55 Fun Christmas Activities For Kids And Families

These activities will help your family have the most magical Christmas yet.

The holidays are our yearly occasion to celebrate family, passing hours telling stories by the crackling fire and stewing up Grandma's recipes in the kitchen. School is out and the office is closed. The kids jump out of bed each morning to see what the day has in store for them—namely, all the holiday fun that the parents have planned. But eventually, the kids will start to get restless.

When you've exhausted your standard supply of activities, think outside the box and come up with some new favorite holiday traditions. Whether it's a day of DIY crafting or cookie baking, these festive activities are fun for the whole family. We've tailored these Christmas activities to suit a variety of moods and times, from relaxed movie nights to competitive Christmas games. So when the kids jump out of bed and ask what the plan is for the day, you'll know just what to say.

Visit a Christmas Tree Farm

The best way to signal the start of the holiday season? A trip to the Christmas tree farm, of course. Once Thanksgiving comes to a close, it's time to head over to the local farm with your whole family to pick out the perfect Christmas tree. Plus, we've got some of the nation's best Christmas tree farms right here in the South.

Hang an Advent Calendar

Count down the days to Christmas with a creative advent calendar. From heirloom advent calendars to calendars designed for the whole family, there are endless opportunities for holiday fun.

Write a Letter to Santa

This is one Christmas tradition that just never gets old. In the South, we're faithful advocates of letter-writing for every occasion (thank-you notes, seasonal greetings, the list goes on and on…). Penning a letter to Santa is one way to pass on the tradition of letter-writing to your kids.

Go Sledding

If there's snow, you'll find us sledding this holiday season. This activity offers timeless fun—just throw the sled in the trunk and find a snow-covered hill to soar down. Be sure to bundle up in hats, scarves, coats, and mittens!

Visit Santa

Chances are you still have a complete album of all your childhood photos with Santa. The line to visit Santa may wind around the entire mall plaza, but it's always worth it to let your children sit on Santa's lap and deliver their wish lists in person. Plus, it makes for a stellar photo-op to look back on for years to come.

Decorate the Christmas Tree

Southerners know that it's never too early to start decorating for Christmas (in fact, starting early could be a good thing). No matter when your tree goes up, decorating is a fun activity for the holidays! Dedicate a morning to adorning your tree with all the string lights and family heirloom ornaments.

Go Holiday Shopping

There's nothing quite like the fun and chaos of a trip to the mall the week before Christmas. But last-minute holiday shopping doesn't have to be stressful! Turn that dreaded trip to the mall into a fun family outing—complete with a visit to Santa, of course.

Bake Christmas Cookies

Nothing will brighten your day like a Christmas cookie-baking marathon. Your kids will adore this seasonal task, and all that baking will leave your house smelling oh-so-sweet. Package the goods in festive wrapping or mason jars and deliver them to neighbors, teachers, mailmen, or anyone in your life who deserves a bit of appreciation!

Decorate the Fireplace Mantel

A little bit of tinsel here, a little bit of garland there. You can keep it understated or go all out for the season—no matter how you want to decorate your fireplace mantel, we've got inspiration for you. Be sure to get the kids involved in the process!

Make a Big Batch of Spiced Cider

Cheers to the season with a comforting cup of our mulled cider. Paired with warm gingersnaps, the festive combo simply can't be beat. Serve with alcohol or keep it spirit-free for a drink that the whole family can enjoy.

See a Light Show

In the South, we know how to put on a good light show. Drive through marvelous displays of holiday lights or wander around a town festival. Don't have a local display? Drive around the neighborhood and tour your neighbors' lovely holiday decorations.

Host a Christmas Cookie Swap

Put Grandma's famous Christmas cookie recipe to the test and host a cookie swap for your friends and family. This potluck-style party is ideal for the holidays because it requires little prep, but results in a bounty of festive desserts. Will you be making snickerdoodles or shortbread?

