When we get caught up in the pressure of making Christmas something spectacular - two whole days a year out of the 365 we're gifted - we can easily miss . I love it that even my children-in-law look forward to our family traditions. You know what I love about trying new Christmas Eve traditions for adults? If you dont prefer a mass service, many churches have a candlelight Christmas Eve service. So we would load everyone10 adults and at least 12 kidsup in my grandmothers RV and then drive to see everyones house. Either way, look no further! For the Carriveau family of Westminster, Colorado, this means making a Gift to the Savior box. You might be familiar with this one already or not, but its a tradition that has quickly taken off over the last decade! Especially when they see how each persons taste have changed! Cooking time: 1 hr. A little splash of Christmas magic thatll refuel you, your husband, and all the other adults in your life after weeks of holiday-preppin, work, and extra household chores. 25 DIY Christmas Ornaments - Easy Homemade Gifts & Decor! Each year, take a Santa-selfie picture and keep it in a Playing Santa photo album youll get to pour over when the kids are older and you miss all these younger years. It doesnt take long once everyone gets involved adding their favorite Christmas songs from years gone by. But if youre really set on your fake tree, at the very least, visit a local tree farm to pick up fresh garland and locally-made wreaths for your decorations. Come and follow me on Pinterest for more money saving hints and frugal tips! Get a gingerbread man, and cut off his limbs (haha!). (Here are some thoughtful gift ideas for children in the hospital to get you started.). Let me know if you can think of any more! Go out to a Christmas tree farm and chop down your very own tree. Read on to get inspired and make this Christmas season the best one yet! Hang up pieces of paper noting categories like Best Movie I Watched This Year, Best Podcast I Listened To, etc. Get some festive Christmas bedding and feel extra cozy in the room you spend the most time in. 25 fun Christmas traditions to start with your loved ones Add something new to the holidays or bring back a nostalgic activity. Share the Christmas chores 4. This one is not for everyonebut my husband and I have started a Christmas tradition of watching one of those crazy Christmas horror movies thats crept up in the last few years. Get the tutorial at The House That Lars Built. Itll be so fun to look back on. Add some laughter to your Christmas traditions with these hilarious Christmas jokes,Christmas puns, andChristmas memes. Some of my favorite homemade Christmas treats are: If you are looking for more Christmas treat ideas, Im always adding delicious-looking recipes to my Christmas treats board on Pinterest, which you can find by clicking that link . In place of the traditional family holiday photo card, take a funny picture to send this year. Leave it as a total surprise for your loved one, and work on coaxing them underneath it on Christmas Eve (without them knowing it). Youll usually leave with some of the best things that youd never get for yourself or think youd even need and now cant live without," Burgess says. You might be interested in some of the following: (for those local to Utah, Ive linked a few of these activities to local websites with more information). Another idea is to encourage acts of kindness by having your kids find an old toy or piece of clothing that they no longer use and donating it. I grew up in Mexico and we always had a mystery dinner, says mom Amanda. 17 Money Mindset Exercises (Tools to Shift from Scarcity to Abundance), 11 Christmas Eve Box Ideas for Adults (You Dont Want to Miss!). Others would like to watch a new release film the day after Christmas. Well, you can carve out some of that holiday magic for yourself (and the other adults in your life). She's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger, Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, Business Insider, LifeHacker, Real Simple Magazine, Woman's World, Woman's Day, ABC 13 Houston, Keybank, and more. For me I always waited until schools finished and then decorating the house helped the whole family get into the holiday spirit. Theres more to the holidays than just the traditional dates, like Christmas or the eight nights of Hanukkah, and many cultures around the world have other dates worth celebrating. You can find a plethora of options simply by googling it! Tailor your charcuterie board to the holiday. Related: Christmas getaways for the ultimate winter escape. Or if you want a more traditional, Christmassy calendar like this one, then Amazon or Etsy is your friend. Each year, we love to get a new pair of pajamas for our kiddos for them to unwrap on Thanksgiving night," she says. Dont forget to pin this on Pinterest to refer back to throughout the holiday season. Let's face it: blinging out an entire apartment with holiday decorations is expensive, and unless you're swimming in extra disposable income or have inherited a . A perfect way to spend Christmas Eve or even Christmas Day! is a soothing way to unwind during the hectic season. Charlotte Hilton Andersen, BS, MS, has been covering health, fitness, parenting and culture for many major outlets, both in print and online, for 15 years. Who doesnt like gingerbread! You can also give Christmas by donating to the plethora of local charities! While an advent calendar is a tradition in lots of families, Watson Jepsen likes to craft her own instead. Learn How to Be a Better Gift Giver with these 15 Easy Tricks, 5 Ways to Stay Sane During the Holiday Season, 8 Surprisingly Helpful Dollar Store Christmas Items, 75 Winter Bucket List Ideas to Help You Enjoy the Season More, 45 Easy Leftover Turkey Recipes to Reinvent Your Holiday Leftovers. Another fun idea to increase your holiday productivity is to wrap gifts with your friends. Their family decided that they would rather spend more time enjoying the meal and less time stressing out about cooking. Start hosting an annual holiday movie night with your friends. Bust out your fondue pot, and make either a dinner course, or just meet up by the coffee table for some dessert fondue. Here are 75 military care package ideas. Here are 25 Easy DIY Ornaments that make great homemade gifts! Decide what makes the tradition meaningful to you specifically. This tradition can be super fun and really sweet. This might have been going to a Christmas play, a musical, a