Christmas is the most magical month of the year, and a time for celebrating and taking part in some of the most long-standing traditions in the world.
From decorating a Christmas tree and hanging up stockings, to baking mince pies and singing Christmas carols, there are lots of ancient customs and traditions still practised today.
While these are all sure-fire ways to get in the Christmas spirit, starting your own festive traditions as a family can be a far more rewarding and meaningful way to celebrate Christmas. Continue reading for great ideas and inspiration on fun family traditions that you can pass down the generations…
Personalised Christmas Cards
Share your love at Christmas by sending friends and family a personalised Christmas card. Gather your family around for a festive-themed photo – the cat and hamster included – and choose your best shot for printing.
You can buy special photo cards decorated with a Christmas design, or you can opt for plain ones so you and kids can personalise them at home. Use glitter, Christmas stickers and colouring pens to jazz them up and then pop your festive family photo inside.
Start a Christmas Activity Calendar
Advent (which means ‘Coming’ in Latin) is an exciting time as it marks the countdown to Christmas Day. While we’re all usually tucking into a chocolate advent calendar, you can make this tradition even more special by adding fun festive activities to the mix. Choosing an advent calendar with drawers or pockets allows you to include a little activity that the whole family can do together to fully appreciate the meaning of Christmas. Check out our blog on 5 Christmas Craft Activities for Kids for inspiration.
Great examples include:
• Colour Christmas pictures
• Bake and decorate ginger bread biscuits
• Drink hot chocolate with marshmallows
• Take a drive to see the local Christmas lights
Take Part in Christmas Jumper Day
December 18th marks #XmasJumperDay, a very special occasion dedicated to raising money for charities such as Save The Children and the Make A Wish Foundation. If you’re partial to dressing up in your favourite festive-themed jumper, why not get the whole family involved this year so you can all make some worthwhile donations?
Make a Christmas Eve Box
The night before Christmas is full of excitement and anticipation as families put in place the final preparations for Christmas Day. To help set the stage for a lovely Christmas, a Christmas Eve Box is a wonderful idea, which you can fill with a few little gifts and maybe even a letter from Santa as a finishing touch. Great gift ideas include Christmas-themed pyjamas for a cosy night, Christmas movies and a special hot chocolate mix for a warm treat before bed.
Let the Kids Choose One New Special Ornament for the Tree
Decorating the Christmas tree is a wonderful activity that brings families together. While your kids may be drawn to the tackiest ornaments that may not look great on your tree, the sentimental value of letting them choose is definitely worth it. Over the years, this activity will help them build up a whole host of memories that will be carried through to adulthood. A small price to pay for a few mismatching ornaments.
Have you got any special family Christmas traditions you’d like to share? Tell us on our Facebook page.
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