12 minute read
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
THINGS TO DO TO GET INTO THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT
Ah, the holidays! Whether you like to get into the Christmas spirit as soon as possible (we won’t judge you for getting started on decking the halls early or wait to kick off the holiday season on December 1st, there are no shortage of ways to get festive. One of the best parts about Christmas is that it brings everyone you love together into one place — so why not dedicate as much time as possible in the leadup to the holiday to making memories you’ll cherish forever? The following 37 Christmas activity ideas are a great place to start when it comes to planning your holiday season. So put on your ugliest Christmas sweater and let’s dive in!
CREATE A FUN FAMILY PHOTOSHOOT
Kick off your holiday season by gathering up your family (furry friends included!) for a Christmas-themed photoshoot. There are plenty of ways to make snapping your Christmas pictures a special occasion — no matter if you’re hoping to get a more traditional shot or are planning to have plenty of cheeky fun. Start by getting everyone’s wardrobe ready, then nd your perfect location. A few ideas could be to head up to a nearby mountain for a bit of wintery fun and working in fun props to give an at-home photoshoot some festive air. Feature the nished photo in your annual holiday cards, in text messages to friends, virtual backgrounds for video calls, and emails to extended family.
HEAD TO A CHRISTMAS TREE FARM
Sure, you could pick up a Christmas tree at the local mega-store or parking lot pop-up, but the holiday season is about creating memories! A fun Christmas activity for adults and kids could involve driving out to a Christmas tree farm and hand-selecting the tree that you think will look best in your home. In some cases, you may even need to cut the tree down and transport it back to your car. While the process takes longer, we have a feeling the memory will last a little longer too.
DECORATE THE CHRISTMAS TREE
Decorating the Christmas tree is an activity that always sparks some good family bonding. It can be exciting pulling sentimental ornaments out of storage and nding the perfect spot for them on the tree. So dial up the festive fun by putting on some Christmas music (or even your favorite holiday movie) in the background and having plenty of cider and eggnog ready to sip on as you hang
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ornaments. Oh, and don’t forget to drape a festive tree skirt around the base of the tree to provide the perfect frame for all of your presents! If you have younger children, we recommend getting them involved by getting a second, smaller tree. That way, they can reach and decorate this tree to their heart’s delight! It’s among our very favorite Christmas activities for kids.
PUT UP CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
It is widely accepted that the weekend or two after Thanksgiving is the best time to hang your Christmas lights before the rest of the holiday season becomes too busy. (But, like we said earlier, we won’t judge you if you can’t wait until the calendar of cially ips into December to get your lights up!). Make this Christmas chore extra fun by scheming for ways to make sure your house has the best holiday light display on the block. This is a great way to show off your creativity and spread holiday joy! A monochromatic theme can be classy and elegant. Or, perhaps your household will opt for the old-fashioned multicolor bulbs and a reindeer on the lawn. It is never too early to at least start thinking about what design or color scheme you may want to feature!
TURN YOUR HOME INTO SANTA’S WORKSHOP
Decking the halls in the main areas of your home is always a festive and fun experience. From hanging personalized stockings and other decor on your mantel, to swapping your usual throw pillows and tea towels for something more festive, there are plenty of ways to get creative. In addition to decorating your living spaces, it never hurts to bring a bit of festive cheer to your gift wrapping station! When it comes time to wrap gifts, think of fun ways to display all of your wrapping paper and other supplies, turn on some Christmas tunes, and make sure you have a plate towering with holiday treats nearby. If you want to go above and beyond, you can also host an elf training session for a fun way to teach your family how to wrap gifts (and to lighten your own gift-wrapping load).
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
Here’s a fun Christmas activity idea for those with type A personalities, or if your family and friends are spread across the country. Grab a calendar and start to plan a virtual meeting with 12 different friends or family members spread out over 12 days. Send out your meet-up requests in advance so you can have your “12-Days of Christmas Calls” all nalized well in advance. This will make the two weeks leading up to Christmas seem to y by.
Happy Holidays
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CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS AND THE WHOLE FAMILY
When it comes to planning Christmas activities for kids, remember to keep your family’s personality in mind. Are you a crew of energizer bunnies? Then pack your days full of outdoor activities. Are you more low key? Plan a few festive nights in to help recharge your batteries between Christmas parties. Here are a few of our favorite ideas the whole family can enjoy.
