We always hear about the gingerbread houses, decorated trees, baking cookies, etc. Everyone walks around to see the lights or goes caroling. These traditions are great and they're fun, but that doesn't mean there's not a new and fun tradition that can't be started this year!
Here are some traditions to make 25 days of Christmas really count!
1. December 1st: Christmas Theme
GiphyAdd a little theme to how your family would celebrate Christmas. Sounds cheesy, but you could be creative with it.
My dream is to have the theme Christmas Past, Present, and Future which would include three trees decorated with memories for Christmas Past, Christmas cards for Present, and dreams and handmade children ornaments for the future.
2. December 2nd: Unwrapping the Christmas Tree
My friend's family has always bought their Christmas tree still wrapped up in the net. How it looks is a surprise to them and I think that's a neat idea. It's the family's first Christmas present.
3. December 3rd: Decorate your own stocking.
Again, another way to get creative this season. It might one to relive every few years, but it'll be fun to collect them as the years go by.
4. December 4th: Wrap Christmas Movies and Enjoy Family Movie Night
One day of the week have family movie nights where one person chooses a wrapped Christmas movie and whatever it is, that's the movie to watch.
5. December 5th: Make Blankets
This no-sew fleece blanket is easy for kids to make too! You can never have too many blankets and if you can, you can always give blankets to shelters that need them.
6. December 6th: Christmas Wish Garland
GiphySimilar to letters to Santa, but they pin into the Garland. It doesn't have to "what we want for Christmas," but anything really!
7. December 7th: Hawaiian jello cheescake for dessert
Commemorate Pearl Harbor with something Hawaiian!
8. December 8th: Christmas Game Night
GiphyPlan some Christmas games for the family. Pinterest has some great ideas.
9. December 9th: Handprint Tree Skirt
Before the presents really start reeling in, hand print the skirt! Watch as the hands get bigger over the years.
10. December 10th: Grow peppermint candy canes
Bring a little magic for the kids by planting tic-tacs and replacing them with candy canes when they're asleep.
11. December 11th: Christmas camp out
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Camp out by tree for another Family Christmas movie night.
12. December 12th: Make Christmas ornaments for tree and garland.
Do a little craft to keep decorating throughout the month.
13. December 13th: Christmas Themed Breakfast
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Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and Christmas is my favorite time of year.
14. December 14th: Take a break and getaway
Your family might be tired from Christmas, you might be tired from Christmas. Go away for the day, the afternoon, or however long it takes. You can revisit Christmas in a little bit.
15. December 15th: Christmas Baking
Bake and make treats for Christmas. Make a bunch! It'll come in handy for Day 16th.
16. December 16th: Family Walks
You still want to see the lights? Do it! Just bring around goody bags of treats from the day before to pass out to neighbors. It's an act of giving for the family while still seeing decorations.
17. December 17th: Dollar Tree Shopping
This is perfect for kids to find last minute gifts that they want to buy their siblings or parents.
18. December 18th: Start the Christmas Elf game.
GiphyHide the Christmas Elf around the house and the first one to find it has possession of it until someone tries to take. This game goes on for the last week leading up until Christmas. Whoever ends up with it on Christmas morning gets to open presents first, pick the order of who opens presents, and hides the elf the following year.
19. December 19th: Wrap Christmas presents together.
These are presents for those not in immediate family. These are presents for friends, extended families, and co-workers.
20. December 20th: Write a Christmas story as a family.
Let everyone pitch in something. It could be silly, serious, or whatever you want! If you have a theme, it makes it even easier.
21. December 21st: Have one person read the story.
GiphyWear Ugly Christmas sweaters and let it be a bedtime story.
22. December 22nd: Christmas PJs Dinner.
Have a family dinner while in Christmas PJs and take a family picture. Use it for the Christmas card of the following year or just frame it as an ornament.
23. December 23rd: Fill Santa's bag
Make Santa happy by filling his bag with donations for him to take back on Christmas Eve.
24. December 24th: Gift wrap the bedroom door
This tradition isn't incredibly new, but I still like the idea of the first present being getting up Christmas morning. Instead of the door; however, I would do the doorway so that opening the door and having to push through wrapping paper sounds hysterical and loud.
25. December 25th: The Pickle Ornament
Apparently, this is a well known German tradition that hardly anyone ever does, but it sure sounds like fun for the kids. It's the last ornament on the tree and on Christmas Eve, Santa comes and hides the pickle ornament either around the house or in the tree. The first one to find it gets an extra present. I would add in that the first one to find it gets to pick the order of how you open presents!
Merry Christmas!
man running in forestPhoto by 
