Top 15 Ideas to Get Your Family into the Christmas Spirit
Christmas is almost here. But even though the festive season is supposed to be the most joyous time of the year, your family might be having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit.
In most parts of the world, schools close and people get time off work during the holidays, hence everyone is at home with nothing much to do. Since children love staying active, if they are not feeling the magic of Christmas yet, they might start getting in trouble or become bored during the holiday season.
And it is not only the kids that get testy during the festive season. Perhaps you are also not feeling like this is the most wonderful time of the year. You have probably been working non-stop the entire year and are experiencing burnout.
You could be feeling stressed and getting irritated easily by the other people in your family and wish everyone would stop bothering you. All you want is to relax at home doing nothing during the holidays. But if you have a large family, this might not be easy to do.
Despite the holidays being stressful, do not let this precious time with family go to waste. Make the most of this time and try various ideas to bring the magic of Christmas to your home and spread the holiday cheer with your family.
You can get your family into the Christmas spirit by establishing holiday traditions and doing fun activities together during the festive season. Depending on the weather conditions in the part of the world you are at during the holidays, you can choose Christmas activities to do either outdoors or indoors.
Read on for some ideas of things to do to get your family into the Christmas spirit.
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How to Get Your Family into the Christmas Spirit
- Watch Christmas movies together
A movie marathon might just be what your family needs to get into the Christmas spirit. Although you have probably watched the classic family-friendly Christmas movies a thousand times already, they always have a way of pulling at your heartstrings.
When trying to get your family into the Christmas spirit, spend lazy afternoons or evenings during the festive season watching some Christmas-themed movies.
Some of the best family Christmas movies of all time include A Christmas Story (1983), The Polar Express (2004), A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), Elf (2003), and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), among others.
If you have no plans of going to the theatre or it is too cold outside, you can still watch the many family-friendly Christmas movies available on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hallmark, and other streaming platforms from the comfort of your home.
To ensure you do not force anyone to watch something they don’t like, take turns and have each family member choose their favorite Christmas movies to watch together.
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- Play or Listen to Christmas tunes
If your family is still not feeling Christmassy, listening to Christmas music might do the trick. Playing these sweet tunes at home or in your car can help to get your family into the Christmas spirit.
The familiarity and warmth of Christmas music will bring you into the holiday mood easily because you have most likely listened to the tunes since your childhood.
Sing along and dance together to some timeless Christmas songs such as The Little Drummer Boy, Joy to the World, Jingle Bells, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Deck the Halls, and O Come All Ye Faithful, among others.
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- Throw a Christmas party
Who are you spending Christmas with this year? Perhaps, the reason your family is not getting into the Christmas spirit is that you are celebrating the holidays with people you already spend a lot of time with, and the festive season is not feeling special.
Switch things up this year and plan to throw a family Christmas bash to which you can invite your friends and extended family.
Choose a Christmas party theme and match the decorations, clothes, invitation cards, and the foods served at the party. Look for ideas for throwing a Christmas party that will remain in the minds of your family and friends forever.
For example, you could try things such as a Christmas wonderland, a gingerbread house party, Santa’s cookie crew, or a candy cane Christmas. The adults in the family can enjoy happy hour while sharing Christmas cocktails.
- Decorate for Christmas
Whether you throw a party or not, decorations are a must-have thing in your home if you want to get your family into the Christmas spirit.
Setting up and decorating your family Christmas tree, decking the halls with boughs of holly, lighting some festive candles, hanging the Christmas wreath, hanging the Christmas stockings, and putting up indoor or outdoor Christmas lights, are some fun activities to do with your family during the festive season.
Doing all these activities together is fun and will not only get your family into the Christmas spirit but also keep everyone busy and involved, thus preventing boredom during the holiday season.
Remember to bring your kids along while shopping for the outdoor and indoor Christmas decorations because it will be more fun doing it together as a family.
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- Make Christmas crafts
Schools are closed, you aren’t going to work, and therefore you probably have a lot of time on your hands.
One of the best ways to spend the time and get your family into the holiday spirit is by keeping everyone busy making DIY Christmas crafts. Use any items you can find in your home to make the crafts and explore your and the kid’s creativity.
Some ideas of easy and fun DIY Christmas crafts for kids to make include tissue paper or pine wreaths, tin foil ornaments, paper plate Santa Claus, a wooden snowman, paper or popsicle stick snowflakes, no-sew sock snowman, and paper Christmas trees.
