Read the sequence from the top before cutting, painting, or moving pieces.
Holiday traditions seem to be the glue that keeps families going throughout all the hectic hustle and bustle of a crazy season. With all the kids’ concerts, work parties, classroom celebrations – not to mention the loudly calling Christmas commercials and brightly colored catalogs – sometimes the holidays can seem more frazzled than merry. If you want to incorporate some new holiday traditions that will keep your family focused on what’s important this year, here’re some options to help you out!
50+ NEW Holiday Traditions to Start This Year
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Foodie Traditions
Creating Gingerbread Houses (and free Gingerbread House template!) // Bekob
Gingerbread houses can be sort of intimidating, but they don’t have to be! Especially if you use a store-bought kit. The recipe shared here is really straightforward, though. The kids will love popping candy off their houses to munch on!
Gingerbread Houses, Tips and Tricks // Bekob
And get even more tips and tricks for gingerbread houses here!
Build a Gingerbread Nativity // Bright Green Door
A cute variation on the gingerbread house theme is to create gingerbread nativities instead!
Spritz Cookies // Delineate Your Dwelling
Lots of people have special cookies they create only around Christmas. Spritz cookies are a common traditional recipe to try out.
Christmas Cookie Swap // Daily Handmade Life
Or you could host a cookie swap! Bake half as much and double your cookies!
Holiday Cookie Baking (recipes you’ll love) // Tidy Mom
Get tons of traditional Christmas cookie recipes here. So many to choose from – you might have to make them all!
Sugared Nuts (and free printable) // Design Dazzle
Here’s a fun treat to take to your holiday parties – sugared nuts! A unique substitute for cookies.
Chocolate Toffee Crunch Popcorn // Lovely Etc.
Or try this delicious alternative to caramel corn.
Christmas Grenadine Italian Soda // Tips From a Typical Mom
And if you hate eggnog, you can always opt for a fizzy cherry flavored sweet beverage like this!
Mocha Punch // An Alli Event
Or a batch of yummy punch people will beg for year after year.
Mint Malt Crockpot Hot Chocolate // Tips From a Typical Mom
If it’s cold out, you might prefer some hot chocolate instead. Try this tempting recipe on a cold Christmas Eve night.
Norwegian Pancakes for Christmas Morning // One Good Thing
It’s fun to have a special breakfast on Christmas morning. These pancakes look a lot like crepes and sound delicious.
Christmas Eggs // An Oregon Cottage
Or keep things savory with a batch of scrumptious Christmas eggs – a scrambled egg bake that’s straightforward to make and looks great, too.
Christmas Wontons // Rae Gun Ramblings
These Christmas wontons sound so yummy, I’d be tempted to make them all year long.
Next up, MORE Holiday Traditions to try this year –>
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More great Christmas options:
Holiday traditions seem to be the glue that keeps families going throughout all the hectic hustle and bustle of a crazy season. With all the kids’ concerts, work parties, classroom celebrations – not to mention the loudly calling Christmas commercials and brightly colored catalogs – sometimes the holidays can seem more frazzled than merry. If you want to incorporate some new holiday traditions that will keep your family focused on what’s important this year, here’re some options to help you out!
50+ NEW Holiday Traditions to Start This Year
In this post:
Page 1 // Page 2 // Page 3 // Page 4
Decor Traditions
Santa’s Magic Key // Morena’s Corner
If your kids are worried about a lack of chimney for Santa, make a magic key to hang on the door.
Make your own Tree Ornaments // Organize and Decorate Everything
Get the whole family in on ornament making!
Jesse Tree Tradition // I Should Be Mopping the Floor
The Jesse tree is a historical tradition from long ago that involves hanging ornaments daily that tell the story of the birth of Christ.
Kid’s Christmas Tree // Overstuffed
If you’ve got so many handmade, school-made, church-made ornaments from your kids you simply don’t know what to do with them all, this is the tradition for you!
Christmas Piñatas // Apartment Therapy
Piñatas began in Mexico with the melding of ancient Aztec and Christian religious traditions. Traditionally, piñatas were always 7 point stars as a religious symbol, but they’ve evolved into the birthday custom you see so often today. Try incorporating a tradition from another culture into your holiday!
Decorate, Inside and Out // An Oregon Cottage
Decorating the house together – trimming the tree, adding fun touches to the windows and mantel, even decorating outside – is a great way to get into the spirit of the holidays.
Keepsake Ornament Collections // Happily Ever After Etc.
Setting out the same well-loved ornaments year after year is a fun bonding experience, and becomes rather nostalgic as you get older.
Pickle Game // My Soulful Home
Many think this game originated in Germany, though it’s hard to verify. Even if it didn’t, the option is fun and kids will love it – just hide a pickle shaped ornament among the evergreen branches and let everyone search (eyes only). Winner gets a special prize!
Next up, MORE Holiday Traditions to try this year –>
In this post:
Page 1 // Page 2 // Page 3 // Page 4
More great Christmas options:
Holiday traditions seem to be the glue that keeps families going throughout all the hectic hustle and bustle of a crazy season. With all the kids’ concerts, work parties, classroom celebrations – not to mention the loudly calling Christmas commercials and brightly colored catalogs – sometimes the holidays can seem more frazzled than merry. If you want to incorporate some new holiday traditions that will keep your family focused on what’s important this year, here’re some options to help you out!
