Christmas Traditions for Kids to Enjoy Every Year

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The holidays can sometimes be overwhelming. The gift purchasing, the parties, the baking, the list goes on. And if you’re like me you’re just trying to be a good mom and make memories with your kids. These are simple Christmas traditions for kids that you can start today! Just pick and choose what works best in the season your family is in! It’s the perfect time to slow down and focus on family time. Making memories that will last long past Christmas day. This is the time of year when creating fun Christmas traditions can make your entire family feel the holiday spirit and embrace the true meaning of Christmas. Whether it’s a quiet night reading a Christmas book together or singing Christmas carols while decorating. There are so many fun ideas to bring everyone together.

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Books for Advent

This year is our first year for using books as an Advent countdown. I used books we already had and also purchased new ones. We wrapped them in wrapping paper and labeled them. One for each day of the Advent season. We put them all in a basket next to our Christmas tree. Every night the kids take turns and open one book a night and one of us reads the book out loud.

This truly is so easy and simple, but the excitement it brings is pure joy to watch! A book Advent calendar is such a meaningful way to highlight the true meaning of Christmas and focus on baby Jesus each night. This tradition can be enjoyed by the whole family. It’s one of the best ways to incorporate daily family time during the festive season. We’ve noticed the kids love guessing which Christmas story they will get next, and it really adds to the holiday spirit.

Scripture Christmas Countdown

One of my favorite new traditions is our Scripture Christmas Countdown! Each day, we read a short passage or verse that points to the true meaning of Christmas. This helps the whole family reflect on the birth of Jesus during this festive season. I created a special printable that makes it easy to follow along, with a fun, visual element for little kids to mark off each day. It’s such a meaningful way to start Christmas morning or a cozy evening together. Also, pairs beautifully with family time activities like reading a Christmas story or enjoying a cup of hot chocolate. You can check out my full Scripture Christmas Countdown blog post to grab the printable and get step-by-step ideas.

Roll Advent Candles

Years ago I had a small shop opened for beeswax products. I always had hand rolled beeswax candles available during the Advent season. So now instead of me rolling the candles, the kids do! We gather around our kitchen table and we roll all four of our Advent beeswax candles. This is a perfect time to talk about family Christmas traditions from the past year and to reflect on the meaning of Christmas together. Even large families can enjoy this as it’s an activity that involves everyone working side by side. The scent of the candles, the gentle rhythm of rolling, and the anticipation of lighting them each Sunday adds so much warmth and a festive feel to our home. It’s a simple, fun way to celebrate all December long.

Advent Study Guide

This year, I’m especially excited because we’ll be using my Advent Study Guide. I created it as part of our winter homeschool rhythm. I designed it to be simple, meaningful, and easy for families to walk through. It can be used during your homeschool mornings like we plan to. But if you don’t homeschool save it for cozy evenings together as a family.

The study is completely laid out for you, with minimal supplies needed. Think construction paper, a few recipe ingredients, and basic craft materials. The study is laid out for three weeks leading up to Christmas. It includes a Scripture reading, a hymn, poetry, picture study, a read-aloud suggestion, and a simple handicraft or activity. And if you ever feel like it’s too much for a busy season, you can easily pick and choose the parts that serve your family best. The read-aloud book list alone is such a gift during the holidays.

Creating this guide was my way of helping families slow down, savor the season, and point their hearts toward Jesus. It’s a beautiful tradition to add to your Christmas rhythm—whether you’re building new memories or honoring old ones. With Scripture, stories, hymns, and hands-on activities, it’s a meaningful way to bring the true message of Christmas into your home. You can also add to your family’s holiday bucket list.

Read Jesus’ Birth

We’ve been talking about going to our barn, close to Christmas Eve, all bundled up together to read the birth of Jesus from the Bible. We’ve yet to accomplish this, but it’s on our list again for Christmas traditions with the kids this year. So pick any place you want, even if it’s just your living room and read the birth of Jesus together every year. Incorporate using a nativity too! Reading about baby Jesus is the perfect way to start your Christmas morning or any evening in the days of Christmas. It’s a wonderful way to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas with your entire family and share a special gift of faith.

One of our favorite ways to make this even more memorable is to wrap the baby Jesus from our nativity in wrapping paper until Christmas morning. Before opening any gifts, gather the family, unwrap baby Jesus, and sing “Happy Birthday” to Him. You could even celebrate with a small birthday cake! What a beautiful way to begin the morning, keeping hearts and minds focused on the true meaning of Christmas while creating a memorable family tradition. This simple act turns Christmas morning into a celebration of Jesus first, reminding little kids and adults alike that the holiday is about more than presents—it’s about love, faith, and family.

