Holiday traditions are great, especially when you have young kids. The trouble is holidays can also become pretty expensive. That’s why a cheap or even better, free, holiday tradition offers the best of both worlds. Here are some suggestions for Free Christmas Traditions for Families.
1. Have a Family Slumber Party
Mommy on Purpose suggests taking one of those vacation days and camping out in the living room with your little ones. Build forts, pop popcorn and make paper chains to decorate the tree with.
2. Christmas Movie Marathon
Little Bins for Little Hands suggests a day devoted to Christmas movies and cookie baking. Pick out two or three of your favorite holiday movies (Home Alone or A Christmas Carol anyone?) and then watch them while you mix up batches of cookies to share with the neighbors.
3. Christmas Tree Skirt Handprints
This is a great tradition that you can do for years to come. The Krazy Coupon Lady says you should purchase a cloth Christmas tree skirt and then every year have the kids put a handprint somewhere on the skirt. The skirt will fill up as the kids grow.
4. Drive Around Looking at Christmas Lights
This item tops Beauty Through Imperfection’s list of top family traditions, gather the family up and drive through the neighborhood looking at Christmas decorations. When you get home, you can enjoy a batch of hot chocolate.
5. Attend a Local Event
This one is going to depend on your hometown, but The Busy Budgeter suggests that you attend a local town event every year as a family tradition. A park in a neighboring town puts up an elaborate lights display every Christmas. My family and I bundle up and then take a nighttime train ride through the lights.
6. Homemade Advent Tree
For The Imagination Tree, Christmas means bringing out the family made advent tree. It’s filled with things everyone in the family wants to do, including “Make fudge as a gift” or “Learn a Bible passage”. You make your own, but then each night, you pick one of the stars from the tree and complete that activity. Visit The Imagination Tree for the complete step-by-step.
7. Christmas Card Tree
Thyme is Honey has found a great way to display all those Christmas cards that you get from friends and family. Just create a Christmas Card Tree.
8. Write a Letter to a Soldier
There are still men and women serving overseas who will not be able to make it home to see their families this holiday season. Consider making it a family tradition to participate in Operation Gratitude. Have your kids write letters or create care packages for our troops.
9. Celebrate 12 Days of Christmas Activities
This awesome idea comes from Katherine Marie, who suggests you create 12 boxes, each one filled with activities having to do with that box’s theme. Every time you open a box, you and the family complete the tasks inside.
10. Finger Food Dinner
Arabah Joy uses this little tradition to help relieve some of the stress of the holidays. Each kid chooses a finger food to make like quartered sandwiches or veggies and dip. In the end, there’s a whole meal and less work for mom.
11. Make a Holiday Pillowcase
This is one of those things that’s exciting to pull out each and every holiday season. Kristen Duke Photography has more details, but the basic idea is to let the kids pick the fabric, make the pillowcases and then use them for the holidays. Afterward, pack them away with the Christmas ornaments until next season.
What are your favorite free family Christmas traditions?
Erike Towne
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