Children love traditions. Those little (or big) things we do as a family to creative positive experiences and memories, to give them a sense of belonging, celebration, togetherness and joy.
It’s never too late (and our children are never too young) to start some traditions in your family. My teenage boys still ask if I’m making my Christmas trifle and I still (drag) them to town to select their Christmas Tree ornament for the year.
This year create your own magical Christmas traditions.
- Play Christmas carols while you put up the tree.
- Bake and decorate Christmas cookies and put a plate together for your neighbours.
- Make Christmas pancakes, berries & cream for Christmas breakfast.
- Take a fun family Christmas photo using an old picture frame.
- Let your child select a new Christmas decoration for the tree. Write their name and year on the back.
- As a family, shop for a food bank and donate.
- Give everyone new pyjamas to open Christmas eve and wear Christmas morning.
- Walk your local community light displays on homes.
- Go along to a Christmas holiday performance, play or pantomime.
- Make homemade Christmas decorations or crackers together.
- Honour & remember a loved one passed, by lighting a candle or buying a heart ornament.
- Attend your local carols by candlelight.
- Play Secret Santa.
- Start your own version of Elf on the Shelf!
- Take part in putting together and gifting a Christmas Shoebox.
- Snuggle up on the couch with popcorn and watch a favourite Christmas movie together.
- Pick your own Christmas berries.
- Open one present each on Christmas Eve.
- Decorate a Gingerbread House.
- Send a letter to Santa.
- Make festive dinner table settings with homemade decorations, ribbons, tinsel, glitter, flowers and holly. Go all out!
- Read ‘The Night Before Christmas’ together.
- Leave cookies and milk out for Santa…and a carrot for Rudolf!
- ‘Stage’ Santa’s visit with footprints in a dusting of ‘snow’ (flour) and half eaten reindeer carrots on the lawn.
- Create Christmas Eve boxes and fill with pj’s, chocolate Santas, fluffy socks, a Christmas hat and other little treats.
- Take your children shopping for a toy to donate under a wishing tree.
- Photograph your children’s letters to Santa each year and make a book out of them.
- Hang up Christmas stockings.
- Purchase ‘want, need, wear & read’ gifts.
- Volunteer at the City Mission Christmas Lunch.