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.
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!
