The best family Christmas traditions are often the ones that stand the test of time and yield priceless memories year after year. From making the same family recipes each Christmas, to opening a special gift or stockings on Christmas Eve, there are so many memorable ways to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.
And the best part is, with so many fun and festive options out there, it’s never too late to start a new Christmas tradition! Here are 12 of the best Christmas traditions to start this year.
Subscribe to have The Washington Times’ Higher Ground delivered to your inbox every Sunday.
Best family Christmas traditions
Make a family Christmas bucket list
Making a family Christmas bucket list is probably the best Christmas tradition to start this year. Not only does it keep you organized for the busy month ahead, but it ensures every member of the family gets to pick something they’d like to do.
SEE ALSO: Higher Ground’s Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide
Maybe the littles want to build a snowman or go ice skating. Mom might choose to watch an annual Christmas special, and dad might want to chop down a Christmas tree! Whatever it is that your family loves to do for the holidays, making a family Christmas bucket list is definitely one of the best family Christmas traditions.
Come December 1st, simply grab a piece of paper or some other means of recording your bucket list and check off each item as you complete it during the month!
Drive around to look at Christmas lights
One of the best Christmas traditions for young families (or families of all ages!) is to drive around to look at Christmas lights. During one of the busiest seasons of the year, there’s nothing quite like a relaxing drive in the dark to view all those festive twinkly lights.
We suggest packing some popcorn, hot chocolate, and a playlist filled with your favorite Christmas music to make the evening extra special. You can wander aimlessly through the neighborhoods or search for a local Christmas light map to find some houses that have gone all out with their decorations.
Not only is this Christmas tradition for families free, but it’s the perfect way to spend some dedicated time together this holiday season.
SEE ALSO: How Christians celebrate Christmas around the world
Start a Christmas cookie exchange
Cookies have become synonymous with Christmas in a lot of ways, which is why we had to include it in our list of best family Christmas traditions.
Of course, some cookie traditions call for making a certain family recipe, or delivering treats to your neighbors, or leaving cookies out for a certain jolly fella. But have you ever considered starting a Christmas cookie exchange?
These festive gatherings involve each guest bringing a plate of cookies to share, which means everyone goes home with a bunch of different types of cookies instead of just one! It’s a delicious option for neighbors, coworkers, friends, and even family if you have a lot close by.
Make a gingerbread house
If you don’t already, making a gingerbread house is definitely one of the best Christmas traditions to start this year.
Your kids’ eyes will be bigger than their stomachs as they add layers of frosting and candy to their makeshift gingerbread houses. If your littles are really young, you can consider the milk carton route for an extra sturdy house, while older kids may love the challenge of constructing a house from scratch (or using a handy store-bought kit!)
Of course, don’t forget a friendly decorating contest to up the ante for those uber-competitive families. You can even take pictures of all the entrants and post them on social media so your friends can vote for a winner!
Best Christmas traditions to start this year
Reverse Advent calendar
Advent calendars are one of the best Christian Christmas traditions for families. But have you ever considered a reverse Advent “calendar”?
While a traditional Advent calendar involves opening something each day leading up to Christmas, a reverse Advent calendar starts with an empty box. Each day, (at least!) one item gets placed into the box to donate on Christmas Eve. You might pick a toy, a gently used jacket or blanket, or maybe a non-perishable food item.
Not only is this a great way to give back this Christmas season, but it’s a great way to teach young kids about the joys of giving—especially at Christmas.
And if you struggle with the inevitable clutter after all the Christmas presents are opened, this is the perfect trade-off to help keep your spaces tidy!
Start a Christmas collection
Starting a Christmas collection is one of the best Christmas traditions for young families. In fact, many families collect Christmas items that have been passed down through generations. Whether it’s grandma’s nutcrackers or special snow globes, these family heirlooms can be brought out and added to each year.
