Holiday Traditions

With the holidays quickly approaching, I thought it might be fun for anyone who would like to, to share some  favorite family traditions, recipes and craft projects.  One of our family favorites is our own homemade advent calendar.  We have come up with a list of 24 activities to do throughout the month of December.  Each year we go over the list and decide if we want to change any of the activities with new ones.  I originally got this idea from a good friend and took her ideas and changed a few that worked better for our family, you could do the same.  After we have decided on our favorite 24 activities, Jon and I strategically place each activity printed on a small piece of paper and a treat for each child in the advent calendar on a day that works best for us to make sure we have time to do the activity.  The kids absolutely LOVE this tradition!!  I have included our list of activities for you to get started with.  They are in no particular order.

One other tradition we have is that every year we get a new Christmas story book.  These books are only brought out during the holidays so the kids really look forward to reading them.  (If you shop at Deseret Book after Christmas you can get them for 50-75% off and put them in storage until the following year)

Set up Christmas tree
Set up nativity
Decorate Christmas tree
Read the first Christmas story
Open a new Christmas book (we collect a new one every year. I will usually go to Deseret book after Christmas and pick our book for the next year –they are usually 50-75% off by then)
Read Christmas stories (from the collection)
Watch a Christmas movie
Camp out under the Christmas tree
Drive around to see the lights in your pj’s while having a treat (popcorn)
Indoor snowball fight (with wadded up paper)
Reindeer rides ( just like horseback rides)
Sing Christmas songs
Go to the temple and see the nativity
Make your favorite holiday treat
Take a treat to a friend or neighbor
Draw names for sibling gift
Shop for sibling gift
Write a letter to Santa
Do a service project
Go to a free holiday concert (Christmas devotional works for us)
Make a holiday craft (We will usually make new ornaments with the kids to add to the tree)
Make/decorate a gingerbread house
Make and hang snowflakes (or you can do window clings)
Hang the stockings
Call grandma and grandpa