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1 When it comes to decorating the home ready for Christmas then why not get the whole family involved. You could even ask the children to make some special decorations themselves for hanging on the tree or around the home this year. If you are stuck for ideas then the internet is a great source for arts and crafts.

2. As on Christmas day you will be very busy in the morning preparing the food for lunch, why not prepare something the day before getting your children to assist you. You could even ask them to make some gingerbread items that can then be used as decorations on the tree or which can be used as snacks whilst waiting for Christmas dinner to arrive. But don’t allow them to eat too many else they won’t want the wonderful dinner you have prepared.

3. There is a great game that you can play on Christmas day that all your family and friends can participate in and that is “Remember That Carol”. What happens is that each person will take it in turns to announce what carol it is they are going to sing and then sing one verse of it. This is a suitable game for all to play when travelling in the car as well over the Christmas period.

4. Another great game that you can play with family and friends is charades. But this time rather than just being on any theme you base it around Christmas. So it may be a certain Christmas song that others may have to guess that the person is acting out or it could be in relation to a decoration or even an animal associated with Christmas.

5. If you want to help the younger children in your family wind down on Christmas day or even on the days leading up to it then spend 5 minutes each night reading them a special Christmas story. It is crucial that you let your children decide what stories it is they want read to them each night. Plus every year why not purchase some new books that you can read to them that year as well as the ones they already have.

6. Sometimes families like to open one present on Christmas Eve and if you want to make it a little more memorable make it in to a treasure hunt. You will need to prepare everything in advance and make sure that you give them simple easy clues to follow which they can solve and will lead them to where their gift has been placed. If you find you have not got enough time to actually spend on coming up with your own clues the internet is a wonderful source for getting some very inexpensive ones readymade that you can print off and use.

7. Another activity you may find fun is actually taking a wonder round your neighbourhood one evening to see how other people have decorated their homes. Some people spend weeks before Christmas decorating their homes, not just inside but out so that everyone else can enjoy the festive season. In some cases there may be a charity box left outside where you can make a donation and the money raised is given to a local good cause.

8. Another thing you can do to help make your family Christmas special is for the whole family to learn about where they came from. Through this you and your family can learn about the ways your family use to celebrate Christmas in the past and maybe incorporate some of the activities they use to enjoy into your own. There are plenty of places online as well as speaking with others relatives that can help you to find out just what sort of Christmas your ancestors would have led.

9. Another activity that you could consider doing that you may not have done before and especially if you have young children is to go see a pantomime. Often these take place a few weeks before Christmas and will certainly help you and the rest of the family get into the swing of things.

10. One final activity that you should consider incorporating into your own family’s Christmas festivities is to make a big thing about turning the Christmas tree lights on. Spend the whole day with your family putting the tree up and decorating it then at the end of the day you then gather together and count down to the moment when someone flicks the switch and the lights come on. Why not make it a special event for someone in your family each year as towns and shopping malls do when they get some celebrity in to turn on theirs.

Above we have offered our top 10 Christmas activities which could help to make this festive season for your family and friends special. Certainly the more involved everyone is in this special event then the more enjoyable the time will be and of course you won’t be so stressed out.

1. Anyone who’s done Christmas shopping in the past is sure to have seen those small, 2-3 foot tall Christmas trees they sell. They’re cheap and small enough for easy storage, and a perfect way to spruce up a child’s room. Buy one for your kid, and spend some time finding ornaments and decorations that fit their interests together! Does your daughter love pink? Go out with her and look for some pretty pink ornaments and lights, or just buy up one of those pink trees! Or maybe your son loves football. – You’re sure to be able to find football ornaments! Decorating one of those mini trees with your kid is a great way to bond in the Christmas season.

2. Christmas cookies are probably one of the most common holiday traditions. – Who doesn’t bake up cookies to give away to friends and family? Inviting your kids to help you bake holiday treats is a great way to spend time together! You can also decorate some pretty tins with your child to put cookies into that they can give to teachers or friends! So get the Christmas music playing and start baking those treats!