Gingerbread House

This is always a fun activity for the kids! You can buy the kits at your local store to keep things really simple. But last year we actually made our own from scratch. Believe it or not it was easy to make! And we had so much fun with it! Just use a vinyl table cloth from the dollar store and let the kids bake and decorate! Check out House of Nash Eats Gingerbread House recipe we used last year and plan to use again this year! Bonus, it comes with a free template!

Making a gingerbread house can also be a great way to teach little kids how to follow directions, measure ingredients, and use teamwork as a family. It’s a fun Christmas tradition that can easily become one of your favorite holiday traditions and a fun way to start your Christmas countdown. Plus, it pairs beautifully with some hot chocolate while you all admire your festive creation.

Christmas Movies

All of us look forward to watching our favorite Christmas movies once the season arrives! We make some popcorn, gather on the couch together, and grab our favorite cozy blankets. Add to the fun with a little hot cocoa bar and other festive snacks. If you need ideas for movies my friend, Suani, has an awesome list and a free printable with it! Watching a Christmas movie together is a perfect time to slow down, laugh as a family, and enjoy the best things about the holiday season. Make it a family game night with some trivia about the movies or a fun way to guess the next scene. It’s a great opportunity to make lasting memories and start new traditions that your little kids will remember for years to come.

Hot Cocoa and Christmas Lights

We started this Christmas tradition years ago. It always felt like one of the easier things to do with babies. We usually make a big pot of hot cocoa, store in a thermos, grab some cups and afterwards head out to some of our favorite Christmas lights. You can always stop somewhere and buy hot cocoa too. Adding marshmallows or a sprinkle of cinnamon can make it feel extra festive.

This activity is a lot of fun for the entire family, and it’s one of those fun Christmas traditions that kids and adults look forward to every year. Pair it with singing a few Christmas carols or sharing a Christmas story as you walk around your neighborhood, and it becomes one of the best ways to get into the holiday spirit. You can even make a mini holiday bucket list of lights to see each year as part of your family Christmas traditions.

Create a Family Christmas Bucket List

Another fun way to make the holiday season extra special is to create a family Christmas bucket list! This is a great opportunity to plan activities everyone can enjoy together, from decorating the tree and baking Christmas cookies to ice skating or watching a favorite Christmas movie. You can include unique Christmas traditions, homemade gifts, or even sending Christmas cards to friends and family members. It’s a lot of fun to see who can check off the most items each day leading up to Christmas, and it’s a great way to focus on family time while celebrating the true meaning of Christmas. Making a bucket list together also gives the whole family a chance to add their own ideas, creating new traditions that can become part of your own family’s holiday bucket list for years to come!

Decorate the Tree

I can’t lie, this one is hard for me. There’s always that one kid that puts all the ornaments in the same spot. But turn on some Christmas music, lay out the ornaments, and decorate your tree together! Decorating the tree is one of the best things about Christmas time, and it’s a great opportunity to let each family member express their creativity. You can make it a fun Christmas tradition with a special ornament for each child, or include homemade gifts as ornaments. Pairing it with some Christmas cookies and a hot chocolate bar makes it a lot of fun and adds to the festive season. The tree is more than decoration; it’s a centerpiece for your family Christmas traditions and a fun way to welcome the Christmas season.

Bake Cookies for Neighbors

Since we moved we’ve been making treats for our neighbors on different occasions and Christmas is for sure one of those occasions. We usually make a variety of holiday cookies, bag them in some treat bags, make handmade cards, and then hand deliver them as a family! This is a great way to help our children learn to care for others and they always have fun in the making process of the cookies and cards! You can even combine this with sending Christmas cards or giving a special gift to someone in need, like a local food bank. It’s a wonderful way to instill the holiday spirit and teach the best Christmas traditions of generosity. Plus, sharing cookies and warm drinks like hot chocolate with family members while delivering them makes it even more special.

Serving the Community During the Holidays

One of the most meaningful ways to celebrate the festive season is by serving others as a family. This could be donating to a local food bank, organizing a coat drive, or gathering homemade gifts for families in need. Even small gestures, like sending Christmas cards to local shut-ins, can make a big difference and teach little kids what Christmas is really all about. These activities are not only a great opportunity to give back, but they also create lasting family Christmas traditions that center on generosity, kindness, and the holiday spirit.