50+ NEW Holiday Traditions to Start This Year
In this post:
Page 1 // Page 2 // Page 3 // Page 4
Gift-able Traditions
Two Ways to Secret Santa // Lolly Jane
You’ve probably heard of Secret Santa before, but here are two fun versions you’ll love – one for extended family members and one for siblings.
Classic Cards, Made Joyful // Bright Green Door
Make your classic, snail-mail Christmas Cards cute and fun, and add your personality.
Santa Sack // Design Dazzle
In Australia, Santa doesn’t typically wrap presents. He leaves them in a Santa sack!
Homemade Gifts and other Gift-Giving Traditions // Polka-Dot Poplars
Some very clever options for gift giving among family members – from handmade gifts from little ones, to taking the kids on a shopping “date” to buy gifts for each other.
Christmas Scavenger Hunt // Stuffed Suitcase
Use a scavenger hunt of clues to lead your kids to their Christmas gift.
The Night Before Christmas Box // Oh My! Creative
Here’s a fun Christmas Eve night tradition – pack up a box to open before Christmas. It can include all sorts of fun goodies they can use RIGHT THEN.
Christmas PJ’s // Tips From a Typical Mom
Get the whole family matching PJ’s and have them open them and wear them on Christmas Eve!
Christmas PJ Silly Photo // Design Dazzle
This family takes the Christmas PJ’s a step further and takes silly photos while wearing their PJ’s!
Christmas Socks (and other fun options) // Overstuffed
And if you’re not sold on the PJ option, you could get fun Christmas socks instead!
Next up, MORE Holiday Traditions to try this year –>
In this post:
Page 1 // Page 2 // Page 3 // Page 4
More great Christmas options:
Holiday traditions seem to be the glue that keeps families going throughout all the hectic hustle and bustle of a crazy season. With all the kids’ concerts, work parties, classroom celebrations – not to mention the loudly calling Christmas commercials and brightly colored catalogs – sometimes the holidays can seem more frazzled than merry. If you want to incorporate some new holiday traditions that will keep your family focused on what’s important this year, here’re some options to help you out!
50+ NEW Holiday Traditions to Start This Year
In this post:
Page 1 // Page 2 // Page 3 // Page 4
Activity Traditions
Good Deed Countdown // Happier Homemaker
Advents are a pretty typical Christmas activity, but this one has a twist. Instead of candy or even fun activities to do together, there are options for straightforward, random acts of kindness everyone in the family can do – one for each day leading up to Christmas!
Scripture Advent Tree // Craftivity Designs
Put your advent right on your tree – it’s not so straightforward to lose track of it then! The tags on this tree have scriptures to read – they tell the story of Christ’s birth.
Lighting the Advent Wreath // Mom’s Party Cafe
Lighting a traditional advent wreath is a fantastic option if you want to make your holiday celebrations more centered around Christ. The colors of the candles each have meanings and there are themes associated with each week.
Countdown by Reading Christmas Books // Kenarry
This countdown is one the kids will love – a different Christmas story every night!
Christmas Break Getaway // Knick of Time
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle, consider taking a getaway during Christmas break!
Christmas Lights Bingo (and free printable) // Salvage Sister & Mister
If you drive around looking at Christmas lights each year, it’s time to step up your game – use the free printable for Christmas lights bingo!
Birthday Party for Jesus (and 7 other options!) // Bekob
Host a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas night as festivities are winding down. Have a birthday cake and “give gifts” to Christ (which can be as straightforward as writing a Christ-centered goal down and keeping it all year to remember).
Santa Footprints // Designer Trapped
Another cute option is to leave “bootprints” in fake snow leading from the door or fireplace to the plate of cookies your kids set out!
An Elf Breakfast // House of Hargrove
Even if you don’t do Elf on the Shelf, this is a cute option. This family does an elf breakfast (which is entirely sugary and unhealthy!) to kick off the season on December 1. You could incorporate watching the movie Elf instead of using the Elf on the Shelf doll. And if you DO use Elf on the Shelf, be sure to invite him to breakfast!
Holiday Scrapbook Pages // My Breezy Room
Each year, add a fun holiday themed scrapbook page to a binder. In just a few years, it’ll be something the kids (and other family members) will love looking back on.
Set Up a Seasonal Hot Cocoa Bar // Mountain Modern Life
Instead of one little treat of hot cocoa, set up a hot cocoa bar all December long!
Make Reindeer Dust // One Thrifty Chick
Make a tasty treat you can sprinkle in your yard to guide Santa’s buddies to your house!
Simmer Some Citrus Potpurri // Meegan Makes
This clearly straightforward simmering potpourri smells so much like the holidays! And it makes a great gift, too.
Christmas Eve Indoor Picnic // Tips From a Typical Mom
Set up a fun Christmas Eve dinner on a blanket and have a picnic inside! You could even watch a Christmas movie while you eat.
Live Nativity Reenactment // Home Stories A to Z
If you’ve got enough willing participants, acting out the nativity story on Christmas Eve is a good way to remember the meaning of Christmas.
Christmas Eve Crazy Talent Show // Eighteen 25
Or, instead of acting out the nativity, you can host a crazy talent show!
What are some of your more unique holiday traditions?
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More great Christmas options:
