50 Fun Family Christmas Traditions to Enjoy Year After Year

AD. Christmas is arguably the the most wonderful time of the year. It's of course made even more special by the traditions that families share. Luckily, creating fun family Christmas traditions doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, the simplest activities become the most cherished over the years. This article is packed with 50 inspiring ideas to help you start new traditions that everyone can enjoy. So, gather your loved ones, and get ready to make memories that will warm your hearts each holiday season!

_{[Photo by Any Lane]}

50 Fun Family Christmas Traditions

1. Family Matching Pyjama Night

Assign a night in December where everyone wears family matching Christmas pajamas. Make a night of it by cosying up with movies, enjoying board games or simply putting on a festive picky tea

2. Christmas Countdown Jar

Fil a jar with 24 slips of paper, each one listing a fun family Christmas activity to complete. These could be super small, or super adventurous! Allowing each family member to take turns picking out slips will make the activity super memorable

3. Christmas Karaoke

Let loose and host a family karaoke night, packed full of your favourite festive tunes! It's a fun and silly way to get into the Christmas spirit

4. Christmas Movie Marathon

Perhaps start with a classic such as 'It's a Wonderful Life' or 'White Christmas' then let each family member pick their favourite Christmas movie to watch each weekend in December

5. Decorate a Tree of Memories

Reflect on the year gone by, by decorating a small tree with photos, momentos and ornaments collected over the year. Not only will the little people in your life enjoy this, the adults are sure to enjoy the reflection

6. Write a Family Grattitude List

Have everyone write down a few things they're grateful for. You could also include what they wish for, for the coming year too. This would be a lovely thing to reflect upon the following year.

7. Matching Christmas Shirts for Caroling

Don your matching Christmas shirts and go caroling! Stand together, united! You can sing around the house, or if you're up for it, in the neighborhood.

8. Christmas Cookie Decorating Party

Set up a decorating station with icing, sprinkles, and fun toppings, and see who can create the most festive cookie. This one is more for the kids, but I'm sure the adults will love getting involved in this one too.

9. Christmas Book Countdown

Wrap Christmas books and unwrap one each night for a bedtime story tradition. This can be done over the course of December, 24 nights in total, or perhaps as you get a little closer to the big day. A 7 day countdown is certain to up the festive fun.

_{[Photo by James Wheeler]}

10. Holiday Lights Drive

Pile everyone into the car with hot chocolates and Christmas music and take yourselves on a tour of the best neighborhood Christmas lights.

11. Elf on the Shelf Antics

Give your elf a name and hide him in funny spots or set up little scenes for the kids to come downstairs to each morning. There's SO much elf on the shelf inspiration out there now, you're certain not to struggle.

12. Christmas Craft Day

Spend an afternoon making homemade ornaments, garlands or DIY Christmas decorations.

13. Family Christmas Photoshoot

Book in with a photographer, or self shoot Christmas photos of you and your family. These can be used as Christmas cards, or just great to look back on. You could up the funny by wearing family Christmas t shirts.

14. Christmas Eve Box

Put together a Christmas Eve box with small treats, a Christmas DVD and festive PJ's for your little ones to enjoy on Christmas Eve.

15. Gingerbread House Competition

This is a great one for competitive family members. Divide into teams, pairs, or even tackle gingerbread house decorating alone. The most imaginative and unique house wins!

16. Make a Hot Chocolate Bar

Set a bit of space aside in your kitchen or dining room to put together a hot chocolate bar. Nothing is off limits here, and the more extra the better. Think syrups, marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, candy canes, sprinkles - The lot!

17. Volunteer Together

Spend a day helping others at a food bank or volunteering with a local charity. The joy of Christmas should be spread to all, and through volunteering you'll be able to achieve this with your family.

18. Christmas Tree Shopping

Be sure to make a day out of picking your Christmas tree together each year.

19. Christmas Stocking Surprise

Line your families Christmas stocking up on the fireplace. Let each family member pop a surprise into each others stocking. You could limit gift to under a certain amount of money, or size. You could even request that notes are put into each stocking, perhaps giving advice, or thanks for their support.

_{[Photo by Lea Schmer]}

20. Christmas Breakfast Feast

Christmas food shouldn't just be limited to the main dinner. Think outside the box and have a boujie festive breakfast one morning too. You could make a breakfast buffet of everyone's favourite morning meals.

21. Jigsaw Night

There's nothing more captivating yet frustrating as a jigsaw puzzle. Each year buy a new Christmas puzzle and get the family working together on it over the festive season.

