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40 Christmas Home Tradition Ideas To Start With Your Family

Christmas Home Tradition Ideas

Christmas is by far one of my favourite times of year. I actually think the build up is better sometimes. The excitement, the food, the films! Need I go on? I know this year it is going to be a strange one. There maybe no visits to Santa or work night’s out. There maybe no Christmas drinks or huge parties but it really doesn’t mean you can’t think of some lovely Christmas Home Tradition Ideas. You don’t have to go out to have fun!

Christmas traditions are what make Christmas; whether that are small or simple. Some things all families do, some traditions are just for you are your family. Whatever! They are special for you and usually provide that lovely, warm Christmas feeling.

Christmas Home Tradition Ideas

Some of these ideas you may be wanting to start in late November. I guess it depends on how early you start the celebrations of Christmas. I must admit we to try and wait until December. We had one year when the decorations went up last week in November. With that and the Christmas radio station, I was a little over it by Christmas Day!! There’s starting early and staring TOO early!

But you can start having a think in November of course and I bring you some Christmas Home Tradition Ideas to perhaps start during this strange year, where we will be restricted to where we can go! Maybe lockdown Christmas Traditions Ideas would be a better title?

During December Christmas Home Tradition Ideas

Start Elf on the Shelf – you either love or hate this little dude. I was a hater until my eldest was 4 but I’m firmly sold now. It’s great fun, doesn’t have to be too pressured and useful to keep the kids in check!

You may like reading about I Hated Elf on the Shelf – Why I Changed My Mind.

You may also like my 15 Naughty Elf on the Shelf Ideas – not for the kids!

Elf on the shelf gets a wax

Make a book advent calendar – I have seen loads of people do this over social media. Instead of chocolates in an advent calendar, use books! They don’t have to be expensive books either; The Works often do cheaper options and it’s a lovely way to connect every evening over a story. Plus these books can be used again or donated afterwards. We have huge pile of Christmas books I could just wrap up each year!

Burn an Advent Candle – This tradition started when I was little. My Mum would always buy us an advent candle and we would light it at teatime. As I was never allowed a chocolate calendar, I think this was more exciting! The trick was making sure you don’t over burn it and go into the next day.

Make an Alternative Advent Calendar – We did this last year for the first time and it was great. We were sent a wooden calendar with mini drawers to paint. It was fab, as could fill the drawers with whatever you want. It doesn’t have to be chocolate. You may fancy little soaps or small bits of stationery for kids. Here is a post on ideas on what to fill your alternative advent calendar with.

You may also like my post on Making an Alternative Advent Calendar.

making an alternative advent calendar

Make a gingerbread house and decorate it – this is one of our traditions over the last couple of years. I received a kit via the blog and the kids loved it! Over the last couple of years my Mum has bought the girls one and it’s really fun! I’m quite a fan of eating the gingerbread too, afterwards.

Do a reverse advent calendar – this can be a really kind thing to do during quite a difficult time. Get a big box and each day fill it with something; food, socks, toiletries. This can then be donated to a food bank or homeless shelter. Check restrictions to this during Covid times.

Sort toys and books and donate to a charity shop – this has become one of our yearly traditions and both girls get involved. I simply tell them they have too much stuff and Santa won’t come! I usually manage to get a good bag for the charity shop or to sell. I feel much better about the stuff Santa will bring!!

Get a catalogue and get the kids to circle what they would like – we started this, this year and it made Christmas shopping so much easier! I picked up a Smyth’s catalogue and the girls circled a good few things. It gave me loads of ideas for them and they go so excited doing it.

Write a letter to Santa and post it – the girl love doing their letters to Santa. We always post it and last year Santa wrote back! This was my step-Dad last year and think their Grandma has done before. They love it and also once they have written that letter, there is NO turning back on what they have asked for and I can finish their Christmas shopping.

Christmas crafting – I love crafting with the girls when I get time! It’s a fab screen-free activity to do with them and we always have some good chats when we crafts. Also if you can’t get the glitter and pom poms out at Christmas, when can you?

For some ideas you may want to check out my 10 Christmas Crafts for Kids post.

Or check out my Christmas Kids Craft Pinterest Board.

Christmas crafts

Make Christmas cards – this year we made the executive decision not to buy Christmas cards. They don’t get kept and can be such a faff. However, we have made a few cards and I got the girls into making some Scrapbook style cards, using my supples. I will be getting them to make them for close family, as the older generations still love a card.

