Last updated on May 2nd, 2024 at 08:51 am
Who doesn’t love the holidays?! I personally love them all. After having kids I took a new appreciation for all the moments when I can slow down and be with my girls.
We have fun traditions for each and every holiday and even those that aren’t truly holidays, like our birthdays or the beginning of school.
I’ve decided it would be fun to compile a list of fun and interesting traditions from a wide variety of people; some we do and some we will certainly be adding to our list of fun December memory making.
- All my daughters’ birthdays are Christmas week. I know this isn’t a holiday but it falls during the biggest holiday season. Each year my husband and I take the day off to be with our kids. The big girl’s birthday is December 22 and we started taking them to an old, stationary train that serves dinner and plays the movie ‘Polar Express.’ Santa is there and the train sings ‘happy birthday.’ How many people can say Santa sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to them?
- Each December 24, my friend’s kids pick a pinecone from their yard and plant it in a bucket. Once the kids fall asleep, her husband and her put up the real tree and decorate it. The kids come down in the morning thinking their pinecones grew that very special tree just for them. I love this idea but I don’t have time for that
- Make salt dough ornaments and compare them over the years. Let the kids go crazy but also capture their hands or feet. Mark their name, age, and year on each.
- Have a Christmas Eve traditional gift exchange. Give the kids jammies or one toy; something they look forward to build the excitement for what’s coming.
- Holiday house lights hunt! Search the town or just the neighborhoods looking for the best lights. Put on some holiday music, jammies, and drive around enjoying the company.
- Pick a charity and help out. It can be a family, toys for tots, sending packages overseas to our troops or visit a nursing home. It’s amazing how wonderful giving can be.
- Wear matching jammies for the annual cheesy Christmas Eve photo! Picking out jammies is so fun and cozy!
- Outdoor fun. Sledding or ice skating can be enjoyed by the whole family. Then go home, build a fire and watch a great movie!
- Start a train collection and add trains or houses to the villages you build under or around the tree.
- Let the countdown begin. Wrap 12 books and open one a night instead of the traditional advent calendar.
- Elf on the Shelf. My kids go crazy for him! We don’t go nuts with saying he’s telling Santa if they are naughty, it’s more fun to simply move him and watch them search and find. The giggles are contagious.
- Decorate! Make crafts and use them to decorate your home. The kids will be so pleased to see their art work cascading the hallways.
- Track Santa’s sleigh! Use this as a lesson to teach about geography as you track his journey.
- Of course Santa needs his cookies and milk but don’t forget about the reindeer! Leave them some carrots and water or a mixture of oatmeal and sprinkles all around the yard. Parents, don’t forget to leave sparkly red and green glitter for the kids to find the next day.
- Make gingerbread houses and decorate cookies. Be as fun and silly as you want. These are memory making times so get your childhood spirit back.
- Don’t use the DVR or rent a movie. Make it exciting to get ready and watch all the holiday specials when they are actually on live TV. Run to the bathroom, refill the popcorn bowl and get more drinks during the commercials!
- Go caroling! This isn’t my personal favorite, but I love to watch carolers.
- Pick a theme or color each year to decorate the tree and wrap the presents.
- Hang mistletoe. I love sneaking a kiss and hearing my girls giggle wildly. I did the same thing at their age, watching my parents or aunts and uncles kiss. I also loved dodging all the relatives trying to kiss me as a little girl.
- Pick out a tree together. I love doing this and I know my husband secretly loves holding up each tree and turning it around as we decide if it’s the perfect fit. Or find a tree farm that you can adventure around together, maybe even cut down your own tree!
- Be together. Shut it all off and be together; computers, phones, cable, whatever. Don’t let the madness of the holidays steal yet another moment from your family.
- Work as a team to create a silly family version of the Twelve Days of Christmas to sing.
- Pick a night and make it family wrap night. Gather all the gifts, holiday cards and wrappings and get to it! Be creative and have fun with a fire roaring and music playing.
- Find the perfect recipe to turn into a family recipe and make it together every year and pass along the recipe for future generations.
- See a local production of the Nutcracker or any other holiday show. You’re supporting the local theater and introducing your kids to the arts.
The holidays are stressful so don’t try to make them Pinterest perfect, just make them family perfect. Please feel free to share and add any traditions you think we may enjoy. Have a wonderful and safe holiday!!
Kerry Bergeman is the founder and the mastermind behind New2Two.com peek at my life as a Mother of fraternal AND identical twins! Kerry is a full-time stay at home mother of six year old fraternal twin girls and one year old identical twin girls. She also teaches part-time at the local community college and runs Mommies of Multiples on Facebook (a group dedicated to helping moms of multiples with their daily questions and concerns). Her blog, New2Two is about life with twins, dealing with infertility, raising awareness for bully prevention and the challenges of having a daughter with a severe intolerance to dairy. What does she do on her time off? She is the Brand Ambassador of the Twingaroo twin carrier- the first and only ergonomic twin carrier that features a built in diaper bag (yes, that’s her on the box)! She sells Usborne Books to help encourage all to read! She’s bringing the book back one kid at a time!
