25 Christmas Traditions To Start With Your Kids

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Nothing last longer than a memory, so give your kids something memorable they will cherish forever like a Christmas tradition. Do you have a favorite Christmas tradition growing up? Does it put a warm feeling in your heart every time you think about it? I remember growing up we would write out Christmas lists so my parents could give it to Santa for us. Want to print an adorable Christmas wish list for your kids to write down what they want Santa to bring them and a letter from Santa? You can find that along with other amazing goodies in my Free Resource Library that you can have full access to by signing up to my weekly newsletter below. Keep reading to see 25 Christmas traditions to start with your kids for a lifetime of happy memories.

Christmas traditions to start with your kids

1. Decorate the tree as a family

I do this now with my family, we will decorate the tree and listen to Christmas music. As an added bonus for the kids you can throw in a delicious cup of hot chocolate. I made hot chocolate a couple years ago in the crock pot and it was so rich and creamy, everyone loved it.

2. Homemade Christmas cookies/candy

This one your kids will absolutely love. Who doesn’t love a good cookie? This one is another childhood memory of mine, I would make different kinds of candies with my grandmas around Christmas and pass them out to the rest of the family. This will also help teach your kids kindness and the act of giving.

3. Decorate a gingerbread house

4. Homemade Christmas cards

Let your kids use their imagination by making Christmas cards for everyone in the family. This is also a good way to see how they view each person.

5. Write letters to Santa or from Santa

Check out my Free Resource Library to print a wonderful letter from Santa that you can edit to add your child’s name.

6. Family slumber party

Let all the kids sleep in one room or any room that does not have the Christmas tree (you don’t want them seeing Santa).

7. Christmas movie night

8. Gift on Christmas Eve

Let each kid open one gift on Christmas Eve. I plan to have some gifts from Santa and some of the bigger gifts be from us, this way when he does go to school and tells people what he got Santa would have only brought him smaller gifts as to not make the less fortunate kids feel bad about not getting extravagant gifts from Santa (not that my son is getting extravagant gifts)

9. Family game night

10. Donate one item

This could be to a local charity or a local kid that might not have as much as them. This is a great way to teach your kids about kindness and to be thankful for what they have.

11. Draw name for kindness exchange

Instead of or in addition to donating one item. Draw names and the name you got you have to do an act of kindness for that person. It could be something like offering a hug when their sad or drawing them a picture or anything that shows kindness.

12. 12 days of books

Wrap each book individually and let them open one a day for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. You can also get the family involved by asking them to contribute books for them to open. You also don’t need to buy new, check out; a local mom group for old books, garage sale sites or the dollar store.

13. Let your kids decorate a tree

This is a fun idea your kids will love. Get a separate smaller tree and let your little ones decorate that over and over again.

14. Matching Christmas pajamas

15. Drive around looking for Christmas lights

We used to do this as a kid. Your your local zoo will probably have some version of lights before Christmas your kids will love.

16. Picking a Christmas tree

Is your family into getting a real Christmas tree every year? This is the perfect, simple tradition to start with your family.

17. Christmas ornament

You can have your kids make a new ornament to add to the tree every year or you can go to a Christmas store and buy a new one every year. Either way this is a great family tradition.

18. Deliver baked goods to neighbors

Talk about the ultimate kindness act your neighbors will love.

19. Christmas scavenger hunt

20. Go ice skating

21. Fill stockings every year

22. Special Christmas breakfast

Make your kids feel special by making them a special breakfast.

23. Write a Christmas list for Santa

This is a great tradition to start early on. Save a copy of the list each year to look back to years later. Check out my Free Resource Library for an adorable Christmas wish list printable with a kindness bonus at the bottom.

24. Christmas countdown

There are a ton of ways to do this; you can let your kids mark each day off a calendar, make a chain link out of construction paper with the days on them, tearing one link off each day. Kidsactivities.com has a pretty nice list of countdown ideas for your kids to do.

25. Track Santa’s reindeer

Grab some glitter and oats, mix together and throw in the yard or around for your kids to see that Santa was there.

Christmas isn’t just about the gifts, its about making memories that last. When your child thinks about Christmas when their older think about how wonderful it will be for you to hear them brag about how wonderful you made their Christmas’s. Parenting is all about giving them a life they love, that’s why this list of Christmas traditions to start with your kids is so valuable for you.

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