40+ Fun Christmas Activities for Families
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The month of December is prime time for Christmas Fun. How do you plan fun Christmas experiences while also managing every day life? Check out these 40+ Christmas Activities for Families and enjoy the season as a family.

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Planning how to spend your time at the holidays is probably the most important thing you can do.
Let me rephrase: how you plan your time at Christmas will make or break your celebrations.
There is no shortage of things to do once the holiday season begins. Plan poorly and you’ll be stressed out, crabby, and overdrawn at the bank. No one wants that.
That’s why it’s super important to think through your Christmas fun, prioritize what you want to do, manage your time well, and enjoy the season as much as possible with your peeps. This post is a primer on just that.
Review Christmases Past
Take just a few minutes to reflect on Christmases Past. What was really fun? What was worth extra effort? What stressed you out?
If you’re a record keeper, swipe through your camera roll, flip through your journals, and scroll through your social media. Chances are good those spaces will give you even more information for your “lessons learned register.”
Talk with your spouse and kids as well as friends and extended family members so that you can really hone in on past winning experiences and which activities to skip this year.
Time Management Tips for the Holidays
Unless your entire family has the month of December off from work and school, you will need to incorporate Christmas activities into the rhythm of every day life. This can be tricky because every day life… is already pretty freaking busy.
That’s where good time management comes in.
If you don’t already have a Weekly Time Budget or Ideal Week written out, be sure to have one drafted by Thanksgiving weekend. In doing so, you’ll know what windows of time are available for fun Christmas activities with the family.
Prioritize Your Christmas Activities
You won’t be able to do everything you think you want to do — no matter how early you start planning. Time just has a tricky way of picking up speed.
Instead, as you think and plan your Christmas holidays with the family, prioritize the things that are most important to you.
Chances are good you’ll find even more good ideas to add to the mix, so you need to be clear on your why for planning Christmas and what you want to experience this year.
Pro tip: start a journal or some other kind of record of things you want to do so that you have a living document to work from year after year. I recommend grabbing a copy of the Holiday Success Kit. I use mine every year to help me make sense of what’s working as my family grows.
Fun Christmas Activities for Families
This list is not exhaustive, but it should cover a lot of the basic fun Christmas activities that are appropriate for most people, baby to adult.
There’s NO POSSIBLE WAY you can do all these in one year, so pick and choose carefully. Talk with your kids and spouse to see what’s most interesting to them and plot those activities on the calendar. If you don’t plan to make it happen, it will fall into the giant wastebasket of Good Intentions.
Many of these activities are also perfect to include in A Christmas Countdown Family Activity.
1. Brainstorm a Christmas Bucket list together. Your family may have their own ideas so consider talking with them before browsing this list. They are more likely to invest in their own ideas than the ones you find on the internet. (Just saying.) Be sure to subscribe to the LAM newsletter to get access to our free resource library to grab our free Christmas Bucket List worksheets.
2. Observe Advent. There are many ways to do this, with a wreath or with daily activities, through a book or through church resources. This year our family is going to add lighting the Advent wreath to our Sunday Dinners, but I love giving my kids Advent calendars, too. Last year’s Rubber Ducky Advent calendar was a huge hit — and I love making my own Tea Advent Calendar.
3. Decorate the house. Decorating the house with your traditional decor can be so much fun for both kids and adults. Plus, you can be intentional about what new pieces you add to your collection. My daughter-in-law gives us an ornament each year with all our names on it. Last year my daughter crocheted a cranberry and popcorn garland per my request.
4. Host a cookie decorating party. There are plenty of moms who would love their kids to decorate cookies – please make Jesus nativity cookies! — but don’t want to deal with the mess. Pool your resources and host a party together. The kids will love it and so will the moms!
5. Set a pretty table and enjoy dinner by candlelight. For many years my kids always asked if company was coming when I cleaned the house. It took awhile for me to make it a habit that good things are good for us — regardless of having company. Choose a random night in December to set a pretty table and enjoy a candlelight dinner as a family.
6. Decorate the tree. Decorating the tree is often the highlight of a kid’s holiday celebrations, especially when you have special ornaments that remind you of important milestones.
7. Do a Christmas Puzzle. When the weather keeps you inside, a puzzle to work on is just the thing! You can find any number of holiday themed puzzles or you can order a custom one like I did from Shutterfly.