You may like my Christmas Scrapbook Style Cards post to give you an idea.

Christmas scrapbook style cards

Make a Christmas Scrapbook Page for Family – this can be a lovely thing to give to a family member. Choose a family picture and scrap it! I’m a huge fan of this (hence the blog name). You can get loads of cheap, scrapbooking supplies from places like Hobbycraft and The Range.

You may like my Scrapbooking Your Newborn Journey post for some inspiration. Isn’t festive but gives you an idea how to scrapbook Pinterest is fabulous too!

Have a Christmas Family Photo – you may want to have these made into cards to send to family; a strong tradition in the States. It’s lovely to look back on how everyone has changed over the year and an excuse to dress up for a nice picture.

Christmas cooking and baking – Now and then I do have a go with cooking and baking! Christmas is and a lovely time to cook with the kids. There are some delicious recipes you can find to do with your kids, so festive and not too difficult!

You may like my Christmas Dessert and Sweet recipes to give you a few ideas!

healthier tiffin or rock road

Have a tradition when decorating the tree – the girls take it in turns putting the star or angel in top for example in our house. This year we have decided to put the tree up and then let then stay up to watch a film, with some treats! I can’t wait and as they are getting older, I hope we will do each year.

Buy some Personalised Decorations – one of the lovely things during this lockdown is so many people have started their now small businesses and so many make personalised decorations for Christmas. Lovely for the family or for the kids.

I know this small business who make lovely wooden decorations – Benjamin Sam Creative – some lovely products worth checking out.

Listen to a Christmas radio station – we are huge fans of Heart Christmas which seems to appear on the radio at the end of November/early December. It disappears the day after Boxing Day but we love it! It just plays Christmas songs 24/7 and all the best ones too! The girls are old enough to know the songs now, so it’s so festive.

Go for a Christmas walk and look for the lights in your local area – we did this for the first time last year and my middley fell asleep before we got to the best street! Our area is pretty lovely for festive lights, so we wait until it’s dark and head out for a walk to see them all! It’s lovely coming home and getting all warmed up after. Plus something we are allowed to do during Covid.

Have a Christmas jumper day – It’s not Christmas without a Christmas jumper. It’s the one thing I’m usually organised at and tend to buy the year before for the kids. They love it and we all have a day wearing them, or perhaps for the whole of December?

Wear a Christmas jumper Christmas Home Tradition Ideas

Make a Christmas film playlist for the month  – each year we have a bunch of films we have to watch; Home Alone, Elf, Scrooge, The Holiday and over the last couple of years hubby and I have found newer ones we love, like Christmas with The Coopers. We have a list and have to stick to it before Christmas!

Make a Christmas music playlist – if you don’t fancy the radio, you may want a Christmas song playlist on your Spotify or Apple Music. What I like here is you can go all traditional and even have some carols on there!

Have a Christmas Disco – parties are not going to happen this year so having a Christmas disco at home is great fun. Music, lights and food! If you have a lot of friends coming over for the party, you might want to try using those silent disco headphones to enjoy the music without worrying about noise complaints or to keep the celebration intimate and private. My girls love having a crazy dance and perhaps do something over Zoom, if you want to get others involved.

On Christmas Eve

Watch a certain Christmas film – for my hubby and I this is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. My Mum’s neighbours got us into this and the tradition is the same. Kids in bed. Presents sorted, wine and film. I couldn’t watch it all last year, as the year before I was pregnant and missed it. You may want a different one if with the kids.

Do a Christmas Eve box – I vowed I would never do this for the kids but I do always end up doing one now. My eldest was chatting about it the other day! I don’t tend to go all out but I usually include:

– Christmas PJs

– A Christmas book

– A Chocolately Treat

– A Small toy – one year this was little keyring, another year I got a my eldest a glitter cushion

– A Christmas jigsaw

But you can include reindeer food, hot chocolate and marshmallows, stationary, socks…there are so many ideas if you do fancy treating your kids!

Elf on the shelf sweet treats

Matching Christmas pyjamas for the family – I must admit this isn’t something we tend to do, simply because my hubby is huge and can never get any to fit him! My middley is also very particular about what she likes to wear too! However, I have seen friends all dressing their families up in matching Christmas pjs and it can be a lovely tradition and make a lovely photo.