Cozy Up By The Fire

On those cold winter nights, cozy up by the fireplace in your pajamas. There's no better time to connect and bond with your family. Tell stories, share jokes, sip on cocoa, and sing songs to celebrate the season.

Host a Christmas Craft Night

Nothing gets us in the holiday spirit like some crafting by the fire. Choose an activity that's kid-friendly, gather the supplies, and get to crafting. Try making your own ornaments, garlands, paper snowflakes, snow globes, or advent calendars. Grownups can try one of our easy homemade Christmas decorations.

Hang Stockings

Hanging the stockings on the fireplace mantle is one of our all-time favorite Christmas traditions. Now, just get looking for the perfect stocking stuffers. Just don't forget a stocking for the dog!

Start a Christmas Singalong

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas…and learn all the lyrics to your favorite Christmas songs. These songs are the perfect way to toast to the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and they're great for every holiday occasion. Whether you enjoy karaoke or gathering around the piano, holiday music can be a fun activity for everyone.

Cut Paper Snowflakes

Paper snowflakes are some of the simplest holiday crafts, which makes them great for children of all ages to execute. All you'll need is a pair of scissors and some white paper—then let the kids get creative with their folds and designs! Hang these paper snowflakes in your windows to show off the special seasonal artwork.

Play "Guess That Tune"

Brush up on your holiday songs and play a few rounds of "Guess that Tune," holiday edition. Divide your family into two teams and alternate humming your favorite holiday tunes. This is a great after-dinner activity for the whole family. The winning team gets first dibs on hot cocoa.

Host a Themed Potluck Dinner

Bring your family and friends together for a big potluck-style dinner. Select a theme for the dishes like "Casseroles Galore" or "Grandma's Holiday Favorites" and task each guest with bringing a signature dish. This is a great way to share your favorite family holiday recipes and take the stress out of holiday entertaining.

Make a DIY Wreath

No holiday home is complete without a festive wreath, and this year, why not try making your own? Crafting DIY wreaths is a fun activity for kids and adults alike.

Make Christmas Cocktails

When the kids have fallen asleep, the adults deserve a treat. From Christmas Frosé to Sparkling Pomegranate Punch, we've got quite a few signature cocktails on our Christmas wish list. Make these spirited holiday cocktails for an adults-only party—just be sure to have some hot chocolate stocked for the kids.

Craft DIY Ornaments

Spruce up your Christmas tree with some homemade décor. DIY Christmas ornaments are a great craft for kids and a thoughtful gift for grandparents. Save the one-of-a-kind creations to hang for years to come.

Host a Tacky Christmas Sweater Party

Tacky Christmas sweaters are a staple in our holiday wardrobes, and we're always looking for new ways to show off our favorite finds. An ugly Christmas sweater party is a great way to gather friends and family in good spirits. Still in search of the perfect Christmas sweater? Check out some of our top seasonal picks.

Decorate a Gingerbread House

Bake your own gingerbread or buy a house-building kit for endless hours of family fun this Christmas. While the homemade houses may not compare to Disney World's life-size gingerbread houses, the result will certainly earn its place on your table or mantel. Plus, we all know that half the fun of building a gingerbread house is indulging in delicious icing and candy along the way.

Make Homemade Hot Cocoa

Winter is the season of the slow cooker, and we're using this favorite kitchen device to make big-batch hot chocolate. Let it go low and slow while the kids are playing in the snow, and they'll return inside for a special warm treat. For the adults, feel free to add a shot of Peppermint Schnapps.

Read a Christmas Book

You're never too old for a bit of Christmas magic. Classic Christmas stories are great for all ages, and we're reading everything from contemporary novels to time-tested children's tales. Read up on all of our must-read Christmas books.

Host a Hallmark Christmas Movie Marathon

There's something that just feels right about cozying up to a Hallmark Christmas movie once the weather turns cold. If you're not in the mood to rewatch a favorite, Hallmark gives viewers plenty of options with a couple dozen new flicks released every holiday season.