And it doesn’t have to be anything pricey! In fact, many Christmas collection items can be found at thrift stores, such as Christmas plates, nativity scenes, bells, books, and even movies. You might also consider collecting snowmen, trains, Christmas villages, cookie recipes, or a certain kind of ornament that your family loves.
No matter what you choose for your Christmas collection, this tradition ensures years of enjoyment and memories for generations to come.
Best Christmas traditions for young families
Christmas Eve present box
Some of the best family Christmas traditions revolve around what to do on Christmas Eve. From a special dinner and candlelight services to stockings and caroling, the night before Christmas is the perfect time to make memories with a special tradition.
In this case, consider including a special Christmas Eve present box for each person or the whole family to open. It might be as simple as getting everyone new Christmas pajamas or a special ornament, or filling a box with everything you might need for a Christmas Eve movie night.
No matter what you choose to do for your Christmas Eve present box theme, you can be sure that this tradition will be something that everyone will enjoy and look forward to each year.
DIY snowflakes and ornaments
Kids love to do crafts, which is why DIY snowflakes and ornaments are one of the best Christmas traditions to start this year. Not only do these crafts make for some cheap and cute Christmas décor, but you can make the crafts more intrinsic the older your kids get.
For example, young children might enjoy dipping pinecones in glitter, while older kids could appreciate making their own saltdough ornaments. Paper snowflakes can consist of holes cut into whatever paper you have on hand, or bigger, more elaborate snowflakes made out of paper bags.
And like all of the best Christmas traditions for young families, making your own DIY snowflakes and ornaments means having holiday keepsakes that you can save and enjoy for years to come.
Make a birthday cake for Jesus
Unless you’re a fan of yule logs, cakes aren’t what most people think of when it comes to Christian Christmas traditions for families. But don’t forget that Christmas is one of the most important birthday celebrations of the year—and what’s a birthday party without cake?
If you’re looking for one of the best Christmas traditions to start this year, consider getting the whole family together to make a birthday cake for Jesus (sometimes called a nativity cake). The kids will enjoy the helping, decorating, and especially the eating. And you’ll enjoy having another opportunity to remind them what Christmas is all about.
Just don’t forget to sing “Happy Birthday” before you cut the cake!
Christian Christmas traditions for families
Shepherd on the Search
Elf on the Shelf may have taken the world by storm, but one of the best Christmas traditions to start this year is Shepherd on the Search!
As a Christian alternative to Elf on the Shelf, Shepherd on the Shelf is a daily reminder for your kids about the real reason for the season. Just like the adorable little shepherd, kids can spend the days leading up to Christmas looking for Jesus and finding him in some most unexpected places!
You can even have the shepherd help you with some of your other best family Christmas traditions. For example:
- Have the Shepherd bring neighbor gifts for kids to deliver.
- Have the Shepherd bring Christmas decorations for the family to set up.
- Have the Shepherd bring popcorn and hot chocolate for a family Christmas movie night.
- Have the Shepherd bring a stack of cards for kids to write to family members.
When your Shepherd finally makes his way to the manger, your kiddos know that Christmas is here!
Write out the Christmas story
If you’re looking for more ways to incorporate the Christmas story in your best family Christmas traditions, consider gathering as a family each day to read and write out a verse of the Christmas story!
The Christmas story found in Luke 2 is just 20 verses long. Each day, have one member of the family read and then write out the verse on a shared piece of paper or poster board. At the end of the 20 days, you’ll have the entire Christmas story written out to be read in full on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning!
This is a great option to help kids and parents alike hide these precious words in their hearts and meditate on them over the month of December.
Find a way to serve others
Christmas is the season of giving, so no list of best family Christmas traditions is complete without including some ways to serve others.
Whether you participate in nationwide ministries like Angel Tree and Operation Christmas Child, or volunteer at a local food bank, your kids will learn the joy of giving to those in need. It will also help your kids be extra grateful for what they already have.
—
Marissa Mayer is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her work has been featured in Christian Post, The Daily Signal, and Intellectual Takeout. Mayer has a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from Arizona State University.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.