3. Christmas crafts are another great thing to do with your children. – Making ornaments or holiday themed decorations to place around the house can be very fun and make all the things you decorate with all the more special. A day spent decorating your house not only makes the Christmas decorating easier on everyone, but a far more enjoyable experience than doing it alone.

4. A lesser-known tradition that my family loves is the gag gifts. My family is quite large, but it can be done with any number of people. Here’s how it works: soon after Thanksgiving, have everyone write their name on small pieces of paper. Jumble the names in a hat, and have everyone draw out a name, making sure that no one gets their own name. The name a person draws is the person they have to buy a goofy, funny, or embarrassing gag gift for. You can choose if everyone should know who has drawn whom, or if you want to keep it a secret until Christmas Eve, when the gifts are specially delivered and opened! It’s a lot of fun, and is a great activity that can have a lot of thought put into it!

5. Planning Christmas themed activity nights with your family is also a great way to bring everyone together. Whip up some hot chocolate, eggnog, or hot cider and some snacks, and pull up a collection of Christmas movies to watch. Or you could plan a Christmas carol karaoke night! There are plenty of fun things you can do with your family, and planning these little mini parties is a great way to bond and create some fun holiday memories.

It’s so unfortunate that many of us spend so much effort doing the things that create stress around the holidays, when with just a little bit of time and energy we can do the things that really make Christmas special and bring our families closer together. This is a time of loving, kindness, and fun. This season opens itself up for endless ways to enjoy it, and no matter what your interests are you can find a great activity that you enjoy. For children, these are some of the most magical, memorable moments they’ll ever remember, and all of these wonderful traditions will only make them that much more special.

If you’re looking for ways to stop and smell the gingerbread this year while creating some precious memories that can last a lifetime, here are a few simple and fun holiday activities that will ensure your entire family has a holly jolly Christmas!

“Remember that Carol” is a simple game that both kids and adults will enjoy as they go from person to person each taking turns announcing a Christmas carol that they remember and singing a verse from it.  A great game to entertain your children at home or to pass time on the road while traveling for the holidays, it will have your family making beautiful music together in no time! 

Christmas Charades is fun for the whole family!  Just have everyone write out 2 or 3 common holiday-themed items, characters, or decorations, etc. on small pieces of paper.  Fold them all up and place them in a bowl, and then take turns drawing out one at a time and acting them out for all to guess.

Holiday bedtime stories.  Dedicate 5 minutes each night throughout the month of December to read your child a bedtime Christmas story book.  Let your little ones take turns picking out which book you will read each night.  You can let your children choose one or two new Christmas books each year to add to their collection. 

Christmas Gift Hunt.  If you like to open a gift early on Christmas Eve, or hunt for presents on Christmas day, you can create a memorable fun way for your children to receive their gifts by making a simple Christmas holiday hunt.  You’ll need to prepare ahead and hide a trail of simple holiday clues that when solved will lead your child from one clue to the next until they ultimately reach and uncover where their “treasured” Christmas gift has been stashed away.  If you don’t have time to make your own clues, inexpensive pre-made print ‘n’ play Christmas hunts are available online for both children and adults at Treasure-Adventure.com.  Simply download, print, and play instantly! 

Deck the halls!  Make holiday decorating a group effort.  Take time to work with your children to make a few simple personalized holiday projects that can be displayed in your home or be given as memorable and unique gifts to friends and family such as painting ceramic angels or holiday candles, making ornaments or homemade candy canes, coloring and cutting out Christmas designs and applying them to windows, stockings, sleds, and other traditional holiday decor, or making a wreath together with everyone contributing.  There is an endless array of Christmas craft kits you might take advantage of or just grab your construction paper, glue, scissors, glitter, garland, and crayons, and make your own holiday decorations. Your kids will love this family craft time and beam with pride as they get to show off their special creations to holiday visitors.

Finally, make Christmas eve all about family time.  Turn off the TV and video games, turn on the Christmas tree lights, and play an old-fashioned family game or just come together as a family to talk and enjoy each other’s company. 

It takes only a little time and creativity to bring your loved ones together around a few special holiday activities and make your own Christmas traditions and lasting family memories of the joyous holiday season together.