Christmas is the one part of year you’re guaranteed to have time with your whole family and make memories with your little ones.
If you are looking for various ways to bring your family closer this year, start your own annual traditions with our tips.
1. Treat your neighbours
Kids love getting involved in baking, so choose a simple recipe like shortbread biscuits, pop your baked goods in a pretty Christmas tin and hand deliver to the neighbours with your little ones. If you’re not a foodie, getting the children to make handmade cards is also a nice touch.
2. Start an ornament collection
Let each family member pick out a tree ornament and continue to do this each year. When your children grow up, they can take their decorations with them to their new home - leaving one or two behind for Mum’s tree, of course!
3. Go out for a stroll
Everything is so peaceful on Christmas Day, it’s lovely to walk around with your family after a huge meal. Maybe after you’ve all had a nap…
4. Do something for others
There are plenty of charitable events to get involved in during the Christmas season. You can take part in food donations with St Vincent de Paul, head to Grafton Street for the annual Sing for Simon or give up a few hours on Christmas Day to help out at Christmas dinners for the homeless.
5. Share Christmas stories
The festive holiday always makes people feel festive, so take this time to sit around the fire with cups of hot chocolate and talk about Christmas Past.
6. Christmas Eve gifts
A lot of families let each member open one present from their pile on Christmas Eve. It’s a nice tradition and also a way of calming your children’s excitement a little before going to bed.
7. Food for Santa
This is steadfast family tradition. Extra points if you make the biscuits with the kids!
8. Preparing a special breakfast
Whether it’s something simple like having each person’s favourite cereal, stocking up on ready-bake pastries or cooking something a little fancier, a special Christmas breakfast always goes down a treat. If you’re cooking the Christmas dinner, you should probably pass the responsibility for this over to your hubby or parents if they’re staying over.
9. Visit the crib
This is a very sweet tradition, even if you don’t go to mass regularly. The crib always looks beautiful and it’s good to teach your children about the source of Christmas.
10. Decorating the house together
Sure it will probably result in a few rows when the fairy lights are in one big knot or the ceiling streamers aren’t quite straight, but no one remembers those parts when they’re sitting in a beautifully Christmassy living room.
11. Watching Christmas movies together
Perfect for a Friday night. Just pop on a classic family Christmas movie, put some treats on the coffee table and cuddle up on the couch.
12. Decorate gingerbread houses
You don’t need to be a master chef for this as there are plenty of ready-to-build sets available. Simply set everyone up at the kitchen table and have some fun decorating your houses.
13. Writing letters to Santa
Well this just has to be done, doesn’t it?
14. Picking out a Christmas tree
The smell of evergreen trees is such a festive scent. Spend an afternoon picking out the perfect tree with your loved ones – you can even bring some warming hot chocolate along!