Watch The Nutcracker

Watching The Nutcracker, a festive tradition of music and dance, is a beloved holiday happening. Whether you stream it into your living room or get everyone dressed up to go to the ballet and see it live, it's a magical experience for all.

Bake Homemade Cinnamon Rolls on Christmas Morning

There's nothing quite like waking up to the smell of homemade cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. On Christmas morning, the kids will most definitely jump out of bed, anxious to open their presents. But there's no better way to start the festivities than with a special family breakfast. Our classic Christmas morning cinnamon roll should tide them over for… well… five minutes or so.

Spend Time Volunteering

This holiday season, devote a day to giving back. Sign up to volunteer in a soup kitchen, food pantry, or the local charitable organization of your family's choosing. Make this a tradition that your kids will cherish and continue for years to come.

Decorate Sugar Cookies

These cute-as-can-be sugar cookie designs will be the star of the holiday cookie swap. Bake simple sugar cookies, whip up a few colored icings, assemble all the supplies, and gather the kids to express their creativity on a cookie canvas! This edible artwork is as fun to make as it is to eat. Looking for design inspiration? Take a lesson from a pro.

Take a Christmas Road Trip

Pack your bags and load up the car. It's time for a family Christmas road trip. Whether you embark on a short weekend getaway or a week-long journey, change up the scenery and plan a family trip this Christmas. May we recommend a road trip through Georgia's small towns?

Go Caroling

Go door-to-door this Christmas and spread seasonal cheer with your favorite holiday tunes. Your neighbors will applaud your family chorus—and remember, the more the merrier. Caroling is even better when you bring friends in on the fun.

Watch a Classic Holiday Movie

It may seem like an impossible task to choose just one-holiday classic to stream for family movie night—but don't worry, there will be many more years to check those classic films off your bucket list. Of course, there are the modern classics, like Elf, but try selecting a few vintage Christmas movies. They'll become just as nostalgic for your kids as they are for you.

Track Santa

Where in the world is he now? Use NORAD's online tracker to help your kids follow Santa's every move across the globe this December. Tracking starts each year on December 1st.

Make Homemade Candy

On a drab winter morning, turn your kitchen into a candy factory! From pulled taffy to pecan pralines, we're seriously nostalgic for these homemade Southern candy recipes. The process of making the candy is fun and whimsical, and there are great ways to get the kids involved.

Fill a Box With Donations

Collect items from around your house to donate to children in need, or head over to your local grocery store and fill a basket with nonperishables and canned items to donate to your local food shelter. Making charity a part of your family holiday routine is a great way to teach your kids the importance of giving back.

Play a Holiday Board Game

Don't let the family sit around on their phones this holiday vacation. Break out the board games, and get a friendly bout of competition going on at the coffee table. Even if it's just one round of checkers or a quick card game, it can do wonders to bring people together during the holidays.

Take a Family Photo

Everyone loves finding a family photo slipped in the Christmas card, especially in those years when we can't all be together. Choose a setting that feels seasonal, pick out your outfits, and figure out the best lighting—but make sure to have fun. A silly, candid shot can be just as charming as a posed one.

Wrap Gifts

Turn gift wrapping into a family activity. Put on some lively Christmas music and break out all the wrapping paper and ribbons. Hold a competition to see who can come up with the most extravagant bows and embellishments.

Make a Christmas Cake

Make something truly showstopping, like a traditional yule log cake or this spice cake with cranberry filling embellished with decorated sugar cones. Tap into your creative side and get the whole family involved with decorating. You have our permission to go over the top.

Go Ice Skating

Strap on the skates and go for a lap around the rink this holiday season. A family ice skating trip is one of our favorite holiday traditions. After a few hours of skating, treat yourself to a mug of hot cocoa or cider.

Do a Holiday Sewing Project

Long December days are ideal times for crafting projects. Break out the sewing machine (or the needle and thread) to do a simple sewing project with the family. Whether you're making a scarf or a pillow with little ones or teaching older kids how to cross-stitch, there are plenty of opportunities to pass down knowledge.

Make Place Cards

Nothing fancies up a holiday table like place cards. Get out the card stock, paints, markers, and stamps, and let the kids decorate the names of everyone who will be at Christmas dinner. They just might become little heirlooms that you look forward to breaking out every year, long after the kids have learned to spell properly.

Don Matching Pajamas

Few things are quite as cozy as when the whole family is bedecked in the same festive pajama print. Not only will it make for a fun photo op, but you'll be sprinkling a bit of Christmas cheer around the whole house when you outfit everyone's sleeves in candy canes and peppermint dreams.

Forage for Holiday Decor

After you've unboxed the ornaments and put the topper on the tree, there are no doubt still some places in your house that could use some holiday sprucing. Send the kids out into the yard to forage for magnolia branches, evergreen boughs, and other decorative foliage that you can use to adorn your mantles, banisters, and doors. Tie them up with a pretty ribbon, and you're halfway to holiday decor.

Make Christmas Cards

While it's nice to buy holiday cards, it's even more sentimental to make them. Cards handmade by kids are the ones you'll hold onto for years, keeping them safe in boxes until it's time to break them out for a bout of reminiscing many years later.

Read A Christmas Carol

There's one holiday story we go back to every year, and that's Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Whether you're reading the classic or an abridged version for kids, there's always something to learn about generosity and the Christmas spirit within its pages.

See Holiday Lights

Bundle up, load into the car, and set out for a drive at night to see the holiday lights in your town. Marvel at your neighbors' displays and see all of the many lights twinkling in the darkness. It's a cozy way to end a day during a holiday vacation.

Whip Up a Festive Breakfast

While cinnamon rolls are always a crowd-pleaser, you have lots of breakfasts to account for during holiday vacation, which means many, many opportunities for trying new recipes. This pancake casserole is a showstopper, but if you need even more ideas to feed your crew in the mornings, here's a long list of them.

Make a Christmas Playlist

There's nothing that will get the family in the Christmas spirit quite like some holiday tunes. Spend some time with your family this season putting together the perfect festive playlist. Have everyone call out their favorites and add them to the playlist. Then, once you're done, have a listening party and really get into the Christmas season.

Go on a Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Gather the family and go on a Christmas scavenger hunt! Split into teams if you'd like some friendly competition, or go together and enjoy checking items off as a family. To prepare, write down a list of Christmas-related items for the hunt, such as Christmas lights, ornaments, a snowman, a nativity scene, and hot cocoa. This is a great way to experience the Christmas magic around your town and create lasting memories with those you love the most.

Put Together a Holiday-Themed Jigsaw Puzzle

We are such a big fan of jigsaw puzzles, especially those that are holiday-themed. There's nothing quite like sitting around the table with loved ones proclaiming "Oo I got one!" every few seconds. It's a wonderful way to slow down during the busy season. Turn it into tradition by taking your crew out to pick the puzzle of the year.

Dress Up Your Pet for the Holidays

If you have a furry friend in the family, consider dressing them up in festive attire this year. Make a trip to the pet store to check out lots of accessories for your pet. From a Santa hat and elf ears to a cozy sweater, you'll surely be able to find something that looks jolly. Consider picking up some holiday-themed treats too to stuff in their stocking on Christmas Day.

Shop at a Holiday Market

Go to your local Christmas Market to really soak in the merriment of the season. Along with supporting small businesses, you're also finding holiday treasures you and your loved ones will cherish for Christmases to come. While you're shopping, pick up some hot chocolate and roasted nuts—we have a feeling they'll be close by.

Related: 80 Christmas Quotes About Family To Share With Your Loved Ones

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