Christmas is a special time of year no matter what, but when you have kids around, the holiday becomes even more whimsical. There’s something really magical about watching children’s faces light up every time the mention of this season fills the air.
To help you make the most of this meaningful holiday, here are a few tips to help you celebrate the joyous holidays with the little ones in your family:
Color-Code Gifts
When each person in the family has their own designated color under the tree, you cut down on the chaos of rummaging through boxes and looking for nametags. Beyond this, your kids will feel special because they’ll have their own special color. Let them choose their hue so they feel like they’re part of the process.
As an added bonus, your tree will look extra festive when it displays presents in all sorts of colors.
Create a Holiday Ritual
Having a ritual your kids can look forward to every year will make Christmas even more special; whether you take a trip during the holiday or just stay home Christmas rituals have tendency of sticking with your children as they grow older. They might even pass your rituals along to their kids when they have a family of their own.
Here are some ideas:
- Put the tree up as a family
- Shop for a new ornament together each year
- Designate a time to light the tree each day when you’re all home to experience it
- Sing a different Christmas carol every time you light the tree
- Enjoy hot chocolate and share your favorite Christmas stories around the tree on Christmas Eve
- Take turns opening the doors on the advent calendar
Deck the Halls
Spread holiday cheer from wall to wall by decking the halls with festive flair. Look for age-appropriate DIY Christmas crafts your kids can make so they get to be involved, too.
Garland and lights can transform any room in your house into a winter wonderland. Don’t forget to decorate the kids’ rooms, too!
Make a Gingerbread House
This can be an annual family ritual, but it deserves it’s own place on the list. If you’re feeling ultra-crafty, you can make and bake the walls from scratch. If you’re not so great in the kitchen, you can buy kits to help your gingerbread house along.
Once your gingerbread house is complete, display it as a centerpiece on the dining room table so your guests can marvel at your kids’ architectural talents.
Give Kids a Sneak Peek
If your family opens presents on Christmas morning, let your kids pick one special present to open the night before. This kicks the excitement of the holiday into full swing and enables them to treasure that one present before the chaos of the following morning ensues.
If you’d rather pick the present they open early, mark it with a different kind of wrapping paper. This will add extra enticement to the mysteries that live under the tree.
Let Your Kiddos Contribute
Your decorations, gift wrap, and baked goods don’t have to look like they belong on an HGTV special. This is a time for embracing family fun time, and your kids will be more than happy to help with anything that goes into the holiday.
Let them wrap some of their siblings’ presents. Ask for their input when you’re buying your partner’s gifts. Let them choose the type of cookies you make, and, of course, give them lots of fun stuff to decorate them with when they’re cooled off.
Bake Beautiful Christmas Cookies
Speaking of baking, Christmas is a great time to spend time in the kitchen. Whether you’re busting out one of your tried-and-true classic Christmas cookie recipes, or you’ve hit the internet in search of weird ways to redo old traditions, your kids will love being with you when the oven’s on.
As an added bonus, this is a great time to teach them about measuring and counting in an environment that’s fun and festive. They won’t even realize they’re learning something!
Have Snack-and-Christmas-Classic Movie Night
There are tons of great Christmas movies to choose from. Get the pillows and blankets ready for a snuggle session around the TV, and make sure you’ve got a few finger foods or snacks on hand. Popcorn is a great go-to for snack-and-movie night. Breadsticks and gooey cheese also tend to be big winners.
Create a Giving Tree
Ask each child to choose a charity. Have your children create ornaments that represent the organization or the gifts you’ll be donating. Add to the tree annually.
Christmas chaos may get stressful at times, but there’s no need to let it get to you. Step back and enjoy the beauty of being with family and friends. The rest will fall into place when it’s supposed to. With these tips, your kids will embrace the best parts of the holiday so you can simply watch the smiles on their faces.