Prepare the Christmas dinner – I was useless at this as a child but getting your kids roped into prepping the veg and turkey can be a lovely family tradition and teaches them some good habits! It is my hubby now that does the cooking.

Christmas Home Tradition Ideas

Have a PJ day – a lot of Christmas now looks like it will be at home and this is likely for Christmas Eve too, so why not make it a Christmas PJ Day! Relax and chill and don’t bother getting dressed. This is my middley’s favourite thing to do on a normal day, so will make her Christmas Eve. Also way less pressure for you too!

Track Santa on Norad – my kids love doing this – the website Norad helps you to track where Santa is on Christmas Eve and for December!! It’s so exciting for the kids and something to look forward to.

Watch the Snowman on Christmas Eve – this was my tradition as a child; the Snowman and Father Christmas! Now I can’t watch them without blubbing! It’s definitely worth finding that special show you can watch with your kids on Christmas Eve; something short before bed that becomes a ritual.

Putting a mince pie and drink out for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph – This just HAS to be done. My Mum bought the girls a special plate and they put out their mince pie and carrot. Hubby always wants to put out sherry; my eldest milk. There’s always a little battle but it’s a fab tradition.

Make a special Key for Santa if you don’t have a chimney – this is lovely to do, as we don’t have a chimney and I get a lot of question about how Santa gets in? You can buy these keys or simply make one ready! There is a post here for some ideas.

You may like When Do Kids Stop Believing in Santa ?

stop believing in Santa

Put a Santa Stop Here sign outside – We had one of those special signs we would shove in the garden on Christmas Eve, waiting for Santa to come.

On Christmas Day – Christmas Home Tradition Ideas

Have a special Christmas breakfast – I love how every family has a different breakfast on Christmas morning. When I was a kid, it was a bacon and egg sandwich! Now I hear of people having smoked salmon, champagne! We tend to have pancakes and scrambled eggs and the girls love it!! Get that tradition and stick to it!

Get Dressed Up – I will never manage to get my middley in a dress but Christmas has always been an excuse to wear something nice and dress up! I used to get the girls special dresses but they are a tad more fussy now! Good excuse for me though!! The rest of my family tend to do this too! Makes it feel so special even though we don’t leave the house.

Have Bucks Fizz at breakfast – May not be for the kids this one but I love a Buck’s Fizz in the morning opening pressies. One of my fave Christmas’ was when my eldest was 2 and she spent ages playing with me and I sat and swigged Bucks Fizz!

A present routine – Every family has a routine when it comes to presents! My hubby had a stocking in his room with smaller presents to open, when all mine were downstairs! Also my parents never opened their stuff until after us! We tend to do what I did as a kid. All presents are downstairs, no one opens anything until we are all together and us parents definitely go last!

Have Your Perfect Christmas Dinner – again all families have their special Christmas dinners. Some think Yorkshire Puddings are a no no, other’s have a starter, main and pudding. Everyone is different and having the things you like and look forward to is the main thing! I’m not a huge fan of Christmas food (I know!!). I don’t like Christmas pudding, so I always look for something else instead!

You may like my post 5 Ways to Use Christmas Vegetables.

Christmas vegetables

Do a Jigsaw – This was one of my hubby’s traditions. His family used to do a big jigsaw, either on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Lovely for family time, no screens and a challenge!

You may like 5 Reasons Why Jigsaws Make a Good Christmas Gift.

Have a Family Walk – this is something me and my step-Dad like to do on Christmas Day night or I will go with my hubby. After a big lunch, I love to have a walk and get some fresh air. If you go at night, perfect to see some Christmas lights too! And once again, something we should be allowed to do!

Play Family Games – we are not huge on the TV on Christmas and quite often play some games, some kid friendly earlier on and more adult friendly later on. It’s a great way to be screen-free and have a good laugh. We often make some of the best memories playing games!

Writing this post has made me so excited for Christmas now. This year, it may not be the same but there is no reason you can’t use some of these Christmas Home Tradition Ideas and have an amazing time.

Can you think of any other Christmas Home Tradition Ideas?

Christmas Home Tradition Ideas

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2 Comments

  1. December 3, 2020 / 8:10 pm

    We go for a special meal at a local restaurant and always get new Christmas jumpers!

  2. December 5, 2020 / 8:00 pm

    We have an elf that visits us. Our Christmas present routine is outside of stockings we have to wait until after Christmas lunch!! Lovely ideas