23 Fun Family Christmas Traditions to Create Lasting Memories

Christmas is about more than just giving and receiving gifts. It’s a time for making special memories with family. But with all the holiday rush, it’s easy to lose track of time. Instead of getting caught up in the chaos, why not start a few family traditions that you can enjoy over and over again?

From making your own ornaments to wearing matching pajamas and even having a cozy Christmas tree campout, these ideas are easy to do and won’t take up too much of your time. They’ll add just the right amount of holiday magic that you and your kids will look forward to.

1. Christmas Lights Adventure: This is one of our FAVORITE traditions! Take a drive or a walk to enjoy the sparkling Christmas lights in your neighborhood, one of the local light shows or even your local Zoo! Make sure to turn on some cheerful Christmas tunes and make it a fun family activity. Don’t forget to bring some hot chocolate or cider for an extra festive touch!
2. Cozy Movie Nights: Snuggle up and watch classic Christmas movies like Home Alone, The Polar Express, Elf, and The Grinch with some yummy hot chocolate and snacks. You can create a cozy movie-watching corner with pillows and blankets for an extra comfy experience.
3. Bake Christmas Cookies: Spend time baking and decorating cookies with your kids. It’s a sweet way to create cherished memories together. Try classic shapes like stars and snowflakes, and get creative with colorful icing and sprinkles. Or if you’re like me, buy the Pillsbury™ Shape™ Sugar Cookie Dough. Make sure to have your Christmas playlist going!
4. Exciting Christmas Eve Surprises: Give your kids a special gift on Christmas Eve, like cozy pajamas or a new book or game to enjoy that night. You can even create a Christmas Eve box filled with small treats and activities to add to the excitement. It might even be fun if you hide it and they have to search for it!
5. Decorate Together: Get everyone involved in decorating the Christmas tree and the house. Let the kids add their personal touches to their rooms too. Make it a festive event with some holiday music and perhaps some homemade decorations.
6. Gingerbread House Fun: Make and decorate a gingerbread house as a family. You can use a kit or get creative with graham crackers and icing. Set up a decorating station with various candies and icing for everyone to customize their gingerbread house. This gingerbread house has great reviews on Amazon.
7. Christmas Ornaments: First, get crafty and make your own Christmas ornaments using materials like popsicle sticks, felt, or clay, and let your kids add their personal touches. It’s a fun way to personalize your tree and create keepsakes. Second, start a tradition of picking out a special ornament for each of your kids that reflects their current interests or personalities. Looking back at these ornaments from when I was a kid always bring backs fond memories of things I loved as a kid!
8. Meet Santa Claus: Visit Santa together and take some cute pictures to cherish the moment. Dress in your festive best and make a day of it by enjoying some holiday activities at the location, if available.
9. Homemade Gifts: Encourage your kids to make simple and thoughtful gifts for relatives or friends. Set up a crafting station with supplies like construction paper, markers, and stickers, and let their creativity run wild. Need to update your craft supplies at-home? Check out this kit!
10. Treats for Santa: Make cookies for Santa and leave them with a glass of milk on Christmas Eve. It’s a timeless tradition that adds to the magic of the season. Encourage your kids to write a note to Santa to go along with the treats. Check out this Santa plate, jug and notepad on Amazon.
11. Special Christmas Breakfast: Whip up a special Christmas-themed breakfast to enjoy together on Christmas morning. Get creative with pancake shapes and festive toppings, and don’t forget to add some holiday-themed table decorations. The Dollar Tree starts putting out Christmas decor at the end of October and beginning of November, which is the perfect time to get into the holiday spirit and stock up before it’s all gone! Check out this Pinterest board for breakfast ideas!
12. Spread Kindness: Teach your kids the joy of giving by participating in a toy drive or helping a family in need. Talk to your children about the importance of giving back and involve them in the process of selecting and donating gifts.
13. Write to Santa: Have your kids write down their Christmas wishes and good deeds for Santa. Give them some fun paper/stickers and ask them to share their favorite moments from the year. It’s a fun moment to reflect on the year!
14. Sibling Presents: Let your children choose or make gifts for each other to foster sibling love and thoughtfulness. Help them brainstorm ideas and guide them in creating meaningful and thoughtful gifts for their siblings. But sometimes, we simply go to Target and let them pick out a toy they know their sister has been wanting, or even head to The Dollar Tree. Remember, it’s the thought that counts!
15. Reindeer Treats:Leave carrots for Santa’s reindeer on your porch or by the fireplace on Christmas Eve. Last year, we made Reindeer food and put it in cute bags. It was super simple and adorable — just oatmeal, glitter, and sprinkles! You can find poems on Pinterest to read aloud before sprinkling the food into your yard if you’d like. It’s a cute tradition that kids absolutely adore.
16. Christmas Eve Stories: Read a classic Christmas story together on Christmas Eve for a cozy and magical evening. Choose a heartwarming story that everyone can enjoy, and take turns reading different parts for a more engaging experience. We like Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Polar Express, and of course, Twas’ the Night before Christmas.
17. Advent Calendar Fun: Use an advent calendar to count down the days to Christmas with daily surprises for your kids. Fill each day with small treats or fun activities that they can look forward to leading up to the big day or just buy one! There are so many different ones – from classic chocolates to calendars with themes like Paw Patrol and Playdough. Tip: Aldi starts selling fund ones in November!
18. Virtual Santa Messages: Get a personalized message from Santa through platforms like the Portable North Pole. It’s a modern twist that kids find thrilling. Set up a special viewing session where everyone can gather around to watch the message together.
19. Visit a Tree Farm: Make a trip to a local tree farm to pick out the perfect Christmas tree together. Enjoy the festive activities and create lasting memories. Consider taking a family photo at the tree farm to commemorate the experience.
20. Elf on the Shelf: This mischievous tradition might not be for everyone (raises hand), but for those who enjoy it, it’s a commitment and the kids LOVE it! Make a game plan before starting this daily ritual of moving the elf. There are tons of ideas on Pinterest, or you can buy a simple kit on Amazon.
21. Create a Christmas Playlist: Let every family member contribute to the Christmas playlist, making it the soundtrack of your December. Add new favorites each year to keep the playlist fresh. If you’re having trouble thinking of songs, Spotify has a TON of fun playlists!
22. Salt Dough Fingerprints and Footprints: Craft some salt dough ornaments, capturing your little one’s tiny prints before baking. These personalized ornaments make for cherished keepsakes and heartfelt gifts for family members, especially grandparents.
23. Matching Christmas Pajamas: Embrace the adorable tradition of matching Christmas pajamas. It’s a simple way to add some extra holiday cheer and create a cute family photo for the memory books. Probably one of my favorite traditions! If you can keep an eye out for their HUGE sale, Hanna Anderson has fabulous matching pajamas that are great quality. However, if you do miss the sale – they’re pretty pricey! We’ve had good luck online with JC Penny when we miss the 40% off sale at Hanna Anderson.

By embracing these easy traditions as a family, you’re not only creating memories but also strengthening the bonds within your family. These activities are all about the joy of the holidays and spending quality time with your loved ones. Let the warmth and laughter of this Christmas season fill your home with love and happiness. We hope this list has inspired some ideas for your own family traditions. Whatever you choose, repeating them each year will make incredible holiday memories that you’ll cherish forever.