Christmas oven mitts
C H R I S T M A S M O V I E D A Y
Cuddle up one day and have a marathon of Christmas movies! This is a great way to spend a relaxing day with your kids, loved one, or the entire family. You could even start a Christmas puzzle while you watch movies, or my mom and I’s favorite, bring out the coloring books! Get out all your favorite blankets, get in your comfies, and bring out all the snacks!
Movie List:
- Elf
- Home Alone
- Grinch
- Christmas Chronicles
- Christmas Vacation
- Christmas with the Kranks
- Klaus
- It’s a Wonderful Life
- The Holiday
- Love Actually
- Four Chrsitmas’s
- Jack Frost
- Mixed Nuts
- Scrooged
- The Santa Clause
- The Family Stone
- Polar Express
- Jingle All The Way
C H R I S T M A S E V E P A J A M A S
Who doesn’t love to just be comfy sitting by the fire and your Christmas tree?? This is a tradition I love! My mom started this with our family only a few years ago and its quickly become my favorite, it’s a tradition we have started ourselves and will continue with baby girl. On Christmas Eve have everyone open Christmas pajamas! They can be all matching or just comfy pj’s you can change into Christmas Eve and wake up in together Christmas morning.
plaid matching pj’s / Dino matching pj’s / fair isle matching pj’s / women’s thermal pj set / royal family slippers / family slippers
C H R I S T M A S L I G H T S
Take your family to look at a Christmas light display. If you google ‘Christmas light display neighborhoods’ in your area I am sure you are bound to find whole neighborhoods that are known for their light display or areas where they set up a light display for you to either walk or drive through. There is always Zoo lights too! Our favorite is to get everyone in the car, get some hot chocolate, find 3 to 4 neighborhoods to check out and make an evening of it!
G I V E B A C K
This is a great time of year to volunteer or donate to your local food bank or toy drive. Giving during this time of year I feel is so important and in my opinion is what the season is all about. Volunteering for a food bank, community center, or homeless shelter can be the most humbling experience over the holidays. Helping those in need and helping out your community is so important. If you are not sure how to find ways to volunteer or give back to the community check with your church, library or your cities website!
W I N T E R H I K E
Nature is beautiful any time of year, its good to get some fresh air and clear your head whether you live in the snowy north and sunny south. Make it a tradition that the whole family takes a hike together on the same day in December.
H O L I D A Y P A R T Y
Plan a holiday party every year! You can make it an ugly sweater party or an all out glam party! Holiday parties are such a great way to see family and friends over the Holiday season. You can include a Secret Santa gift exchange, jolly fun games, all out decorations, yummy appetizers, delicious holiday inspired drinks, and a festive playlist that will ensure a merry time for all!
C A M P O U T
Scott and I started this when we moved into our new home! The week of Christmas (we do Christmas Eve) pick a room in your house everyone can camp out in together! Blow up some mattresses, make blanket tents, or good ol sleeping bags and have a slumber party as a family. We love to set ours up by the fire and Christmas tree, watch holiday movies way too late and make a yummy breakfast in the morning. It another great way to spend some extra quality time together.
blow up mattress / barefoot dreams blanket / roll out sleeping pad / large family tepee / faux fur sleeping bag / portable nightlight
A D V E N T C A L E N D A R
Advent calendars are such a fun way to celebrate Christmas. The ideas are endless too when it comes to what you want to do with them each year! You can buy ones each year from the store that are already pre filled or you can buy a reusable one and come up with your own fillers each year! If you buy a reusable one the items you add to it can be so personable to your family and it can grow with your family. I have listed a few of my favorite ideas for fillers and also linked some adorable advent calendars to buy.
Ideas for Advent Calendar:
- small gifts (cozy socks, lip gloss, makeup, hair accessories, small toys, stuffed animals, earrings, nail polish etc)
- daily questions
- take a picture each day with a Polaroid and add it to the calendar slot
- bible verses, sweet messages, or quotes
- couple time coupons
- mementos from the past year, things you have kept and can remember that time together
- candy
- mini sized alcohol’s or a variety of small wine bottles for each day
- daily activities
black hanging advent calendar / Merry Christmas advent / tree advent / wooden advent / tassel advent / white wooden advent
C H R I S T M A S L E T T E R S
Write yourself a Christmas letter that you will open next year on Christmas. It can be what you hope to accomplish in the year to come, it can be something you want to remember from the last year, you can interview each of your kids to get their perspective over the past year (a great way for them to look back when they get older at how they viewed everything), make up quiz questions to ask yourself or your family, you can write a poem, you can write down the funny family facts that came about over the last year. There are so many ideas when it comes to this tradition and something you will look forward to opening the following Christmas!
I hope this gives you some Christmas Tradition inspiration. Have a Very Merry Christmas all! Thank you for stopping by