BUILD A GINGERBREAD HOUSE
Nothing beats a craft that you can eat when you’re nished! Many supermarkets sell gingerbread house kits around the holidays. These kits will usually include the bare essentials to build four walls and a roof, so make it personalized and festive by heading to the candy aisle and selecting a few custom treats that will add to your child’s design of the gingerbread house. Here are a few ideas on how some popular candies may be incorporated: • Plain or peanut butter M&M’s - can be used for colored roof tiling. • Gumdrops - can be used for colored roof tiling. • Small candy canes - can be used for wall decorations or fence posts. • Shredded coconut - can be used for snow on the roof, or dyed green for grass. • Pretzel sticks - can be used for fence posts or logs for a log cabin. • Red vines - can easily be bent and wrapped around corners and edges. • Marshmallows - can be used to make snowmen or little snow bundles
MAKE GINGERBREAD MEN OR SUGAR COOKIES
Is there anything quite as nostalgic as baking Christmas cookies? Turn your afternoon in the kitchen into an opportunity to make heart-warming memories by getting your family involved. Depending on how old your child is, they may be able to help you make the cookie batter. Let them decide if they want to add in chocolate chips, coconut, cinnamon, and even food coloring. Pick out some holiday-themed cookie cutters and let your child play pastry chef. If you have any leftover candy from the gingerbread house decorating, be sure to add them to the sugar cookies.
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
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BUILD A SNOWMAN
If you have snow on the ground, this is a must-do activity for the kids! Arm them with some carrots, charcoal, twigs, and clothing like hats, scarves, and mittens — then see what their creative minds come up with. If you live in a beach destination, bring the shovels and buckets to the sand and construct a sandman. Sunglasses, sunscreen, water oaties, and a Santa hat really pair nicely with a sandman. Lastly, if you don’t have snow or sand to use as a medium, you could have your child tape three white paper plates or white balloons together. Give them a box of markers or crayons and design a fun snowman that can be displayed in the living room or on your child’s wall.
WATCH A CHRISTMAS MOVIE
Does your child have a favorite Christmas movie? If not, this might be the year to start a tradition of watching the same holiday movie every December. Many cities host showings of Christmas movies as part of their holiday community activities, but if you’d rather stay home, there is no shortage of movies you have access to. Just be sure to add some extra fun to an at-home movie night by wearing Christmas-themed pajamas and prepping some of your favorite holiday treats to have on hand. Here is a list of popular kid-friendly Christmas movies: • Frozen • Elf • Jingle All the Way • I’ll Be Home for Christmas • A Christmas Carol • Home Alone • Polar Express • The Grinch • The Santa Clause • Arthur Christmas
MAKE POPCORN TINSEL
You don’t want to go overboard on this one, or else your whole house will smell like popcorn. Get out the thread and needle, pop some popcorn (preferably non-buttered) and let your children create a lanyard of kernels that can adorn the Christmas tree or Christmas mantle. You could even pair this activity with watching one of the Christmas movies recommended above.
GO FOR A CHRISTMAS LIGHTS DRIVE
Make some hot cocoa, pour a cup for each member of the family, and head out in the car in search of the best Christmas light displays for some memorable family bonding. You may know a couple of neighbourhoods that always go above and beyond each winter. Some cities and towns even have a professionally made light display or experience that charges admission. If you are lucky, you will come across a light display that is synced up with music for one of the most memorable Christmas activities for families.
LAUNCH A CANDY CANE HUNT
Think of this Christmas activity for kids as the wintertime equivalent of an easter egg hunt. All you need to do is spread some candy canes around the house (and perhaps rope in an older child to help you hide them), and then set your little ones loose to collect them in a Christmas stocking. Then, give out a prize for the largest collection to add to the excitement!
MAKE HOLIDAY POPSICLES
Making your own Christmas popsicles is one of the most colorful Christmas activities for kids on our list. With a simple popsicle mold and a few ingredients, you can make this activity come to life. And if you’re looking for what to do on Christmas eve to distract the little ones from all those gifts, this is it! To make an all-green popsicle: In a blender, mix pineapple, banana, apple juice, spinach, and coconut milk. Add in more spinach if you desire a darker shade of green. Pour the mixture in the mold and freeze. To make an all-red popsicle: Use all the same ingredients as above but substitute strawberries, raspberries, or cherries in place of spinach. You could even use a combination of all three of those options! To make a half-green half-red popsicle: First, start with the green mixture and ll the popsicle mold halfway. Freeze the mold overnight. The next day you can then ll the rest of the mold with the red mixture and freeze again for at least four hours.
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Choir Program Friday, Dec 16 – 7 pm
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Merry Christmas
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