Start magical Christmas Eve traditions your family will cherish forever with a Baker’s Dozen of creative ideas! From baking cookies, games and festive movie marathons to hay and sleigh rides and special pj’s this roundup offers fun and heartwarming ways to make Christmas Eve extra special. Create lasting memories with activities everyone will love during the holiday season!
Start Your Family Traditions TODAY
I LOVE a good family tradition! This is from the mom who has decorated the Christmas tree basically the same way for over thirty years! (the one time I just mentioned changing it there was a family riot!) Some traditions grow organically. Others are planned.
Some traditions take hold and some fall by the wayside as children grow older or interest wanes. Go with it as long as they are meaningful to your family. Here are a baker’s dozen ideas to get you started!
Special Christmas Eve Pajamas
Is yours the kind of family that goes for snazzy matching monogrammed pj’s? Or folks that really love the wild and crazy ones that show everyone’s own personality? Either way, special pajamas for the most exciting night in the whole kid year are a real treat. Be sure to take pictures!
Read a Special Christmas Story
Some years we read the Nativity story from the Gospel of Luke, others were The Very Best Christmas Pageant Ever or, when the kids were old enough not to be scared by the ghosts, it was Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol. Why not have your kids take turns picking out the story? Then cuddle up together on the couch with hot chocolate and enjoy the story, each other and the most special night of the year.
Attend a Church Service
Many churches have a special Christmas Eve service. We’ve been to ones with the traditional children’s nativity plays others singing carols by candlelight and even several staged “living Nativity” plays complete with farm animals and a smiling “baby Jesus” who delighted the crowds by waving at them.
Caroling and Hay Rides or Sleigh Rides
Some people are blessed to live in areas with Christmas snow where they can take a real dashing-through-the-snow sleigh ride. But for the rest of us who have never had a snowy Christmas there are often hay rides. We’ve enjoyed them with and without Christmas caroling, but I have to say the caroling does add something extra special to the experience.
Making Treats for Santa and his Reindeer
Early in the day, start making special cookies to leave out for Santa. These could be your family favorites or maybe ones you only make to share with Santa. Some years at our house Santa also got hot chocolate, or milk or, a few very special times, eggnog! Remember to leave nice crunchy carrots or apple slices for his reindeer. They work hard and really appreciate the thoughtfulness!
A Birthday Cake for Baby Jesus
When the littles became aware that the real reason for Christmas was to celebrate Jesus’ birthday they thought he should have a birthday cake (and the song). And just like that a new tradition was born! Initially the cake had only one candle because over two thousand is just crazy! Eventually we settled on three candles for all His birthdays past, present and future.
Giving to the Less Fortunate
Shoebox Christmas Giving (Samaritan’s Purse), Angel Tree and Salvation Army are great programs that allow folks to bless others at Christmas. Two of our grands regaled us recently with how excited they were to have packed 1200 Shoeboxes with the people from their church! But really even one is appreciated.
Putting coins in the Salvation Army kettle lets kids make a personal contribution from their piggy banks. Angel Tree is another great way to bless those going through a rough time at Christmas.
Family Photos
Take a special holiday photo every year. It’s so much fun to go back and see how people change from year to year! We know one family who did this and realized at some point that dad had worn the same outfit for several years in a row. Now their tradition is that everyone except dad wears a new outfit in their family picture!
North Pole Postage Packages
The closest thing a child may get to real mail these days is something delivered by UPS or FedEx! How exciting to receive a package under the tree addressed to them decked out in official North Pole postage stamps and franked by Santa himself!
Watch a Favorite Holiday Movie
I look forward to the new crop of Christmas movies every year, but when it comes right down to it, it’s always one of the classics we snuggle up to watch together as a family. Which are your favorites?
Play Games
Here are a few games to download and play while waiting for bedtime and the arrival of the big guy. Christmas Memory Master, A-Z Nativity Race and Christmas Eve Scavenger Hunt.
Scripture Cake
Whether or not you do this on Christmas Eve or just sometime during the Holidays, it’s a fun combination of treasure hunt through the Bible and cooking. And the cake is yummy.
Santa Alert Phone Tree
Figure out which friend or family member lives the furthest North (and therefore closest to the North Pole). Arrange for them to call your little ones as soon as they hear Santa’s sleigh bells so they know he’s on his way and to get busy getting to sleep! If you’re the furthest North then do this for the little ones South of you!
As our favorite man in red says, “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”
Looking for Even More Holiday Fun?
- New Yearās Family Interview
- Holiday Fun Fact Lunchbox Notes
- More Holiday Fun Fact and Joke Lunchbox Notes (includes Hanukkah!)
- North Pole Postal Printables
- Bake a Scripture Cake this Christmas
- Sweet Homemade Santa Cookie Tray
- Christmas Eve Scavenger Hunt
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I love it, looks really cute š And exactly as you said – it’s “just” about spending time together looking silly and cute at the same time ;)) I also like that you don’t pick just the “x-mas” theme…I mean, its also nice, but in this case you can enjoy the pyjamas longer. Practical! :)))
Amy – I also super ove family holiday traditions and certainly pajamas are the coziest of all. Growing up, we also had special pajamas on Christmas Eve which were always considered a present from our grandmother who lived in New York and would send my mom pajamas money to buy for us š The tradition continues…
LOVE this idea!! It’s kind of like Grandma’s there even when she couldn’t be!! HOW cute–I bet it made your mama feel a tad closer to home, too. Thanks for sharing, my friend!! Happy, happy holidays to you!!
Hi Amy. What a lovely idea. The smell and feel of a set of new cotton pyjamas – it set my senses on fire and it’s the first post that has made me feel ‘Christmassy’. I think my family are about to adopt your tradition š
do it! And let me know how it goes, my friend!