8 Fun Christmas Traditions to Start with Your Kids This Year
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The holidays are the perfect time to create lasting memories and new Christmas traditions with your family. If you’re a mom looking for new and exciting ways to celebrate, you’re in the right place.
From crafts to kindness, these fun ideas will bring magic and joy to your holiday season. Best of all, each idea is easy to do, family-friendly, and full of festive fun.
Whether you’re looking for a Christmas activity for kids, inspiration for holiday traditions, or want to make Christmas for kids feel extra special, these ideas will help you create a season your family will never forget.
1. Homemade Christmas Ornament Night
Kick off the season with a creative Christmas tradition kids love—making homemade ornaments! Gather simple supplies like clear ornaments, paint, glitter, and ribbon, and let your kids design decorations for the tree.
This Christmas activity for kids not only gets their creativity going but also provides keepsakes that you’ll treasure year after year.
It’s not something that has to be expensive. You can try making salt dough ornaments, paper snowflakes, or using craft kits.
Every year when you hang them on the tree, you’ll be reminded of the joy of past seasons. I don’t know about you, but thinking about having a Christmas tree decorated with their crafts as they get older makes my heart happy!
2. 24 Days of Christmas Books
Build anticipation with a cozy holiday tradition: the 24 Days of Christmas Books. My kids absolutely love reading, so this one is a winner for them.
This one sounds expensive, but you don’t have to buy all new books. They can be new, but you can consider secondhand, from the library, or even from your own shelf.
Wrap 24 books and let your kids open one each night in December. This Christmas tradition with kids turns storytime into a magical countdown to Christmas morning.
It’s a fun way to encourage reading, cuddle together as a family, and enjoy the spirit of Christmas kids love most—wonder and excitement.
3. Christmas Movie Marathon
Nothing says Christmas joy like a holiday movie night!
Pick a day (or spread it out over the month) for a Christmas movie marathon. Classic favorites like Home Alone, The Polar Express, and Elf are perfect Christmas traditions for kids.
We also enjoy watching some of our favorite Christmas shows from our childhood, such as the original Grinch, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, or A Garfield Christmas.
These have been especially good for our kids while they’re younger. We try to limit screen time, but these are short and fit within our usual limits easily.
Add some popcorn, hot chocolate, and blankets, and you’ve got an instant family Christmas tradition.
Want to make it extra fun? Create “movie tickets” for the kids to redeem, or have everyone wear matching holiday pajamas!
4. Driving Around to See Christmas Lights
Sometimes the simplest Christmas traditions are the most magical. This is something we started doing with my oldest son when he was pretty young.
I love looking at Christmas lights, and he shares that love with me. If we’re in the car and it’s even just starting to get dark, he’ll ask to look for Christmas lights.
Pile everyone into the car, grab some hot cocoa to go, and drive around town looking at Christmas lights. This is a perfect Christmas activity for kids of all ages, and it’s a great way to spend time together.
Make it extra fun by letting each child vote on their favorite display or playing Christmas music while you drive. It’s an easy, low-stress way to add wonder to Christmas for kids.
And if the gas is a concern, you can always take a walk around your neighborhood and check out the lights on foot!
5. Letters to Santa Claus
Writing letters to Santa never goes out of style.
This Christmas tradition kids adore helps them practice writing while also adding to the holiday magic. My older son just started kindergarten, so he’s pretty keen to write things now (I got the BEST handwritten birthday card from him this year!)
Younger kids can draw pictures, while older children can write out their wish lists and share their hopes for the season.
Save the letters each year—you’ll be amazed at how quickly your Christmas kids grow and how their wishes change. This holiday tradition is both meaningful and fun!
6. Christmas Dance Party to Christmas Music
Who says Christmas traditions with kids have to be serious? Turn up the holiday playlist and throw a Christmas dance party right in your living room.
This is something we do the whole Christmas season in our house. I’ve made my own Christmas music playlist that we listen to on repeat until the new year.
My oldest son loves all things Christmas, so we’re constantly dancing to Christmas music.
Dancing to Christmas music is a great way to let kids burn off energy, create laughter, and add some silly joy to the season.
Add glow sticks, twinkle lights, or even a bubble machine for an extra magical touch.
7. Random Acts of Kindness Christmas Countdown
Teaching kids about kindness is one of the best holiday traditions you can start. Create a countdown where each day in December, your family does an act of kindness.
It doesn’t have to be a big gesture every day (though you can do those too), it could be baking cookies for neighbors, donating toys, or leaving a kind note for someone.
This is one of those Christmas traditions for kids that grows with them, turning the season into more than just presents. Have them help you come up with the acts of kindness you’d like to try.
You can plan them out on specific days, or if you’re able to be flexible, put the acts of kindness in a jar and choose one at random every day.
It’s about giving back and living the true spirit of Christmas, which kids can understand in a hands-on way.
8. Christmas Morning Pajama Tradition
Every year, give your Christmas kids new pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve. Then, wake up in matching pajamas for Christmas morning photos.
This simple Christmas tradition with kids makes Christmas morning extra cozy and gives you adorable family photos you’ll cherish forever.
This is easily tied in with doing your own DIY Christmas Eve box, which makes planning for that much easier.
It’s one of those easy Christmas activities preschool and older kids alike will look forward to every year.
Make This Christmas Magical
Starting new Christmas traditions with kids doesn’t have to be complicated. From crafts and books to lights and kindness, these ideas are fun, meaningful, and easy to incorporate into your holiday traditions.
Whether you’re dancing in the living room, baking cookies, or snuggling up with Christmas books, these Christmas traditions for kids will create memories that last long after the tree is taken down.
This season, say yes to laughter, connection, and joy. Pick one or two new traditions to try and watch how they transform Christmas for kids into something magical!