22. Secret Santa Gift Exchange

Choose names for a gift exchange and set a fun theme. This could be homemade gifts, items begining with the first letter of their name or silly items that remind you of them. Have fun with this one!

23. Festive Pottery Painting

Relax and unwind in the potter's shed while painting a Christmas ornament or bauble. Get the whole family involved in creating a masterpiece that can be displayed year after year.

24. Christmas Dance Party

Crank up the Christmas party tunes and have a festive family dance off.

25. Personalised Christmas Ornaments

Take yourselves off to a makers market or garden centre on the hunt for personalised Christmas ornaments. These could be named ornaments or perhaps display milestone achievements for the year.

26. Christmas Card Crafting

Spend an evening making homemade Christmas cards to give to friends and neighbors.

27. Make Snow Angels or a Snowman

If you have snow, bundle up and play outside together. If not (I know a white Christmas is a rarity) make a “snowman” craft at home!

28. Christmas Eve Story Reading

Assign a Christmas book that should be read on Christmas Eve together. Perhaps pick something that's calming and reflective, ready for the big day.

29. Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Set up clues around the house and have your family members searching for a special Christmas prize.

_{[Photo by Arina Krasnikova]}

30. Wreath Making

Attend a Christmas wreath making event and allow your creativity to run wild. You could opt for an artificial wreath that can be used year after year or go au naturel with a real deal wreath.

31. Christmas Hike

Wrap up warm for a nature walk together, appreciating the beauty of winter. Make it more interesting for the kids by having them look out for specific winter inspired things.

32. Write Christmas Cards Together

All get together around the table and write your Christmas cards together. Having that family feel and input is certain to make your recipient feel more valued.

33. Christmas Storytelling Night

Make up your own family Christmas story. One person starts with a sentence, followed by the next and then the next. Before you know it, you've make a Christmas story that's probably as unusual as it is unique.

34. Make Reindeer Food

Mix porridge oats and glitter to make reindeer food. Store in individual bags ready to be sprinkled outside on Christmas Eve.

35. Let The Kids Have Their Own Tree

Allow your children to decorate their own mini Christmas trees as freely and expressively as they desire. These can then be displayed in their bedrooms for added character and festive cheer.

36. Watch a Virtual Santa Message

Use online tools to create a custom Santa message video for the kids.

37. Annual Family Holiday Newsletter

Get creative and design your own family newsletter. Highlight events (only the good and the funny stuff) of each family member's year for you all to reflect and have a laugh upon on Christmas day.

38. Panto

Make sure you book your annual Christmas pantomime. There's something so festive about kicking back and letting loose at the panto.

39. Christmas Pajama Parade

The living room is your runway. Parade around on Christmas morning in your matching Christmas pyjamas before opening presents.

_{[Photo by Pavel Danilyuk]}

40. Christmas Baking with Grandma

Invite Grandma round and make a beloved family recipe together. Share stories and make memories as you bake.

41. Christmas Bark Making

Swirl melted white and milk chocolate together on a baking tray before popping your favourite festive choccies on. Let your design harden in the fridge before smashing up into smaller individual bark like pieces.

42. Games Night

Let each family member pick a board game and have a tournament with a special Christmas treat for the winner.

43. Santa Tracker on Christmas Eve

Follow Santa’s journey on a Santa tracker app or website on Christmas Eve.

44. Christmas Photo Album

Start a specific Christmas photo album to document each years special memories.

45. Make a Christmas Playlist Together

Get together and make the ultimate Christmas playlist featuring each family members favourite festive songs.

46. Homemade Wrapping Paper

Let your little ones express their creativity. Decorate brown kraft wrapping with stamps stickers and drawings. This added touch of personalisation is sure to pull at the heartstrings of your recipients.

47. Christmas Advent Calendar of Kindness

Like your usual chocolate advent calendar, only for each day leading up to Christmas, do a small act of kindness as a family.

48. Christmas Bingo Night

Make Christmas themed bingo cards featuring things such as 'heard White Christmas' or use the phrase 'hard to buy for'. Have festive prizes available for the winner.

49. Make Your Own Christmas Candles

Spend an afternoon making scented candles to fill your home with holiday scents.

50. A Yearly Family Gratitude Journal

Gather together to write in a special journal where everyone adds their favorite festive memory each year. This is a great one to do on the evening of Christmas Day when everyone starts to wind down.

To Conclude

Starting fun family Christmas traditions is a wonderful way to make the holiday season special for every family member. Start building traditions that you can enjoy year after year. With each Christmas, these simple but joyful moments become the heart of the festive season.