Christmas Traditions To Start With Your Family

Christmas Traditions are a huge part of the holiday theme in most homes. From special meals to the holiday movies, everyone has that one little thing that they do each year as a family. This list of some great Christmas traditions to start with your family is inspired by some of our own favorite holiday experiences as well as those of our friends and family.

Christmas Traditions To Start With Your Family

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Adding the Elf On The Shelf:  In recent years, the Elf On The Shelf has become one of the best and biggest Christmas traditions shared by families. The fun (or creepy to some) Elf moves around your home leaving notes, treats, or wreaking havoc on your home. It can be a great way to encourage kids to behave or a fun way to pull practical jokes on older family members. I get a kick out of all the shenanigans people’s elves get into.

If you are looking for an alternative to Elf on the Shelf, consider starting a new tradition with Kindness Elves. They are a wonderful teaching tool and a fun way to get kids excited about doing kind things for others. They have elves, accessory packs, and The Story of the Kindness Elves book. It’s a fantastic idea. We currently do not have any elves in our home (unless you count me!), but we may invite the Kindness Elves to visit our home soon.

Holiday game nights:  Leading up to the holidays, I remember always pulling out board games or even video games and having fun playing with friends and family. We already love using video games for learning in our house, so why not use them for Christmas traditions? It’s just tons of fun to snuggle up in our warm pajamas and enjoy a few hours of friendly competition. You can even do this with games like CandyLand or Uno with the younger crowd.

Make candy together:  You’ve probably seen our homemade fudge recipes floating around along with other fun holiday themed cookies and candy recipes. Everywhere you look on Pinterest you find tons of homemade candy and cookie recipes. These recipes make it so easy to create a fun afternoon of candy making with your kids. Whether you choose to dip pretzels with younger kids or make intricately rolled cookies and iced treats with your teenagers, this is a great holiday tradition.

Watch themed holiday movies together:  A few years ago we threw together a list of our favorite funny Chrismas movies for you. Along with these, you may find classics like White Christmas or the soulful Miracle on 34th Street to be more up your alley. Whatever theme you choose, a holiday movie night is a wonderful Christmas traditions option for your family.

Volunteer in your community:  The holidays seem to bring out the volunteer spirit, and it’s a great time to truly teach your children about giving back. Whether you offer up some donations from their toy bins to those in need, or you hand out food at a shelter, it’s all about the spirit of giving back. Volunteering together is a wonderful Christmas traditions idea for families to do together.

Host an Ugly Sweater party:  The Ugly Sweater Party phenomenon is a fun way to just be silly with friends and family. Yes, it is a basic holiday party event, but the idea is that everyone pulls out the ugliest or at least the gaudiest sweater they can find to display. It’s tons of fun, and can also be a great family friendly event your entire circle of friends can look forward to bringing their children to each year.

Attend holiday religious services:  Regardless of your religious belief, the holidays can be a beautiful time to attend services. The beautiful music, decorations, and joyful atmosphere is uplifting. Check your own church, or look for local churches and synagogues with great events happening during the holidays to attend.

These Christmas traditions are just a few of our personal favorites. From the more intimate family oriented to the traditions that include those in your circle of friends, this year can be an amazing event of holiday fun for everyone.