Each and every family has their own Christmas traditions that they do year in, year out. Some may be free activities, some may cost the earth – but they all mean something to that particular family.
When you have just started your very own family, you may be looking to start your own Christmas tradition with the kids but you might be struggling for ideas. Here are fifteen inexpensive Christmas traditions that you can try.
Choosing a new decoration for the tree
This is very inexpensive but can mean so much when you look back over the years. Buying a special Christmas tree decoration every year for the tree is a wonderful tradition to have and in twenty years time, you will be able to look back at twenty years of decorations with fond memories.
Make some festive cookies
There’s a reason you see certain types of cookies at this time of year – they’re just ever so popular. Making some cookies together as a family is a wonderful tradition to have.
Seek out the local Christmas lights
Many houses will put up some form of Christmas lights outside their houses but often you will get houses who go all out. These are usually free to go and view although some may be collecting money for charity so a donation wouldn’t go amiss.
Visit Santa
Santa seems to get everywhere during December – not only is he busy in the North Pole getting ready for Christmas but he manages to appear at schools, in shopping centres and various other places in his grotto just so he gets the chance to chat to the children and see what they are wishing for this year. Why not take your kids along to see him? We took the kids to York this year and saw him there!
Help decorate a community Christmas tree
This might not happen in your area but many areas are starting to see community Christmas trees and the local council encouraging the community to get together and decorate it. This is a great way to get to know others in your area and brings a real feel of community spirit.
Put out some reindoor food for Santa’s reindeer
We often leave Santa some food and a drink and maybe one carrot for the reindeer but there are nine reindeer to think about so why not consider sprinkling some reindeer food on your front lawn with the kids on the Christmas Eve so all the reindeer get to indulge?
Watch your favourite Christmas movies
We all have our favourite festive themed films and we’d be lying if we said we didn’t watch them over and over again, year in and year out. Why not make a tradition of it – that the whole family gets together to watch those fantastic films one time a year?
Read some Christmas stories
If your child is fairly young, they will probably appreciate a festive story. Choose an age appropriate book each year and read it to them on Christmas Eve before they go to sleep, waiting for Santa.
Send a letter to Santa
This can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you like. You could get them to write one to Santa and then write a reply yourself, you could use something like we have in the UK with the Royal Mail which is the simple cost of a stamp or you could use one of the many services available who offer this to get a reply. Either way this is a wonderful tradition that the kids will definitely enjoy.
Visit a local show
Whether there is a school nativity, community panto or even a pantomime the next town along, there are plenty of festive shows on for families at this time of year. Tickets are usually quite inexpensive – and sometimes may even go free. Keep an eye on your local community pages for competitions or people giving theirs away because they can no longer attend!
Make a gingerbread house
It can be quite stressful to get it just right but kids love making gingerbread houses at Christmas time.
See Santa come round
This doesn’t happen in every area, I know that, but if you are lucky enough to be in an area where it does happen, be sure to head outside and catch him. Many local charities will have Santa going round on his sleigh, waving and chatting to little children and collecting money for them as he goes with the help of his little elves.
Make your own Christmas ornaments
The chances are your child will come back from preschool or school with something they’ve made but why not make some of your own at home too? They will always have a special meaning because of the effort the kids put into them.
Have a board game marathon
When you are spending a lot of time with family, you won’t necessarily be doing much of what you usually do. That means no phones or other electronic devices – sit down together and have a board game marathon and see who emerges victorious at the end.
And finally…
Why not track Santa on Christmas Eve?
Did you know that there were websites that track Santa for you? Why not sit the kids down with a cup of hot cocoa just before bedtime and see where he is? Then they know to settle down and go to sleep so that he can arrive and deliver their presents.
What family traditions do you have at Christmas time?
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