"Everything surrounding the holidays becomes a little more magical again once you have kids of your own, doesn’t it? Moments like marveling at the holiday lights, decorating the tree together, watching holiday movies through their eyes, and seeing pure joy on their face while opening the most desired gift on their list are memories you’ll never forget.
So much of the holiday magic has roots in the passing down of traditions from parent to child, from one generation to the next. And for some, the magic is in creating new family traditions. Below you’ll find a list of some of the best holiday family activities to inspire some of those new traditions and foster meaningful connections with friends and family that tap into that holiday spirit. With the season of gratitude and giving back upon us, the list also includes some kid-friendly ways to help others. Here’s hoping this list of holiday family activities sparks some ideas for your own family this year!
1. Donate Thoughtful Selections to a Local Food Pantry
Rather than cleaning out your unused pantry items for donations, think about what your own kids and family like to eat. Then buy extras on your next shopping trip to gift families in need something they’ll really enjoy. You could also visit an organization’s website to see if they have a wish list you can shop and have shipped directly to their facility.
2. Write Heartfelt Holiday Notes
Greeting card companies have begun automating everything, from addressing your envelopes to mailing out holiday cards to your entire list for you. We’re all for outsourcing to make our lives easier, but some family, friends, and even strangers could probably use a warmer, more personalized holiday note this year. In addition to friends and family, consider writing a handwritten note to your child’s teacher, nursing home residents or an older homebound neighbor, local first responders, troops overseas…I could go on. Receiving just one heartfelt note can really brighten someone’s day.
3. Shop Small and BIPOC-Owned Businesses
The holiday season can often be a make-or-break time of year for some of your favorite local or small businesses. So while we all love Amazon for its ease and convenience, shopping early and small (and not neglecting BIPOC-owned businesses) can have an immediate impact—and delight a gift recipient with something unique!
4. Try Some Sustainable Gift-Wrapping
Get creative with your wrapping this year to avoid excess waste. A brief Google search will reveal plenty of ways to be more sustainable this year—from reusing antique finds like jingle bells, tea towels, or old maps to foraging for evergreen sprigs to use instead of bows. Or choose sustainable wrapping paper that can be easily recycled.
5. Try the One-In-One-Out Santa Toy Policy
If your family celebrates with Santa, have your child choose a toy they no longer play with and leave a note for Santa to take it with him to pass on to another child. If your family has an Elf on the Shelf, it could also be a good excuse to donate multiple toys if your kid asks the Elf to carry more than one donated toy off to Santa.
6. Let Your Kids Decorate Their Own Tree
I have to give a personal thank you to Target for always having cute and affordable artificial Christmas trees in their Wondershop. For me, watching my kids decorate their own trees for their bedrooms makes me feel better about my own urge to rearrange their ornament placement on our living room tree after they go to bed.
7. Make a Homemade Gift for the Grandparents
Enlist your kids’ help in making an extra-special gift for the grandparents this year. Even if your little one is just a baby, creating handprint artwork, making a DIY photo ornament, or putting together a photo book or video montage can be so memorable and appreciated.
8. Thank Your Mail and Delivery Drivers
We rely so heavily on home deliveries and the holiday rush is sure to put additional stress on delivery drivers. Make sure your sidewalks are shoveled, put a thank you sign in the window, leave out gifts of store-bought water and treats by your front door, or add an extra tip as a small way to thank them for their work this year.
9. Build a Snowman
Hopefully at some point this holiday season there will be at least a little snow where you are. Who doesn’t love a white Christmas, anyway? When there are some fluffy white flurries coming down, don’t shy away from gearing up in your warmest winter clothes and having some good old-fashioned snowman fun. Make it a contest and see how creative everyone can get.
10. Teach Your Kids About Other Cultural Holidays and Traditions
While my family celebrates Christmas, my 8-year-old has been asking about Hanukkah. Truth be told, I can never come up with details beyond what I learned from Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah song. So I’m adding books about Hanukkah, Diwali, and Kwanzaa to our library list so we can all learn more together.
11. Find a Reason to Dress Up
Loungewear is everything, but some of us might miss the fun of getting all glammed up and putting on a holiday party outfit. Maybe you’re attending work parties, friend festivities, or planning a holiday date night. Not worth finding a babysitter? Choose a night to put the kids to bed early and dress up for an at-home date night with your partner. Plan a meal to make together or order takeout from your favorite restaurant. Single parenting this holiday season? Plan an outing with friends. Either way, we all deserve a toast to another year of parenting in the books!
12. Go Sledding
Last year, my girlfriends and I got together to do something we haven’t done since we were kids—sledding! While this is a classic option to do with kiddos (and one that should never be passed up), don’t underestimate just how much fun it can be as an adult too. Whether you go with friends, just your significant other, or the whole family, this will hands down be one of the best days of the year.
13. Enjoy an Outdoor Light Display
Depending on where you live, your local zoo, ballpark, botanical gardens, or other venue likely has a holiday light display. Check websites before you go to see whether you need a timed ticket. Additionally, local online groups will often post neighborhoods and streets with festive home displays, which can be a treat to bundle up and walk around.