8. Decorate Gingerbread Houses. The best and hardest gingerbread house I ever made was the one I baked myself with these nativity cutters. (Bake two large triangles to create a manger.) It smelled amazing, but it was a lot of work. Since then, I’ve bought the mini kits so that each person in the family can decorate his or her own house.
9. Visit a Christmas Market. While these festivals and fairs are common place throughout Europe, they are harder to find stateside. But, they can be worth seeking out. Do a search now for “christmas markets near me”. Then mark your calendar as the dates approach so that you can find more details.
Locally, I found December Nights in Balboa Park and San Diego Bay’s Parade of Lights.
10. Make a Christmas Playlist. I find that kids, no matter their age, have distinct opinions about music. One way to embrace that as a family is to have a shared playlist on Apple Music, Spotify, or Amazon Music. Create one of holiday music — and yes, we have one for Thanksgiving, too — so that the music you pipe through the house will (eventually) please everyone.
11. Bake and Decorate Cookies. There are so many great Christmas cookies to bake at the holidays, you could probably bake a different cookie every day and never run out of ideas. Personally, I prefer the approach of making a dozen different kinds of dough at one time and then baking them off as the month rolls by.
12. Host a Holiday Game Night. We host a monthly game night for our kids and all their friends so we’ve already got our Christmas one planned (We’re serving a grilled cheese bar.) Set up several stations around the house with tables and chairs and pull out your boxes of games. You’ll be amazed how fun it is to just go with the flow.
13. Go caroling or sing carols together at home. Leaving the home to sing in public can be a bit intimidating. Some people are really comfortable doing it; some aren’t. But, singing Christmas carols can be really fun! Plan a caroling party or simply invite friends over to sing together at home.
14. Attend a tree lighting ceremony. Most towns, cities, and even amusement parks hold some kind of tree lighting ceremony, usually after dark on the weekend of Thanksgiving. Legoland hosts one every year.
Find out what’s going on where you live and mark your calendar. This is one of those sleeper events that are easy to miss.
15. Invite friends for Sunday Dinner. Planning and serving a special Sunday Dinner is quickly becoming a highlight of my week. Including friends in the mix only takes it up a notch. If you’ve got special (read: fancy) recipes that you want to make but maybe not on Christmas itself, Sunday Dinner is the time to do it! I’m already plotting some of our Christmas Feasts.
16. Go light looking. Holiday light displays, when done well and with sufficient access, can be amazing. Whether you load up the kids and just wander around town or head to a specific light display location, definitely block out some time on your calendar for light looking.
17. Watch holiday movies. There is a Christmas movie out there for everyone. From Charlie Brown to Die Hard (yes, it’s considered a Christmas movie), you will find something! Stay tuned for my list of Cheesy Christmas Chick Flicks Worth Watching.
18. Make hot chocolate. Homemade hot cocoa is a treat, especially when piled high with marshmallows or whipped cream. Try my favorite Stovetop Hot Cocoa or this easiest Crock-pot Hot Chocolate. My homemade malted hot cocoa mix is great to give as gifts.
19. Go on a nature walk. No matter where you live, getting outdoors is a great way to enjoy the season. I particularly like going in the evening once the Christmas lights are turned on. Consider going on a Nature Scavenger Hunt with the kids and making a Nature Frame with the treasures you find.
20. Make and sign Christmas cards. Some families really enjoy exchanging greeting cards at the holidays. If this is you, consider including the whole family in the experience. Hand everyone a marker and let him or her sign the family’s cards.
21. Make Christmas ornaments. There are so many fun and easy Christmas ornaments you can make with the kids. I particularly love these Fruit of the Spirit Felt Ornaments for the Tree; they’re more of a mom project.
22. Buy gifts for a family in need. Many organizations will connect you with a family in need. Shopping for them can be a great experience for you and your family. If it’s early enough in the season, consider filling a Shoebox for Operation Christmas Child.
23. Take a meal to an elderly neighbor. Kids love to give! If you’ve got elderly friends or neighbors, consider preparing a meal to take to them or better yet, some freezer meals that you can stock their freezer with.
