christmas traditions


Russ and I have had a few too many Christmases where we didn't solidify how we wanted the season to go beforehand, so then the season came and went without enough intention. To remedy that, it's been on my list to figure out what we're going to do for Christmas traditions in our house.

At one point, I went through all my "25 things to do this Christmas!" lists on Pinterest and I compiled them all in one place, making a three- or four-page single-spaced document. When I looked that list over this year, it was overwhelming, so I kind of decided I wanted to have only a few concrete traditions, and then a short list of other options to do throughout the season. Here's what I came up with, which actually looks like a long list once it's all typed out . . .


  • Decorate for Christmas the day/weekend after Thanksgiving
  • Have matching family Christmas PJ's wrapped up and given on December 1
  • Participate in Light the World.
  • Have a nativity puzzle that we put together throughout December.
  • Wrap up 25 Christmas stories and open one to read each night.
  • Deliver neighbor gifts/treats
  • Send Christmas cards/letters
  • Do Christmas baking (sugar cookies, PB kiss cookies, 7-layer bars, & turtle brownies)
  • Watch the LDS Christmas devotional and eat "Christmas Corn" (popcorn with white chocolate drizzled over top of it, topped with red/white/green sprinkles)
  • See the Nutcracker (either Russ & I or our girls & I)
  • Christmas Eve:
    • Bethlehem dinner -- eat foods that they may have eaten, dress up as shepherds, tell the nativity story
    • Set an extra plate at the dinner table because "there's always room at our inn"
    • Read the nativity story from the bible
  • Christmas Day:
    • Monkey bread for breakfast
    • Open presents one at a time from youngest to oldest
    • Only one gift and stockings from Santa (the rest are from us!!)
    • Meatloaf for dinner (Or McDonald's, if I'm not feeling up to cooking 😂 )
    • Do "gifts for Jesus" at the end of the day or the end of present opening -- each write down what we want to try to give to Jesus in the upcoming year, and put it in His white stocking.
  • Have a family sleepover under the Christmas tree -- either the day we put it up, or the night before we take it down. Not sure yet.

Other things to do throughout December, possibly for Family Home Evening nights:
  • Gingerbread houses (or ugly sweater cookies or something)
  • See Christmas lights
  • Sort through old toys/clothes to leave a bag for Santa to take to other children
  • Make cheesy Christmas sweaters
  • Volunteer somewhere
  • Go ice skating

So there you have it! This list will probably change over the years, but I like what we have so far :)


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