1. Have an Advent Calendar

• Little kids get excited for Christmas. Having a visual for them of how many days there are left until Christmas helps add to the excitment and anticipation. We love doing a Christmas Book Advent Calendar where we unwrap a new Christmas book to read each day in December until Christmas arrives. There are tons of beautiful ideas for creative advents on Pinterest. We are also doing a very easy one where we add a cottonball to santa's beard each day, and when his beard is full - it's Christmas! 

2. Ornaments

•       When we got married, my husband and I started a tradition that we would have an ornament making competition each year. These handmade ornaments are beautiful and meaningful, and besides being a treasure, they are very fun to make! This year we are also doing the 25 Days of Christ Centered Crafts. Its such a fun thing for the kids to look forward to each day, and they also get to learn about Christ while getting hands on. Our final tradition with ornaments is buying each kid one special ornament that symbolizes something about them that year. We label them and when they move away at 18, they will have a box of personalized ornaments just for them that they can take with them!

3. Live Nativity
Wherever you are, search out a live nativity. They are a great way to remember the true reason for the season. Outdoor ones are particularly moving because they usually have live animals and you can bundle up and snuggle with your loved ones while sipping hot cocoa and learning about the Lord. 



4. See The Lights

• There are so many ways to go see Christmas lights. Grab some hot cocoa and get out there! Your city probably has a fun tree lighting event (guaranteed that Santa will be there too!), google where the good Christmas light neighborhoods are and sing Christmas carols as you go. There are even all these new drive up light shows popping up all over the country so you can just park, turn on your radio, and watch lights dance to the music. So fun.

5. Give Service

• There are so many ways to give service at this time of year. Nothing really can teach your kids more about Jesus than giving. Easy ways to serve with kids include going caroling or handing out Christmas cards nursing homes, going to sort food at a food banks, or if you have the funds available you can adopt an angel family from the Salvation Army. Serving is such a good lesson and actually so much fun!

6. Christmas Events

•       There are so many fun events this time of year! They can feel very magical and become yearly traditions. We love German Christnkindlmarkts, The Festival of Trees, Lantern Events, Christmas Trains, Zoo Lights, Mall Santa Wonderlands, and don't forget Christmas Library Story Times!

7. Home centered traditions

•       Make your home a magical place! Place a tree in your kids rooms, have christmas movie nights, open a gift on christmas eve, hang mistletoe, special menus, bake sugar cookies, have a back to bethlehem dinner on the floor, bake a birthday cake for jesus, hang cards from friends, have a gift wrapping party. The options are endless here! 

8. Throw a party

•  Nothing says Christmas like a big old festive party. Attend your church's Christmas Party. Go to extended family parties. We always host a raclette party with our friends every year. Make them fun by having a white elephant gift exchange, an ugly sweater theme, or anything fun and festive. Getting together with loved ones always feels magical this time of year.