Just before Thanksgiving each year, our family prints out the following list and posts it on our bulletin board. On it are all the different activities and events we've enjoyed during Christmases past. The children helped me generate the original list years ago, and we continue to add to it as we discover new traditions we want to make a part of our family's holiday celebrations. The list reminds us to enjoy small, simple pleasures, as these are the things that make this time of year so memorable for our little ones. The point is NOT to try and do everything on the list, but just to pick and choose those activities that appeal to us or fit our schedules this year. Try doing this with your own family... you can use our list or compile one of your own!
- make gingerbread house
- take coffee/donations to bell ringers
- watch/read Little House Christmas
- visit Walk-Through Nativity at local church
- make cathedral window cookies
- read The Little Match Girl
- take cookies to girls in Dad’s office
- sing/ play instruments for church program
- watch Frosty the Snowman
- listen to/ sing along with Handel’s Messiah
- attend home school Christmas party
- watch Elf
- make sausage balls
- work Twleve Days of Christmas jigsaw puzzle
- bake Christmas cookies
- make s’mores in drive-way; invite neighbors?
- watch White Christmas
- visit Drive-Through nativity
- see The Nutcracker ballet at community college
- watch Miracle on 34th Street (old version)
- visit Six Flags Holiday in the Park
- jog in Rudolph Family Fun Run
- go ice-skating
- go Christmas caroling
- play Christmas party games as family
- act out Christmas story with little ones
- attend Emerald Ball with teens
- tell Christmas story with advent gift boxes
- watch Star of Bethlehem
- drink hot apple cider
- make/buy sibling stocking stuffers
- take kids Christmas shopping (for others)
- eat traditional Christmas breakfast
- think/pray about/ make New Year’s resolutions
