Top Christmas Family Traditions to Celebrate with Young Children

The holiday season sparkles with joy and wonder, especially when little ones are involved. There's something truly magical about watching young children's eyes light up with excitement as you create cherished traditions together. These special moments not only make the season unforgettable but also strengthen family bonds and craft memories that last a lifetime. If you're eager to turn this Christmas into a heartfelt celebration full of fun, warmth, and joy for your young children, keep reading—these simple, delightful traditions are just what you need to make this holiday truly special!

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Jump To Recipe: The Best Christmas Sugar Cookies

Countdown to Fun: Advent Calendars with a Twist

Advent calendars are a classic way to count down to Christmas, but they can be so much more than just chocolates. You can craft a personalized calendar with daily surprises or simple tasks that encourage quality family time. I personally love having an Advent Calendar that I can customize with my children’s favorite treats, family activites ideas, and even little scripture notes full of holiday cheer. A wooden house advent calendar, for example, can become a charming keepsake and a delightful part of your holiday traditions.

Some ideas for daily activities that encourage quality family time:

• Reading a Christmas story together

• Baking a simple holiday treat

• Singing a favorite Christmas song

• Doing a small craft project

  
  

This approach turns each day into a mini celebration and helps children anticipate the big day with joy.

Transforming Spaces: Decorating Together with Joy

Involving children in decorating the home creates a sense of pride and excitement. Choose decorations that are safe and easy for little hands to handle. Let kids help hang ornaments, place stockings, or arrange festive figurines.

Try making decorations as a family. For example, salt dough ornaments or paper snowflakes are easy crafts that children can personalize. These handmade items add a special touch and become keepsakes for years to come.

Pet Safety Tip: Please be cautious around salt dough ornaments, as some ingredients can be harmful to pets if ingested. Keep finished ornaments out of reach of animals to ensure their safety.

Christmas Family Traditions: Storytime & Movie Nights

Spend time reading the Nativity story and watching a festive movie like The Star (2017), which retells the Christmas story from a donkey’s perspective. These cozy traditions help children understand the reason for the season—bringing themes of faith, hope, and kindness into your holiday celebrations. We often read The First Christmas: Lift-a-Pop Pop-Up Nativity Board, which has become a cherished part of our holiday traditions.

This year, I’m looking forward to gifting them inflatable car beds and some fun movie night goodies for Christmas, so we can plan weekly cozy "drive in" movie nights—more ideas for future blogs!

Creating Delicious Memories: Baking and Cooking as a Family

Young children enjoy helping in the kitchen, especially when it involves treats. Baking cookies or making simple holiday snacks can be a fun and educational activity. It teaches basic skills like measuring, mixing, and following instructions.

Choose kid-friendly and simple recipes like sugar cookies, gingerbread men, or no-bake treats. Let children have fun decorating with colorful icing and sprinkles. This hands-on activity creates joyful memories and delicious rewards. One of our favorite recipes is these sugar cookies with almond flavor—they taste so good!

The Best Christmas Sugar Cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• A pinch of salt

  
  

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until creamy.

2. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract; mix well.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.

5. Divide the dough into two balls, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. Roll out one dough disk on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness.

8. Use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes. (See star-shaped activity below)

9. Place cookies on the baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly golden.

10. Let cookies cool completely before decorating.

    
    

Decorating:

• We use store-bought white cake icing and tint it with different food colors.

• Let kids pipe or spread icing onto the cookies.

• Top with sprinkles for extra fun.

Guided by the Star: Cookies & the Christmas Journey

Guided by the Star.pdf

Download PDF • 221KB

Materials:

• Cookie cutters in star shapes (or you can cut out star shapes with a knife)

• Dough for sugar cookies

• Icing and decorations

  
  

Steps:

1. Make the Cookies: Roll out the dough and cut out star shapes to represent the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Wise Men to Jesus.

   
   

2. Talk About the Star: As you cut out each star, share the story of the star in Matthew 2:1-12, explaining how it led the Wise Men to find Jesus.

   
   

3. Decorate the Stars: Use icing, stars with a bright color, or gold accents to symbolize the glowing star that announced Jesus’ birth.

   
   

4. Connect to Scripture: During decoration or while sharing the story, emphasize how Jesus is the true light in our world—fulfilling the hope that the star represented.

Optional Reflection:

Just like the star guided the Wise Men to find Jesus, Jesus is the Light that leads us to hope and joy. The star is a reminder of God's promise fulfilled in Jesus, our Savior.

Sample Prayer:

"Dear God, as we make and enjoy these star-shaped cookies, we thank You for sending Jesus, the brightest star that guides us. Just as the star led the Wise Men to find Him, we ask that Your light guide our hearts and minds. Help us to share His love, hope, and peace with others, shining brightly as a reflection of Your divine light. Thank You for the gift of Jesus and for guiding us always. Amen."

Spreading Joy Together: Giving Back as a Family

Teaching children about generosity is a meaningful tradition. Find simple ways to give back during the holiday season. This could be donating toys, making cards for neighbors or nursing homes, or collecting food for a local pantry.

Involving kids in these activities helps them develop empathy and understand the importance of helping others. It also adds a deeper layer of joy to the Christmas celebrations.

Getting Ready to Jingle All the Way!

While children are still young and believe in the magic of the season, Santa's excitement is a cherished part of Christmas. You can create special traditions such as:

• Writing letters to Santa

• Leaving out cookies and milk on Christmas Eve

• Setting up a special spot for Santa’s reindeer with carrots

  
  

This year, we decided to share the secret of santa with our oldest. He was full of questions, and knowing his age and our desire to keep his trust, we chose to involve him. While he was a bit surprised, he’s now super excited to help us play Santa for his younger siblings and keep the magic alive!

Final Thoughts on Family Traditions

Building family traditions during the weeks before Christmas creates a warm, joyful atmosphere that children will cherish. These activities are simple, inclusive, and designed to engage young kids in meaningful ways. Whether it’s crafting decorations, baking treats, or sharing stories, the key is spending quality time together.

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