12 Holiday Traditions to Start This Year

Special holiday traditions enhance the excitement, smiles, and memories for both your children AND for you.

Every Christmas Eve, there is a knock at the door right around bedtime. The door is opened to find a present and snow tracks (coconut flakes and round footprints). The gift is from Frosty the Snowman who leaves new Christmas pajamas to keep all the kids snug in bed and waiting for Santa. For parents, it means Christmas pictures in the morning are ready to go.

Santa always seems to leave his glasses and a white glove next to the empty cookie plate, evidence that he really came! The kids can send his lost items back with a thank you letter for their gifts.

Whoever finds the small pickle ornament on the Christmas tree receives an extra small gift from Santa or gets to open a gift first. This activity also motivates children to appreciate the Christmas tree before tearing into gifts.

Unroll wrapping paper down the hallway as a signal that tiny feet are trying to sneak out to see the presents! If your kids are older, block the end of the hallway with Saran Wrap. They’ll be able to see but sneak in.  

When Santa comes he leaves tiny Christmas trees in the children's rooms with new slippers under the tree. He is also a very messy Santa. He leaves tinsel on the bedroom door knobs, in the slippers, and on all of the Christmas trees.

Everyone receives a gift 3 days before Christmas and tries to guess what the gift is (one guess per day). If you cannot guess the gift, you have to wait until Christmas to open it.  

Leave carrots, celery, and a big pot of water for the reindeer outside. Those reindeer are messy too!  They leave chewed-up carrots and celery everywhere!.

Take your kids to the Dollar Store (at different times) to pick out gifts for the other family members.  It is so adorable to see what they pick out. It only costs a dollar, but the results are priceless.

Choose a new ornament for each of your children every year. Initial and date each one. They’ll love remembering and seeing their ornaments on the tree each year and one day when they are all grown, they will have a collection of ornaments to enjoy with their own families.

If your house doesn’t have a chimney for Santa, leave a large glittery key hanging on the outside of the front door. Only Santa has the special magic to use the key!

You’ve worked hard all season. It’s time to relax! Enjoy a pretty glass filled with yummy eggnog, topped with fresh nutmeg, and just a smidgen of spiced rum. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Make your own delicious treat or get a pre-made kit for $5 from Five and Below, or slightly more expensive kits from other stores and have fun decorating. Connect with the family, decorate the house, make it a competition for the coolest or most original design, etc, and have a blast seeing everyone's creations and how they improve from year to year!

Do you have any Christmas traditions at your house? Please share with us - email mackidwoodbridgenj@macaronikid.com