25 Days of Christmas Ideas for Kids, December Activities to Countdown to Christmas

There is a saying that I heard once “you never know how much you love Christmas until you have children”.   As a mom, I want to make Christmas as special as possible for my daughter.  

I also don’t want to make it just about receiving presents.  Even though my daughter is very young, I tried to tell her that experiences make life special, not materials.  Here is a list of things you can do daily to countdown to Christmas and make the holiday season special.

Get an Advent calendar.  This is a great way to get the little ones excited about Christmas.  Each morning is one day closer to Christmas. I got a really cute Melissa and Doug Advent Calendar on Amazon.  It’s a wooden cut-out magnetic tree with little wooden magnetic ornaments.  I can’t wait for her to take one off every day to countdown Christmas.

Christmas countdown calendar, wooden Christmas tree with ornaments

You can also get an Elf on the Shelf.  Who doesn’t like a visit from one of Santa’s elves?  Click here for more Christmas traditions.

Here is a sample list of holiday activities done every day until Christmas.

December 1st:         Put up and decorate Christmas Tree.

December 2nd:       Make a Christmas ornament for our tree (I try to do this each year).

December 3rd:        Decorate the rest of the house with Christmas decorations.

December 4th:        Write a letter to Santa and send it to the North Pole.

December 5th:         Attend a local Christmas festival or tree lighting. Check your paper for local events throughout the month of December.

December 6th:        Make a Christmas Craft

December 7th:        Take a family Christmas photo. Turn your photo into an ornament for the tree.

December 8th:        Visit Santa and take pictures.

December 9th:       Go Ice Skating.

December 10th:     Watch a Christmas Movie.

December 11th:      Do something Charitable.  I will make a care package this year and send it to a soldier.

December 12th:     Build and decorate a gingerbread house.

December 13th:     If you live in New York, visit Rockefeller Center, Macy’s Santaland, and the windows on 5th Ave.

December 14th:     Send Christmas Cards.  Yes, people still do this.  Have the kids make them and send them to their grandparents or relatives.

December 15th:     Go Christmas shopping with the kids, and let them help you pick out gifts for loved ones.

December 16th:     Have a family sing a long and sing your favorite Christmas songs while having some hot cocoa.

December 17th:     Pick out matching Christmas PJs for the whole family.

December 18th:     Drive around and look at Christmas lights. For extra fun, wear matching PJs.

December 19th:     Wrap gifts with the kids.

December 20th:     Decorate Christmas stockings.

December 21st:     Make and decorate Christmas Cookies.

December 22nd:   Make and play with pretend snow. 

December 23rd:     Make reindeer food.  

December 24th:      Open the Christmas Eve box, click here for ideas, leave cookies for Santa, spread out Reindeer food on the lawn, and read “T’was the Night Before Christmas…”

I hope your holiday season is magical.  Happy Holidays!