• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • DIY Home Projects
  • Home Tour
  • Recipes
  • About

Craving Some Creativity logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • DIY Home Projects
  • Home Tour
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Free Email Series
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Entertaining » Family Activities

    Published: Nov 19, 2014 · Modified: Oct 2, 2021 by Rachel

    The Best Christmas Activities List

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
    55 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Looking for Christmas Activity Ideas? This bucket list of the best things to do for Christmas has tons of great ideas to work into your calendar or pick your favorites!

    Christmas Bucket List and Activity Ideas text overlay on pile of activity cards on Christmas paper.

    When I shared my advent calendar, I mentioned that I use my calendar partly as a tool for organizing and planning a Christmas activity list. I put daily  holiday activities in it as well as special events that we celebrate during Christmas. If you are planning on making an advent style calendar, you may be looking for ideas on activities to put in your calendar. Or maybe you just want to create some new memories for yourself, family, and friends. These are great memories, Christmas activities, and also wonderful opportunities for pictures with your family!

    Christmas Activity Ideas for Families

    • Make “Who Pudding” or “Roast Beast” for dinner
    • Paper Snowball fight in the living room
    • Cutting your own tree on a tree farm
    • Hot chocolate (bonus for mini-marshmallows)
    • make and trade cookie recipes or cake balls – Need a Recipe? we have 24 excellent suggestions here!
    • volunteer – shelter, food kitchen, fundraiser, church, etc
    • spend a night driving around and putting money in all the kettles you find
    • Bake holiday cookies
    • Make a gingerbread house
    • Decorate Cookies
    • Christmas Movie Night : Polar Express, Home Alone, Griswold’s Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, Charlie Brown Christmas, etc
    • Read the Night before Christmas (we have this book that records voices and grandma gets to read it even though she is far away)
    • Drive around and see Christmas lights
    • Make your own ornaments
    • Have a date shopping (My husband and I do this for our son)
    • Go see Santa
    • Make paper snowflakes
    • Make wish lists or Santa’s lists
    • Go on a carriage ride
    • Ice Skate
    • Trim the tree
    • Donate to a food bank
    • Go sledding or skiing
    • Wrap gifts – a wrapping party is so much fun!
    • Make and swap gift tags
    • Ugly sweater day – free party printables and invitations here
    • Create a holiday playlist for the family
    • Live Nativity
    • Christmas Parade
    • Make eggnog
    • Christmas Photoshoot
    • Elf on a Shelf
    • Make teacher, co-worker, or school friends gifts
    • Send out Christmas Cards
    • Feed the reindeer at a petting zoo
    • Make garland – popcorn, scrapbook paper, jingle bells
    • Call the North Pole or watch the NORAD tracker
    • Make “Rudolph Noses”

    Have a wonderful day!

    Frequently asked questions:

    How can I incorporate more activities with my family during Christmas?

    If you have enough time, I highly suggest doing an advent calendar for the month of December. It’s a whole month of special and fun activities, and my son loves getting a surprise every morning leading up to Christmas! I like to mix it up a bit, with simple activities like hot cocoa, to special adventures like afternoon outings to the trampoline park.

    What if I don’t have enough time to do an advent calendar?

    That’s totally fine! If you don’t have that much spare time on your hands, especially around the holidays, try to pick one activity a week. Let your kids each pick an activity. If it’s something your family really enjoys doing, you can make it a tradition. That way, the next year and the years to come, it’s one less thing you have to worry about planning.

    Black. white, and red Christmas advent calendar DIY craft.
    Our Advent Calendar
    Weekend DIY project. A pegboard organizer in the craft room above the desk workspace.

    Grab our free series "Weekend Home Projects that will Transform Your Life"

    Sign up below to receive updates including free printables, organization tips, home improvement projects, recipes and more!

    More Christmas Ideas and Tutorials

    • Christmas Home Tour
    • Cheap Christmas Decor Ideas
    « Simple Bracelet Tutorial
    15 Charming Free Printable Christmas Tags »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. qschmitzdesign says

      December 21, 2016 at 6:33 pm

      5 stars
      Great list! I think Rudolph noises might be a funny one 🙂

      Reply
    2. Rebecca says

      November 27, 2014 at 1:11 am

      5 stars
      This is such a great idea! There are so many things I want to do that are on your bucket list. Just reading through this list puts me in the holiday spirit!

      Reply
    3. Kimberly says

      November 24, 2014 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      Hello gorgeous! I’m loving your list! Pinned and tweeted. I hope to see on Monday at 7 pm. We love to party with you! Happy Monday~Lou Lou Girls

      Reply
    4. Malia @ Small Town Girl says

      November 19, 2014 at 10:29 pm

      5 stars
      Love it! Is it wrong that I will probably do most of these even though I don’t have kids? Lol I <3 Christmas 😀

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        November 20, 2014 at 1:01 am

        I love your spirit! It’s the kid in me but even before kids, I did many of those with my girlfriends and baked so many cookies, my co-workers were begging me to stop bringing them in (with mouths full of cookies). lol

        Reply
    5. Ashley @ 3 Little Greenwoods says

      November 19, 2014 at 8:23 pm

      5 stars
      Oh I love your list! Grabbing a couple of new ideas to add to our Christmas Countdown Santa. Thanks so much for the inspiration!

      Pinning and sharing everywhere!
      ~ Ashley

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        November 20, 2014 at 12:55 am

        Always glad when someone finds inspiration! And thanks for the shares!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Headshot of Rachel Beach, the author of Craving Some Creativity.

    Hi, I'm Rachel!

    Creativity makes me energized and fearless. My husband and I have been renovating homes for over a decade and love to share our passion for all things home. Follow along for remodeling tutorials, recipes, and entertaining ideas sure to inspire!

    More about me →


    Popular Posts

    • How to Paint a Bathroom Cabinet the Easy Way
    • How To Caulk Baseboards like a Pro
    • How To Beautifully Organize Your Linen Closet
    • How To Paint Cabinets with a Sprayer

    Featured On

    Collection of Expert Features including Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, Apartment Therapy, Angie's List, This Old House Magazine, The Huffington Post, Delish, Wayfair, and Real Simple Magazine.

    Get Organized in 2022

    • 20+ Genius Small Bathroom Storage Ideas
    • Helpful Small Pantry Organization Ideas
    • How To Beautifully Organize Your Linen Closet
    • How To Organize a Small Space with Storage Bins
    Pinterest Widget including a snapshot of what Craving Some Creativity has pinned recently.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    Favorites

    • Blog
    • Shop
    • Our Home

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 Craving Some Creativity

    Inviting traditional Kitchen and Remodel.  Grey bar island.

    Pssst...

    Come on in!
    grab our free EMAIL series
    "weekend home projects that will transform your life"

    Sign up below to receive updates weekly including printables, organization tips, home improvement projects, recipes and more!

    Yes, I want it...

    ×