I started a tradition that I like to call “The 12 Days of Christmas Fun”.   Three years ago after Christmas was over, I realized that in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, I had never gotten around to doing many of the fun holiday activities I had wanted to do with my kids.  I had good intentions, but in the busyness of the holiday season, we never got around to enjoying some of the simple pleasures of the season.  And that was a lightbulb moment for me where I realized I needed to do something to INTENTIONALLY create those simple moments.  So in 2016, I started the 12 Days of Christmas fun!  Each day for 12 straight days leading up to Christmas, my family does something fun and Christmas-y!   The things we do are simple or meaningful.  It’s not about lavish extravagant surprises.

It’s about intentionally creating moments to enjoy the simple pleasures of the holiday season with your family.

I shared this in my instagram stories yesterday and the response was incredible!  Many of you asked me what specific things we do each day for our “Christmas Fun”.  And a lot of you shared amazing suggestions for new things I can try!

So I’ve compiled a list of ideas here, so that you can get inspired to start this with your families!   It’s never too late!  Even if you are reading this with less than 12 days less til Christmas, just adjust the number and make it the 8 days of Christmas Fun or 5 days, or whatever is left.  And most importantly, have fun with it!  Keep it simple enough so that it is FUN, not stressful!

• Decorate your Christmas tree together and let the kids put ornaments wherever they want to.
• Each year I give my children a Christmas book with a handwritten note on the inside cover.  And then we pull out the Christmas books from previous years and read those too.  I think their favorite part is hearing the message I wrote inside for them.
• Do a Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt (this has become a favorite of ours!)  We print out a sheet listing different kinds of Christmas lights / lawn decorations (You can do a simple google search to find one).  Then we drive around and look at lights and point out all the fun things we see that are also on our scavenger hunt list.
• Bake Christmas cookies together.
• Do a Christmas Movie, popcorn and hot cocoa night at home!
• Surprise them with a small holiday chocolate or candy.
• Find a local Christmas light show and go watch it!
• Check your local library or zoo to see if they have special Christmas events to attend.
• Attend a local Christmas Eve church service.
• Watch Christmas books on YouTube.
• Put hot cocoa in travel mugs and drive around looking at Christmas lights, or walk around a neighborhood looking at lights.
• Make an ornament together each year.
• Camp out for a family sleepover by your Christmas tree one night.
• Christmas music dance party.
• Make handmade cards.
• Go ice skating.
• Give them new Christmas pj’s for Christmas Eve.
• Have your kids select toys to donate.
• Donate canned goods to a local food pantry.
• Do a hot cocoa bar with marshmallows, candy canes, whipped cream, cookies and other fun toppings.
• Get food coloring and let kids color the snow.
• Watch home videos from previous Christmases
• Do some random acts of kindness.
• Bake cookies and take them to policemen, the fire department, post office, janitors at a school or church, etc.
• Make salt dough ornaments
• Incorporate Bible Verses from the Storybook Bible each day as well.
• Make paper snowflakes.
• Create a coupon book with words of encouragement for each person to open for a month.
• Go Christmas caroling.
• Make an orange slice garland.
• Visit a nursing home or an elderly couple and sing them Christmas carols.
• Serve food at a shelter
• Have kids pick out small gifts for your pets, or for an elderly person you know and deliver it to them
• Watch “old” classic Christmas cartoon movies

Which ones will you choose to do with your family?  Whatever you choose, just remember that the focus is on creating moments together!  So take the pressure off, have fun with it, and make some great memories along the way!