Every year when Thanksgiving get close I hear the same thing over and over again, “Is Christmas coming soon”?
Then I give my response “Yes, in about four more weeks”. That’s when I know it is time to break out the calendar from last year (I save it in my Christmas decorations so that I have it to use for the following year). Next, I print out a new, blank calendar for the current year. When I plan out activities they need to be appropriate for out teen all of the way down to our toddler.
It is a lot of fun going down memory lane and remembering what the kids liked vs. what they did not care so much about. Each year I try to add a new twist to the activities that we did the year before.
I do always take their requests into consideration, but if it was a costly adventure it may be bumped to another year. I always do at least the same 10 activities each year and then create a few new ones. Each year as my teen gets older he enjoys the activities a little less, but if I add a warm treat or food at the end he is happy. Of course the three littles absolutely still love all of the fun that comes with Christmas.
Quick Christmas Activities:
1. Decorate the house
2. Put up the tree and talk with them about all of the decorations they made.
3. Put up the manager scene, read the nativity story (Luke 2:1-12), and sing “Away In A Manger”.
4. Make popcorn balls and share with the neighbors.
5. Make snowflakes and hang them through the house.
6. Go look at Christmas lights.
7. Bake Christmas cookies and decorate.
8. Visit Santa Claus and pay the high price for a picture. (It is only one time a year and the picture is really great).
9. Start a christmas story and let each child tell a piece of the story. See how many different endings you can come up with, and have someone record it.
10. Go shopping for a special ornament for each person…the kids really love to look about them and create a conversation piece.
I know that I said only ten, but this one is my favorite….so 11 activities.
11. Last, but not least….decorate the gingerbread house. I have to admit this is not my favorite so I let dad handle this activity. The amount of sugar that goes into decorating the house makes me cringe 🙂
All of the activities listed above are great ideas from tots to teens. I know because I have four boys who range in age from tot to teen. When I present the list it is always open to editing because of course my teen is NOT interested in telling Santa what he wants!
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Cheers,
Michelle
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