This post is sponsored by Amazon Prime but opinions are my 100% my own

There is no denying that the holidays look a little different this year.  And for many of us, some of our favorite holiday traditions or plans have been cancelled.  Despite this, there are things we can do right in our own homes to make the holidays fun and special.  As Amazon Prime member, there are some benefits you can use for free as part of your membership that will help you make great memories and form new traditions this year!  So here’s a few ideas to make the season brighter:

Amazon Music

One of the things I connect most with at Christmastime is the MUSIC!  When I was growing up, I had two favorite types of music that to me signaled it was Christmastime:  traditional holiday hymns, and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”  Chris still makes fun of me for that second one because to this day I still listen to it non-stop at Christmastime and honestly I think he is a little tired of it, lol.  But we are discovering new songs this year on Amazon Music by simply saying “Alexa, play holiday music”.  (By saying this to our Alexa-enabled device, we get a mix of classics as well as some recent hits by John Legend, Carrie Underwood, Elle Goulding and more.)  So I encourage you to blast those Amazon Music tunes, grab a fake microphone, and have yourself a little Christmas dance party to lift your spirits this season!   If you’ve got kids, they will love an impromptu dance party and before you know it, you’ll be making memories that will last a lifetime. Also, new Amazon Music Unlimited customers can get three months of the premium streaming tier free, to enjoy unlimited access to more than 70 million son.gs, ad-free and a wide selection of popular podcasts. Check out more here.

Prime Video

Everybody has got a favorite Christmas movie, right?  Mine hasn’t changed in 25 years and it is the “Muppet’s Christmas Carol”.   With “Elf” as a close second.  But this year with Amazon Prime Video there are some great holiday classics and new holiday movies to watch this holiday season.  Prime members have access to unlimited streaming of thousands of popular movies and TV shows with Prime Video.  Christmas movie marathon, anybody?!   So pop some popcorn and grab a mug of cocoa, and enjoy some movies.   If you’re looking for family friendly options, check out If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookies (a favorite one that Bean discovered this year), The Snowy Day, or It’s a Wonderful Life (one of my mom’s favorites).  And may I just add that they have Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas is You” special from 2107… you better believe I’ll be watching that this year too!  Chris better get ready 😉

Prime Reading

One of my favorite things to do at Christmas is to read classic Christmas stories with the kids.  This year, with Prime Reading, we are enjoying the classics and discovering new favorites too.  Did you know that Prime Reading is a free benefit for Prime members that allows you to enjoy unlimited reading from a rotating selection of thousands of books, magazines, and more?!   And it doesn’t cost extra.  I had NO clue about this awesome and free benefits until just a few months ago, so I’m telling you about it in case you aren’t familiar with it yet.   

There’s a great selection for people of all ages, though we have enjoyed searching for kids Christmas books this month.  Our new favorite is “A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree.” Oh my gosh it’s so heartwarming!! If you have kids, definitely search for that one on Prime Reading.

Though the holidays look different this year, it’s an opportunity to create new traditions and make special memories.  And I hope this inspires you with some fun and free ideas that you can do through amazon Prime!   What new traditions will you be making with the help of Prime this year?