“It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” no, I do not mean tax time, but the holidays. While I know, everyone celebrates the holidays differently, starting fun holiday traditions with kids is not only fun, but it also helps them become excited about the holidays too. Creating holiday traditions also give precious memories, that will be forever remembered. In our home, we celebrate Christmas. The tree, wreaths, lights, presents, and squeals of my children, this is Christmas in my house. Here are some of the Christmas traditions that my family has started with my children.
Fun Holiday Traditions
Advent Calendars
Advent calendars made their appearance for the holidays back in the 19th century. They are a great way to build up excitement for Christmas morning with small kids. Starting December 1st, kids get a surprise or do-good task. Here is the great part of an Advent calendar, you can put whatever you want inside. In my house, the kids get a piece of chocolate or Christmas candy. You have the choice to make your family Advent calendar or purchase one. If you are buying one, I would recommend one where you can move the days to correspond with the current year.
Pictures with Santa
Now as cliché as it sounds, I love Christmas pictures with Santa. They are a great memory that lasts a lifetime. As soon as Santa is at our local mall, I gather everyone up and head out. I display each picture for that year; then I have a unique memory book for each of my children that I put the images into, so they can look at them when they grow older.
DIY Ornaments
One of my favorite fun holiday traditions are crafts with my kids is creating ornaments for our Christmas tree. I have done cinnamon ornaments, but I prefer the salt dough ornaments. While my kids are smaller, we will do the handprint size ornaments. Then once they are older, I will use their thumbs or fingerprints. The kids can paint them however they want, and on the back, I always put the year. Now I have a yearly reminder of the size of their hands, as well as watch their decorating skills improve over the years.
New Christmas Pajamas
I remember as a girl, always getting to open one present on Christmas Eve, this was my new Christmas pajamas. Now as a mom, I have continued this tradition with my kids, and even hope they do the same with their kids too. I allow my kids to open their Christmas pajamas usually early in the afternoon so that we can continue with our other traditions also.
Christmas Movies
Building on their Christmas pajamas, I also include a Christmas DVD for them to watch in the afternoon. Typically watching a Christmas DVD, like Rudolph gives me a little bit of quiet time to prepare an easy Christmas Eve dinner so that we can finish up our evening with more fun holiday traditions.
Singing Christmas Carols and Neighborhood Lights
In hopes of wearing my kids out, we have also started a new tradition. I gather up car safe cups for the kids with hot chocolate and pile the kids in the car. Here I will drive around the neighborhood while everyone sings Christmas carols and we look at how everyone has decorated their houses. By the end of our ride, I can tell the kids are getting tired, and that leaves us to our last fun holiday tradition.
Reading “Twas the Night Before Christmas”
Clement Clark Moore wrote a beautiful Christmas Poem, named “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” and my children love it. As I recite the lines, I can see the twinkle in my kid’s eyes and hear their giggles on the lines such as “When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.”
Fun holiday traditions, especially with kids make the season so much more fun and memorable. Memories last a lifetime, and I hope my kids will build on our fun holiday traditions when they have kids.
What are some of your favorite fun holiday traditions that you do with your family?