14. Get the Kids Involved in Holiday Tasks
Your to-do list is pretty long around the holidays, so put the kids to work like Santa’s little elves. It’s best to accept that any task assigned to them will take longer than if you were to do it yourself, but putting on a little holiday music can make it a special shared experience. Stamping the holiday card envelopes or getting pieces of tape to help wrap the gifts are both jobs young kids can (probably) handle.
15. Purge Your Closets to Donate Boots, Coats, and Mittens
The changing weather offers a perfect opportunity to look through last year’s winter wear and decide what to keep and what’s in good condition to pass along to someone who needs it more. Or while you’re out holiday shopping, grab a new pair of mittens or hat to donate.
16. Go Ice Skating
Maybe your town has a local pond that freezes in the winter or there’s a hockey rink that opens to the public. No matter the venue, get out for some ice skating this year. This is such a great way to recapture the simple joy of the snowy season with an activity the whole family can enjoy indoors or outdoors.
17. Have a Pajama Night Movie Watch Party—Without the Kids
Turn on the tree lights and cozy up together under a blanket after bedtime. Make yourself a holiday cocktail and enjoy watching one of your favorite holiday films. Perhaps choose one that’s not very kid-appropriate (e.g., Bad Santa), a classic favorite your kids may not fully understand (e.g., It’s a Wonderful Life), or an old stand-by you just want to enjoy without interruptions and snack requests.
18. Have a Family Movie Night
While a movie night without the kiddos may certainly be in order, a family movie night is also a great go-to. They’re especially welcomed this time of year when it’s too cold and dark to be outside much. Plus, a really good movie will keep the house quiet and peaceful for a few hours.
19. Make a Family List of Gratitude and Goals
The past few years have certainly put a focus on the important things in life: family, health, and home. Talk about the things you’ve been grateful for this year and write them down. Even better, talk about some family goals and action plans for the new year. What are your family’s priorities? What are you looking forward to? Where do you want to focus your energy? Capture your family’s ideas so you can look back at the end of next year and celebrate what you’ve accomplished.
20. Make Gingerbread Houses
If it’s been awhile since you’ve tried your hand at building a gingerbread house, you’re in for a treat (literally!). Grab a kit at your local grocery store or go all out by baking gingerbread cookies in the shapes you need. This is the best of both worlds as it’s a sweet treat that doubles as a fun craft.
21. Make Eggnog
In nearly every household, there’s at least one family member who can’t get enough eggnog. Whether you personally love it or hate it, it’s a holiday staple. This year, try your hand at making it homemade. Maybe if you’ve never truly liked it before, a homemade recipe will change all of that!
22. Bake Christmas Cookies
With all of that eggnog it’s only right to have an arrangement of Christmas cookies to go with it. Trust me, once you start this family tradition, the whole family is going to look forward to it year after year. Try new treats or stick to your favorites.
23. Catch a Holiday Train
This is one of those holiday family activities that may take a bit more effort but will be so worth it. Even if there isn’t a holiday train right down the road in your town, chances are there is one somewhere in your state. These magical rides are absolutely worth a little drive and extra effort. Either take a day trip if needed, or make a whole weekend excursion out of the experience.
24. Visit a Christmas Market
Speaking of experiences, there’s nothing like a classic Christkindlmarket during the holiday season (or some variation of it!). These markets are hands down my favorite place to purchase my holiday gifts because they offer so many unique goodies. From self-care products to one-of-a-kind trinkets, there’s sure to be something for everyone on your list. Plus, the markets usually have tons of treats and hot chocolate a plenty, making it worth a drive.
25. Write Letters to Santa
If Santa is part of your household’s holidays, this is an extra fun tradition your littles will look forward to every year. They can write to Santa explaining to him all of the good deeds they did this year, as well as share with him everything that’s on their wishlist. Help them address their envelope to the North Pole and send it out.
26. Use an Advent Calendar
The anticipation of the holiday season is nearly half the fun. What better way to build up excitement all December long than with a fun advent calendar? Either share one as a family or pick one up for each kiddo.
27. Attend a Christmas Parade
Talk about nostalgic activities! Attending your local Christmas parade is exactly what everyone needs to feel all of the excitement of the holidays.
28. Go to a Holiday Play, Ballet, or Concert
If there’s one thing my family and I love to do each year, it’s get tickets to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. If you’ve never experienced them before, I like to say they’re essentially a rock band that loves Christmas. It’s such a fun activity for older kids and adults. For littler ones, lots of local theaters will put on their own productions of things like The Nutcracker ballet or plays like The Grinch.
29. Write Your Own Holiday Song
Creative kiddos will get a huge kick out of this idea. Find the instrumental version of their favorite holiday song and let them get extra silly and come up with new lyrics. This activity is sure to elicit plenty of giggles and you’ll smile each time you hear the tune.
30. Visit a Christmas tree Farm
If you’re the type of family that has a Christmas tree each year, try picking out a real one this season. Make an event out of it by visiting a local tree farm. Your little ones will have a blast picking out the perfect tree and be so proud when you get it home.
Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor
A mom of two, Kathy is passionately committed to sharing the honest, helpful—and often humorous—stories of motherhood, as she navigates her own everyday adventures of work, marriage, and parenting. She honed her creative and strategic skills at advertising agencies in Detroit and Chicago, before pivoting from marketing to editorial. Now instead of telling brand stories, she’s sharing her own, with articles published across popular parenting sites—including hundreds of stories on The Everymom.