Incorporating service into your holiday routine is a fun way to involve the entire family, whether it’s preparing boxes of food, writing heartfelt notes, or wrapping gifts. It’s one of the best ways to model the importance of helping others and can become a unique Christmas tradition your own family looks forward to every year. Plus, pairing these activities with a family game night, Christmas cookies, or even a small Christmas movie afterwards can make giving back a lot of fun while keeping the whole family engaged in the festive season.

Family Cookie Recipe

Around the holidays we would get together with my Grammy and her sisters to recreate their family’s cookies. Their parents came over from Italy and one of the traditional cookies is a Pizzelle. Some of my great aunt’s have now passed away, but the kids remember making these cookies every year. Whether we can still get several of us together or if it’s just my mom and kids this is still a fun tradition.

So get that old family recipe out and get to cooking or baking. If you don’t have one, just find a favorite recipe and make it together every year! The memories made in the kitchen are priceless. This is one of the best ways to incorporate family Christmas traditions and keep a connection to past year memories alive. It’s a fun Christmas tradition that brings the entire family together and can be a perfect time to tell stories from your own family history.

Make a Goody Station for Delivery Truck Drivers

The last few years, especially in 2020 we had so many deliveries. One of my friends’ husband is actually a delivery truck driver. She’s told me about how busy he is during the holiday season and he often has to work late. I can’t change his work hours, but this is such an easy way and just a little bit more special than saying thank you for all they do.

Most of the time we’re home and we see them pull in and the kids run to grab a bag and wish them a, “Merry Christmas!” So it’s just a great way to bring your family together to do something nice for someone else and to share joy! I have a free printable that you can hang with your goody station outside along with tags you can attach to each bag. Just hit the download button below. Another easy way to teach children that the holiday spirit is about more than gifts. It’s a fun way to start new traditions and make the festive season memorable for everyone.

Family Game Night

One of our favorite ways to spend family time during the holidays is a family game night. Playing board games or card games together is a fun way to bond and create lasting memories during the holiday season. We love classics like checkers, chess, Farkle, Yahtzee, Scattergories, regular playing cards, Uno, and Phase 10.

Family game nights are not only a lot of fun, but they’re also one of the best ways to keep the whole family engaged, from little kids to adults. You can even tie it into your holiday bucket list or make it a recurring Christmas tradition—something everyone looks forward to each year. Pair it with a cozy cup of hot chocolate, a few Christmas cookies, and maybe even some Christmas carols in the background, and it becomes the perfect way to celebrate and enjoy family time together.

Make Ornaments

There are so many options for making handmade ornaments with the kids! This year or it maybe next year I want to try to make salt dough ornaments with the kids’ handprints! How fun would it be to do something like that every year and see the difference! But you could also just use different craft supplies and let the kids use their imagination. Another option is to use the air dry clay and let them mold or stamp it. There’s always the classic dried orange garland that is beautiful too! These ornaments can also be incorporated into a nativity scene display, or made as homemade gifts to give to family members.

Christmas Pajamas and Cozy Mornings

Another simple yet fun tradition is picking out special Christmas pajamas for the whole family to wear on Christmas morning. It’s such a fun way to build excitement for the day and makes Christmas morning extra cozy and memorable, especially for little kids. Pair your new pajamas with a stack of Christmas books and a warm cup of hot chocolate. This is one of those fun Christmas traditions that can easily become part of your own family’s holiday routine every year. Whether you’re opening gifts, sharing Christmas cookies, or watching a favorite Christmas movie, matching pajamas create a festive atmosphere. It’s a great opportunity to capture photos, create memories, and enjoy family time during the holidays.

Well I hope this gave you some ideas if you’re wanting to start some simple Christmas traditions for your kids! Remember, you don’t have to do them all! Just start with 1 or 2. And I’d love to hear your favorite Christmas traditions you do with your kids, just leave me a comment below! There are so many fun Christmas traditions to enjoy, from sending Christmas cards and ice skating to making homemade gifts or a birthday cake for Jesus! The holiday season is a great opportunity to make the most of family time, enjoy festive foods like Christmas cookies, a special Christmas dinner, and embrace the best things about Christmas time together. Whether it’s a board game, a family game night, or reading Christmas stories aloud, there are countless fun ideas and unique Christmas traditions to make this season full of joy, laughter, and love.