Looking for Christmas traditions to start this year? Here are some ideas:
Start a movie tradition on Christmas Eve. Children are usually excited and jittery on Christmas Eve, because they can’t wait to open up their presents in the morning. Parents can help their children relax by wrapping up a DVD each year for the children to open on Christmas Eve. During the day, bake Christmas cookies and enjoy them during the movie in the evening.
Spend Christmas Eve under the tree. Have a picnic next to your Christmas tree. Get cold cuts, cheese, bread, condiments, and sparkling apple cider at the grocery store. Put the food out on nice holiday platters and lay out a blanket next to the tree. Enjoy a simple dinner next to the Christmas tree as a family. This is something fun that children will love.
Bake Christmas cookies and deliver them to neighbors as a family. Teach your children to give to others and inspire the idea of giving with your neighbors by giving them each a container of cookies. Save money by purchasing decorative containers at the dollar store.
Open one present on Christmas Eve. Allow each person in the family to open one present of their choice on Christmas Eve. This will allow the children to have something to play with that night to distract them from the anticipation of the next morning.
Put together a puzzle. Get a thousand-piece puzzle to start at the beginning of December and try to finish it before Christmas morning. Work on it together each Sunday night after having a family dinner.
Make breakfast together on Christmas morning. Elongate the Christmas experience by having the children help make breakfast on Christmas morning. Wait to open up the presents after breakfast is finished. Cinnamon rolls baking in the oven will make the entire house smell festive.
Take turns opening presents. Teach the children patience and extend the pleasure of opening presents by taking turns opening each one. Start with the youngest and work toward the oldest in the family. Have each family member guess what the present is before they open it.
Skip the presents. Instead of giving each other presents, each person can give a specific amount of money to a charity in the name of another family member. Pick a charity that would be important to that person. If the person has three dogs, give the money to a local animal shelter. If the person read to children at the local library, give to a literacy program.
Take a trip. When the children get older and presents aren't as important, forgo the presents for a family vacation. Let everyone nominate a place for the vacation and take a vote. Get out of the snow and into the sun.
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