movie, or the planetarium for the Star of Bethlehem show. So we would load everyone10 adults and at least 12 kidsup in my grandmother's RV and then drive to see . What do I do with this mason jar? Toppings and personal combos people can make their own: Why should the kids have all the Christmas magic? Perfect for a LEGO lover! We like to have quiche and coffee cake. You cant go wrong with the traditional Chritmas activities. She specializes in writing about home design and decor, wellness and mental health, and other lifestyle topics, contributing to national publications likeGood Housekeeping, AARP The Magazine, USA Today,and more. Next Christmas, you can look through the predictions and see if they came true! Jessica Burgess, owner of the lifestyle brand and blog Fantabulosity, is a big believer in gifting new Christmas PJs to kick off the season. This is a great tradition if you want to create sentimental decorations (and save some money on Christmas decorations). After Christmas dinner, have everyone write down what they predict will happen throughout the following year, and put them in a jar. There are many children who are too sick to spend Christmas at home. When Watson Jepsen moved to Utah, she couldnt believe the amount of gifts from neighbors they received. Another version I thought up to the traditional White Elephant game? The first person to find the pickle on the tree will receive an extra present from Santa Claus or have a year of good fortune," Harms says. Go once its dark so you get the pleasure of seeing the tree lighting and displays in their full illuminating glory. Need some holiday gift ideas? My husband and I have created a few of our own traditions that dont revolve around the kids. My parents always gave us stockings on St. Nicholas Day with an orange, walnuts, and mittens in them, explains mom Alison. My husband and I have found that sharing things with each other from our childhood brings us so much closer. When it comes to appreciating the sights, tastes, and sounds of the holidays, why stop at your own front doorespecially if you have creative neighbors and family members. A simple tradition that is doable wherever you are each holiday season is to gift your spouse or friends or yourself a unique ornament. Plus, establishing these traditions gives everyone plenty to look forward to as the holiday season draws near. A fun non-traditional Christmas Eve dinner is one of the greatest Christmas traditions to start. Its always nice creating new traditions that are unique to your own family unit too. The Elf is thought to watch children and report back their behaviour before Santa arrives. When shes not writing, you can find her shopping flea markets and exploring local trails with her husband and corgi, Dolly. Christmas Self Care - How to Take Care of Yourself During the Holidays! Christmas trivia is a game that includes fun facts about the Christmas holiday. Every child loves waking up on Christmas morning and knowing that Santa has been during the night! You can view my full disclosure policy, If you live (or can travel to) Greenfield Village in Michigan, you simply must check out. Introduce that kind of fun on Christmas Eve in an Eggnog competition for after the kids go to bed. Each person then takes a turn of either picking one wrapped gift, or stealing from someone else. Gather the family together around the holidays and have a series of family game nights to see which one is the family favorite. Burgess is a big fan. It's a tradition her mother started when she was born, and now she shares it with her husband. Making time to do special things will ensure that this time of year is more joyful and memorable. The best street in our area has charity collection boxes left out. Personally I love making a Christmas playlist thats filled with both cheesy classics and modern tunes for this time of year. Make your kids laugh while you bake with these hilarious Christmas jokes for kids. Dont forget the troops who arent able to make it home for the holidays. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), how to celebrate the holidays, based on your zodiac sign, how to celebrate the holidays with your pets, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Think this holiday tradition sounds a little odd? Everyone can have a say in which tree to get, which will make decorating it that much better. You can go classic and pick a specific day to read the account of Christs birth in the bible each Christmas season. Help your child make a Christmas craft with their handprint. Creating DIY Christmas decorations with loved ones around the holidays does three great things: spend time with those you care about, create lovely decorations for your tree and home, and create a stockpile of treasured memories to look back on. After years of filling up your tree with unique ornaments, youll be able to tell years of stories and see how youve evolved as people. These days, my yearly ornaments usually revolve around travel. 5. It will be an eclectic mix but itll create great memories so switch off the music every now and then for sing-a-longs which are always fun at any age! Take your holiday baking to the next level by baking not only delicious Christmas cookies, but other holiday desserts like pecan pie, fudge, and yule log cake. Memory making Christmas traditions ideas (to start this year): 1. Why not make it a little more magical by reading a Christmas story and having a cup of hot chocolate. Theres nothing like sharing memories with your loved ones around the holidays. They can come holding signs saying things like wash up which is very funny when your kids find them! Staying Up Until Midnight on New Year's Eve. Why not whip up an ooey-gooey (and quick) skillet chocolate chip cookie and meet your husband or wife on the couch? So when my kids were born I made sure they did. Spend an hour wandering around the grounds finding the perfect tree, she says. Theres probably some festive activities right near where you live. You could start this tradition with your partner and young children by making their first ornament together. Your children can show acts of kindness to their friends, family, and others. Catch up with each other and cross some gifts off your list at the same time! Hobby Lobby and other stores have adorable little trees with mini ornaments and decorations. Grab my Christmas Simplified Planner Bundle! Give your child a book for the first 24 days of December. 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