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Every family has their own Christmas traditions. These may change once you have children because having a boozy Christmas eve or a lazy Christmas morning is just the sort of thing you don’t do when you have kids.
Updated for 2020
I suggest you plan and keep track of what you need to in the run up to Christmas, that way you can make sure you always stick to your Christmas traditions.
With 20 different pages in my free Christmas planner, there are sure to be multiple pages that you will find extra handy this year. If you like the look of some of these Christmas traditions, then there is a handy page in this planner to make a note of them to keep them safe among Elf on the Shelf calendars and gift list templates. The Ultimate Christmas Planner is completely free for you to download. Just click the image below.
Festive Child-Friendly Christmas Traditions
Hot chocolate Christmas movie night
This is perfect if you have young children. Makeup mugs of hot chocolate with whipped cream, marshmallows and candy canes on a Friday evening to enjoy while you watch Christmas films. My favourite is Elf! Here is a fab hot chocolate idea.
Christmas eve box
This could be an extra present from father Christmas or from mum and dad. A new pair of pyjamas, a new Christmas book to read at bedtime, a new Christmas film and some popcorn. The perfect recipe for a relaxed Christmas eve when excitement levels are at there peak. I bought this box.
Make gingerbread men on Christmas Eve
Make some gingerbread men and gingerbread carrots then ice them on Christmas eve day. This will help to occupy the kids and stop them driving you insane with their extreme excitement throughout the day. You can then leave one for Father Christmas and a carrot one for Rudolph that night.
Visit Father Christmas
Lots of places have a Santa’s grotto. Be sure to check that you don’t need to buy tickets in advance if you plan on going to one. This year we are headed to Perrywoods Garden Centre in Tiptree. They also have AMAZING Christmas displays, gifts and decorations. This is something my mum and I do every year.
Look at the Christmas lights around your town
You could take a stroll or go in the car if the weather is bad. Mark each house out of 10 as you go and pick your favourite.
Write a letter to Father Christmas
Children love to do this. It also gives parents a good idea of what children would really like for Christmas. I have found some great templates for you to use. Just click above to start these Christmas traditions.
Make Handmade ornaments
I wrote a whole post on different ideas to make with your little ones (click above). They will love being able to hang them on the tree afterwards
Make a Christmas Playlist you play every year
Throughout December I constantly have Christmas music playing. I use Spotify to do this, and cannot wait to create a new one this year to dance around the house too with my toddler.
Elf on the Shelf
Take a look at my post of ideas for busy mums. Also don’t forget that I have included a dedicated Elf on the Shelf Calendar in my free Christmas planner, which you can download below. This will make sure that you have every night planned. Last year I ran out of ideas so my Elf didn’t move for a few days. DOH! Don’t have your elf yet? Don’t panic! You can grab one here.
Make family Christmas cards
This can be as simple as letting your kids loose with the glitter or creating cards with their footprints on to send to your family so they double up as a keepsake as well.
Those are my 10 Christmas Traditions that I am gifting to you this year.
Save these for later, when you need to write them down on your Christmas traditions page of the planner.