December 03, 2015 3 min read

Christmas Traditions for Children

It's the most wonderful time of the year… the song says so and it's true. The delicious combination of family time, Christmas carols, gift giving, yummy food, and for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, hot weather help make Christmas so special. We think it's fun to build family traditions, adding to the excitement around the festive season and creating memories for our children. We asked our Instagram and Facebook fans what their family Christmas traditions are and we loved their ideas, here are some of them, along with a few of our own.

Go to the Christmas tree farm and pick out a tree

Then take the tree home and decorate it together that night. You could make a bigger event of it by playing Christmas carols in the background, and inviting the grandparents around.

Open one present on Christmas Eve

Surprise! It's new pyjamas! We do this in our house and then we take a picture of the kiddo in her new 'jammies under the Christmas tree. Last year we all got new PJ's and in the photo my husband and our baby were both covered in chicken pox! Ah, memories:-)

Go to the store and choose a special Christmas decoration together

After a few years you'll have lots of beautiful decorations. Another suggestion was to choose a decoration that relates to the year you've just had, so a Christmassey house if you moved house, a baby for the birth of a new baby, love this idea!

Read a Christmas book together

This was a popular one, with 'Twas the Night Before Christmas being the most popular book. Some people put the Christmas books away with the decorations each year and bring them out to read all through December, others save them for a special treat just on Christmas Eve.

Go and see the Christmas lights together

A lot of towns have a street that goes all-out with the Christmas lights, in Auckland it's Franklin Road and the houses look beautiful! I grew up on a street that did Christmas lights, one neighbour even dressed up as Santa each night in December and handed out lollies!

Watch a Christmas movie together

Depending on the age of the children, you could go for Elf, Home Alone, Bad Santa, Love Actually, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Polar Express, Shrek the Halls, or The Santa Clause.

Smacking the turkey's bottom before it goes into the oven

This is a funny one! But a tradition that costs nothing and is sure to create memories!

A new outfit to wear on Christmas Day

You always want to wear it, even if the new outfit is a summer dress and it's freezing cold.

The same thing for breakfast every Christmas

Popular suggestions were pancakes and maple syrup, and waffles and fruit. My brother and his family have bacon and eggs on the BBQ, a special tradition that the children love even more as they grow older.

Leaving snacks out for Santa and the reindeer

Carrots, bowls of milk, beer, fruit mince pies, cookies, Santa isn't fussy it seems! It's super exciting for the kiddies when they wake up and find an empty glass and a few crumbs!

Have a photo taken with Santa

We'll have Santa in store on Saturday the 19th of December, so mark it in your calendar now.

Giving to charity

In the name of loved ones who have passed away, giving wrapped gifts for children who are less fortunate, and giving your time to charity over the festive season.

Making Christmas decorations together

We like these ones made from popsicle sticks courtesy of Mummy Do It

Plant peas in a pot

In the morning they have turned into candy canes! Love this one!

Champagne with strawberries

Just for the adults of course! We need traditions too:-)

Do you have any Christmas traditions to add?