The holiday season can bring about a lot of hustle and bustle. And while there are plenty of amazing things you can do with your family around our great city, sometimes it is nice to stay home.
That’s why we’ve collected these fun little traditions that you can do at home. These 10 ideas are great because you can stay in your comfy clothes, put on your favorite music, and really soak up the moments. There’s no travel or schedule to worry about, no lines to wait in, just you and your loved ones and maybe a hot cup of cocoa (or two).
Here are our favorite 10-holiday traditions you can do right there in your home sweet home:
#1 Holiday Movie Night
A usual family favorite, choosing a special night for a favorite holiday movie is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. With all of the streaming services available today, it isn’t hard to find a good Christmas movie. The important part here is to make it special. Have some special snacks, set up something extra comfy to watch in, and if you have a fireplace, turn it on! Often times this small little activity is what we look forward to the most. So why not do it a few times this month?
#2 Bake Holiday Cookies
Take out your mixer and apron and make some cookies from scratch, or head down to the local grocery store and grab a slice and bake option. Either way you roll, baking holiday cookies adds a certain feeling (and smell) to your house. Don’t forget to take out the red and green sprinkles and add some festive decorations when you can and let the kids get messy!
#3 Christmas Crafts
Hit up your local craft store and you’ll find lots of fun little kits to put together anything from ornaments to wreaths and every little reindeer and snowman in between. You can also spend some time on Pinterest finding tons of crafts you can do with items right in your house. Some classic favorites? Making snowflakes out of white paper and scissors or wreaths using paper plates and green paint. Time to get creative and festive!
#4 Create an Advent Calendar
Waiting for the big day can be difficult. Especially for little ones. An advent calendar helps add some special fun to each day and explain to children how this whole waiting game works. Creating a paper chain out of construction paper is a tried and true way to count down the days, but there are plenty of awesome advent calendars out there that you can either buy or make and then stuff yourself with fun little treats each day.
If you think that there are too many treats and gifts going on in your house already, try creating a Kindness Calendar where you write down an act of kindness you’d like to do each day instead.
#5 Build a Gingerbread House
One of the most fun things you’ll ever make and probably regret trying to eat, a gingerbread house is a holiday classic! The best part of this fun activity is that you’ll have a nice little centerpiece to keep your kitchen table festive throughout the rest of the month. Just, don’t try to eat it at the end of the month. Trust me on this one.
#6 Set Up a Hot Chocolate Bar
Hot chocolate can be added to ANY of these home holiday traditions. But, if you’re a real hot cocoa aficionado, you may want to make the good stuff and make a special day out of it at that. For some classic homemade hot cocoa, combine milk, heavy cream, sugar, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan and enjoy!
For the fixings, try:
- marshmallows
- whipped cream
- chocolate chips
- candy canes
- chocolate, caramel, or strawberry sauce
- caramels or little chopped caramel bits
- And of course, sprinkles
#7 Write Letters to Santa and Create Your Holiday Wish List
If you have little ones, writing a letter to Santa can be one of the most magical things you can do for the holidays. Make sure you have your children reflect on all of the good things they have done this year. Then, of course, include their wish list, and have them drop it in the mailbox themselves.
If you are not writing to Santa, it’s still a fun time to make a wish list. While the big box catalogues don’t quite get sent out anymore, Amazon and Target are among some retailers who are sending or have sent out physical, ink-on-paper catalogs this year. While these are mostly toys, they still add to the nostalgia of the holiday season. So take a peak.
#8 Create a Holiday Journal
Starting a holiday journal can be one of the most rewarding things you can do when you’re home for the holidays. This time of year can get a bit busy and a bit blurry. Writing down the things you’ve done or writing about the loved ones you’ve shared time with will certainly be a treasured memory for years to come. You can create your own journal from scratch or purchase one online with some prompts to help you record your memories. This is something you’ll likely want to pass down to generations to come.
#9 Christmas Game Night
Game nights are always a blast. Having a holiday game night as a yearly tradition is something your entire family will definitely look forward to. Depending on the ages and amount of people you have, here are some ideas for game night:
- I Spy Ornaments
- White Elephant Gift Party Game
- Holiday Music Freeze Dance or Musical Chairs
- Christmas Charades
#10 Create Giving Bags
Finally, it’s always important to give this time of year. With all of the gifts likely coming into the house, take some time to give what you don’t need and declutter what you have. Have each person in your family go around the house to collect a bag of food to donate, toys to donate, and clothes to donate. Then you can all sit down and talk about why you chose those items and how you think it will help someone else. This tradition is sure to bring out the true meaning of the holidays.
Do you have any traditions you do while you are home for the holidays? Share below!
