Tour the holiday lights and decorations in your town. Fill the car. Fill the mugs with cocoa. Pick up a box of donuts. Fill a playlist with holiday music. As a family, rate each house on a scale of 1-10 as you go. 

Next Level: Keep track of votes and determine which house is the best decorated. Have your kids create an award and leave it on the doorstep of the winner. 

Next Next Level: Before you go, decorate your car for the holidays. Your kids can decorate their windows with wipe-off markers too!

Write a letter to Santa from your family. Make sure everyone participates. What does your family want/need for Christmas from Ol’ St. Nick? Parents: Listen up to what your kids say your family NEEDS. (It may not be material things.)

Next Level: Let your kids also contribute their individual wishes for Santa. Parents: You just finalized your shopping list.

Next Next Level: Brainstorm the wants or needs of other family members, friends, or neighbors. Include that in Santa’s letter. Suggest “helping” Santa out by fulfilling one of those wishes; pick out and deliver a toy for a friend or a gift card for a neighbor.

Adopt a family through a charity or a church or synagogue. These will help you get started:

Adopt a Child or Family for the Holidays — Doing Good Together

Adopt A Family for the Holidays

Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program

If possible, adopt a family with children roughly the same age as yours. Have your kids help with shopping, wrapping the gifts, and writing Christmas cards.

Next Level: Ask Some Reflection Questions!

• What would it feel like to receive holiday gifts from a stranger instead of family and friends?
• What would your holiday be like if you didn’t receive any presents?
• What are other ways you can help cheer up families in need over the holidays?
• Does giving in this way make you look at your own holiday gifts in a different way? How or why not?

Decide as a family what is the “Official Family Treat” for the holidays. Let your kids look at recipes and contribute ideas. Then work together as a family to make this holiday treat.

Parents: Don’t worry if your kids pick something “non-traditional” to make. It has just become traditional. “Wacky” traditions have a way of lasting longer and becoming the highlight of the holidays for years to come.

Next Level: Put holiday music or a holiday movie on in the background. Share what the holidays were like for you growing up as you bake. For older children: Have them share a favorite holiday memory.

Next Next Level: Inaugurate a Christmas Bake-Off with family, friends, or neighbors. (It’s a great reason to get together and eat some yummy treats!) Or, if you don’t want to get competitive, just share your Official Family Treat with friends or neighbors.

Does opening presents amount to a 10-minute blur of wrapping paper and then it’s done?

Hack Gift-Giving!

• Let them open one present on Christmas Eve.
• Save stockings for after Christmas dinner.
• Gamify whose turn it is to open presents. (Use dice, Christmas trivia, or The Christmas Pickle.) Slow it down by having everyone WATCH the present being opened and make guesses first.

Next Level: Send your kids on a mission to find something little their siblings and/or mom and dad would like for Christmas. Then they get little gifts for their siblings or mom and dad. (Parents will probably need to help out here, but it’s FROM your child.) ONLY THESE gifts can be opened on Christmas Eve.

Themed Family Pictures! Take a vote as a family on what the “theme” of this holiday picture will be, then dress up. Parents: Expect the unexpected. Crazy holiday family pictures are hilarious and a great tradition!

Wacky pajamas, ugly sweaters, etc.

Next Level: Use this picture as your family Holiday card. (Yes, seriously.)