24. Read Christmas stories. We have a huge red crate where we store all our Christmas Read Alouds. I love busting them out each year, even though we don’t have littles in the house anymore. Add a new one to your collection each year — and remember that there are plenty of Christmas stories for big kids, too. I’m adding a collector’s copy of A Christmas Carol to our collection this year as well as this book about the history of Christmas carols.
25. Go ice skating. If you live somewhere with an outdoor skating rink and the weather to match, you are blessed indeed. But even skating in an indoor rink can be fun, especially in locations that do it up for the holidays. Every kid should get to ice skating at least once a year. Look for specials and when they hold open skate hours.
26. Build a snowman. Do you wanna build a snowman? Of course you do! If you don’t live near snow, consider an Indoor Snowball Fight!
27. Make caramel apples. Caramel apples and Apple Crowns are an easy, fun dessert to enjoy, especially when you drizzle chocolate nuts, and sprinkles.
28. Host a progressive dinner. Have you ever done a progressive dinner? It can be so much fun, especially if you friends group live within close walking or driving distance. My childhood church hosted one every Christmas. The idea is that your group moves from house to house for different courses. It makes for a long evening, but can be lots of fun.
29. Attend a Christmas concert or performance. There are so many wonderful holiday concerts and performances featuring live theater and music. From The Messiah to The Nutcracker ballet, the Grinch to Scrooge’s Christmas Carol, there’s plenty for everyone’s tastes. Do a quick google search for your area and see what’s upcoming near you.
30. Take treats to the neighbors. It’s so hard sometimes to know your neighbors. Christmas is a great excuse to introduce yourself. Taking treats is always a good ice breaker. I had a friend who always made freezer Cinnamon Rolls to gift to her neighbors. I always make New Year’s Eve treat bags to give to mine.
31. Make Christmas Gift Tags. Yes, you can buy the cheap stickers at Target… or you can make a family activity out of making custom gift tags. These Easy Homemade Gift Tags are easy and fun to make!
32. Make paper snowflakes. Surely you saw last year’s viral snowflakes made from paper lunch sacks? I’m not sure I’d hang them in the bathroom, but they do make for a fun activity with the kids that brings a big punch to your holiday decor.
33. String popcorn and cranberry garlands. Laura and Mary made these natural garlands of popcorn and cranberries, so clearly it never gets old. Some folks now add dried oranges! When the holiday is over, you can string them outside for the birds. Reading Night Tree by Eve Bunting is a great follow-up activity with the littles.
34. Make cinnamon dough ornaments. Cinnamon ornaments are a classic holiday craft. They smell amazing and look just like gingerbread — only they last from year to year. Be sure to make them thick enough that they don’t crumble.
35. Try a new holiday beverage, like wassail or eggnog. There’s always a new holiday bevvie to try. If you’ve already tried wassail or eggnog, scroll through Pinterest on the hunt for something new and fun. Have you tried a Gingerbread Latte?
36. Make Christmas Crackers. Traditional British Christmas crackers — that actually pop — are hard to come by in the States, or at least in California, where the minutest amount of gunpowder is heavily regulated. The ones they sell at World Market are total duds, but thankfully, you can buy kits to make your own on Etsy! That’s what I’ve done, including my own toys, crowns, and candies. Be sure that your purchase includes cracker snaps.
37. Attend a candlelight church service. Church at night in the dark can be magical. If your church doesn’t host such a service, see if a neighboring congregation does. Everyone is welcome at Christmas, so don’t worry about being a guest.
38. Donate food or time at a food bank. It’s easy to go wild on your own holiday celebrations, but don’t forget to share with others. Find out early in the season what your local food bank could use so that you can shop sales and contribute on a budget. Contact your local organization for current needs or check out this list of common food bank needs.
39. Plan and prep a fun Christmas breakfast. Christmas morning can be a magical time. Make a breakfast or Christmas brunch worthy of the occasion. A little planning can help you make and freeze foods so that the cook gets to rest on Christmas morning as well. Remember that you can freeze muffins unbaked as well as scones and cinnamon rolls.
40. Make Citrus Pomanders. I’ve been sticking cloves into lemons since I was a kid and it never gets old. This medieval tradition smells so good! And making citrus pomanders is a fun craft that even little hands can manage.
Wow! Forty things you can do with the fam this season? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Pick and choose a few key favorites to do this year. Plan them in advance so they’re sure to happen. And enjoy sweet memories with the fam!
More Christmas Fun
What works for you?
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