Now that Thanksgiving has finished, one of the biggest holidays of the year is almost here! And if you're like me and live in a family that loves Christmas traditions, then you've probably already started planning for what days to finish them. Every family has a different type of Christmas tradition that they do every year. Some people will even have holiday traditions with their friends.

However, if your family doesn't have any Christmas traditions or if you are looking for a new one, then there are plenty of different traditions that you can start this year! Here are 10 of the best family Christmas traditions!

1. Watch one Christmas movie every week

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My family always follows this Christmas tradition! Starting right after Thanksgiving, my family members will usually set a goal of watching at least one Christmas movie every week. The only downside to this tradition is that it can be hard to follow if you get really busy with school or work. You can always set the goal to follow whatever your schedule is by watching a Christmas movie every two weeks instead of every week.

2. Ugly Christmas sweater pictures

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This is one of the most popular traditions. Finding an ugly sweater is very easy during Christmas since there are tons of stores that sell them during the season. It can be a fun family photo shoot, or you could even make it a tradition with your friends! The picture can also then be used for your Christmas card if you are planning on sending a few to any of your friends or family members. It's a fun way to have a tradition that brings you together with your family and friends.

3. Christmas countdown

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Another popular Christmas tradition that a lot of families will uphold is having some sort of countdown to Christmas Day. You can buy items that will serve as a calendar. It also helps you plan other Christmas traditions that you may be thinking about having before Christmas Day!

4. Baking cookies on Christmas Eve

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Almost everyone has probably practiced this tradition with their family at least once. Even if you are older, you can still enjoy baking cookies on Christmas Eve with your family or friends. If you enjoy baking, you could make them from scratch or try a new recipe idea. The fun part about Christmas is that you can go all out in decorating the cookies and give them a special theme. Or if you're like me and don't know how to cook, you could buy a roll of cookies at the store that come with easy instructions! Whatever the case, baking cookies on Christmas Eve is a fun tradition to have with your family and friends.

5. Visiting Christmas villages

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Going to Christmas villages before Christmas Day if a fun way to enjoy the holiday. There are tons of small villages or small shops that are decorated before Christmas! There are places in Ohio like Metamora where they have small shops that sell cookie jars or antique items that you can't find anywhere else. They also have activities for younger children and sell hot chocolate, ice cream or candy. It's something that you should definitely check out if you want to have a different tradition with your family or friends during Christmas.

6. Going to a Christmas event

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There are a lot of events or activities that you can go to before Christmas. There are amusement parks or zoos that will open and feature light shows or fun activities! You can also go downtown and find events like caroling or Christmas music. You can make going to any of these events a new Christmas tradition to celebrate with your family or friends.

7. Driving to a light show

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There are tons of places that you could visit to look at lights! There are parks that you can drive through that are decorated with hundreds of gorgeous lights during Christmas! So if you want to avoid walking around in the cold, you should consider driving around and viewing the lights inside the warmth of your car. It's also a fun tradition that you can keep with your family every year in order to enjoy Christmas.

8. Taking a vacation

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If you decide that you'd rather save the money and go on vacation in December, then you can make going on a family vacation a Christmas tradition. It's a nice way to get a break during the holiday and have a fun type of Christmas tradition that will help eliminate the stress of the holiday.

9. Decorating the tree on December 1st

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One of the best Christmas traditions is decorating the tree! Some families will even start decorating the day after Thanksgiving! Decorating the tree is a great way to bond with family members during the holiday. If you live at home alone, you could even invite a few friends over to help decorate your Christmas tree. It's a fun way to enjoy Christmas and socialize with a few friends or family members over the holiday!

10. Game night on Christmas Eve

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If you find yourself bored on Christmas Eve, you can start a tradition of having game night (while your Christmas cookies are in the oven!). You can either buy a few board games that are themed for Christmas or just simply pull out classic board games like Monopoly or Game of Life. You can create this tradition with your family or with your friends! It's a great way to relax after wrapping presents!

As you can see, there are so many Christmas traditions that you can make for your family or even your friends! Christmas traditions don't always have to be for family members only. Most of the traditions included on this list can be made to include friends instead of family members. Christmas isn't just about buying presents for others. It's about spending time with friends and family. Christmas traditions are a great way to enjoy the holidays and relieve any stress caused by wrapping presents, sending holiday cards or buying presents during the holiday.