Family Activities: Fun Ways to Celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

mom • education • family fun • family fun-traditions

by Mom It Forward on December 18th, 2011 | No Comments »

There is so much to do this time of year, as you all know. Whether Christmas means watching A Christmas Story, baking, or helping at the food bank, there are so many ways to connect with others and celebrate time together. If you don't have enough plans already, consider doing a few of these activities with your family on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

10 Tips for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Activities

These ideas were suggested by tweeters at a PBS Kids Curious George-sponsored MomItForward Twitter Girls' Night Out party:

Make simple ornaments out of recycled products. @NoFlashCards says making lid ornaments is one of her favorites. She's also made advent calendars out of baby wipe lids. Similarly, after opening gifts, you can keep boxes and other material to build a spaceship or playhouse. Decorate with old wrapping paper.
Make thank you notes for gifts to relatives with your kids. Check out PBS' card maker e-card ideas or SplitCoastStampers.com.
Write an annual letter to your child, maybe filled with observations about the past year and hopes for his or her future, suggests @PBSKids.
Make marshmallow snowmen, suggests @GoGrahamGo.
Have the kids make napkin holders. @GoGrahamGo posted a free printable DIY holder that you can personalize with your child's face.
Make Santa pancakes Christmas morning. Here's a Curious George version.
Play Grinch Christmas Bingo, suggested by @WonderForge.
Make treats. @MinkyMoo provides this recipe for Chocolate & Salted Caramel Mug Cake and @GoGrahamGo provides one for Great Grandma's Potato Candy.
Take treats to neighbors. @RedRover raves about making four different kinds of Greek cookies and taking them around: Koulourikia, kourabiedes, baklava, and loukoumathes. She says, "They'll change your world!"
Put together a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child.

Whatever you do for Christmas, particularly in the way of traditions, @CrunchyConMom says, "Just pick the most important activities to you and savor them. Don't overload/overschedule!"