- Play holiday games
Having a holiday game night is one of the most effective ways to get your family into the Christmas spirit. Christmas games provide an opportunity to spend time together and bond with each other while having fun.
Some fun Christmas games for kids and adults include elf Monopoly, Christmas-theme charades, Santa limbo, mystery stocking, advent calendar games, family trivia, 20 questions, a scavenger hunt, and candy cane games.
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- Exchange Christmas gifts
You don’t have to wait for Christmas day to give your loved ones their gifts. If you notice some of your family members having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit, you can give them their gifts early.
While choosing unique Christmas gifts for your family, keep in mind that the amount of money you spend doesn’t matter.
No matter how much they cost, your Christmas gifts should help you express your love for your family.
If you have no idea what Christmas gifts to buy for each member of your family, here is a tip to use when shopping. The gifts for each person will differ due to their varying tastes, preferences, and age.
For instance, the Christmas gifts for dad or mom are not similar to those you choose for the kids (boys and girls), siblings, or partner.
Fortunately, if you are shopping online, Etsy, Amazon, and most other shops usually have categories of Christmas gifts for every family member to help you choose.
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- Read or tell Christmas stories
Christmas Eve is the traditional ideal time for reading short Christmas stories. But, if you have observed that they are not feeling the magic of the festive season, you can help your family get into the Christmas spirit by reading or telling Christmas stories at any time during the holidays.
The kids will enjoy Christmas stories such as Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Rick Bunsen, The Elves and the Shoemaker by The Brothers Grimm, and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
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- Make Christmas dinner together and Decorate cookies
During the holiday season, you have ample time to spend with family doing some Christmas activities together and strengthening your bond.
One fun Christmas activity to do as a family is cooking. Involve everyone during the entire process of shopping, preparing, and cooking or baking delicious Christmas foods.
Have fun with the kids while designing and decorating Christmas snacks such as Christmas tree-shaped gingerbread cookies, making a marshmallow snowman, and Christmas cupcakes.
Decorating Christmas snacks is one of the parts kids enjoy most about cooking besides eating.
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- Make hot chocolate
Nothing tastes better than a steaming mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter night. Since many people associate hot chocolate with the holidays, it will help get your family into the Christmas spirit.
Make some for everyone as you enjoy spending time together indoors on Christmas Eve.
- Make and send Christmas cards
Sharing personalized Christmas cards with thoughtful messages, beautiful sayings, and stories are some of the best ways to get your family into the Christmas spirit.
Send the members of your family Christmas cards with words wishing them well and sayings that encourage them to be better and hopeful.
These messages may be what they need to brighten their days and finally feel the magic of Christmas.
Make it fun for the kids by trying out homemade Christmas card ideas such as making fingerprint reindeer, handprint Santas, button baubles, and many more.
READ ALSO: 6 Reasons Why Handwritten Cards Are Better Than Emails
- Attend Christmas festivals
When trying to get your family into the spirit of Christmas, you should go all out and join your community in spreading the holiday cheer. Seeing other people feeling the magic of Christmas might make your family want to feel it too.
So, if the area where you live has some, attend the local Christmas festivals as a family and participate in activities such as the lighting of Christmas trees at the town square, church festivals, and ugly Christmas sweater parties.
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- Tour your neighborhood
You probably have a neighbor known for their bold display of Christmas decorations and going all out with their Christmas lights.
If you are trying to get your family into the Christmas spirit, walking or driving through your neighborhood might be what they need to realize how magical this time of year is.
It will be fun touring the neighborhood and enjoying the sight of houses with beautiful Christmas light displays while listening to Christmas tunes.
- Go ice skating
If it is winter on Christmas where you live, it’s time to lace up your skates and go on a skating adventure as a family.
However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the same if your place experiences warmer weather in December. You could visit the local ice rink and have just as much fun.
- Donate to charities
Share the Christmas spirit with others by donating money, food, toys, and other goodies to the disadvantaged in your community and charities.
Involve your family and let the children pick the toys as they are the experts in that area. It will brighten your Christmas when you make a difference in another person’s life during the holidays.
Show your kids how to be more generous by allowing them to donate their used toys or those they no longer need.
Wrapping Up
Christmas is the perfect time to strengthen your relationship with your family without too many distractions.
Make the most of the holiday season and spend time with your family doing Christmas activities together, exploring your creativity, and having fun.
If anyone is not feeling the magic of the festive season, use the above ideas to get your family into the Christmas spirit.
Happy holidays!
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Touring the neighborhood is a very nice idea… I love looking at all the Christmas decorations 🤩…
Me too! it is usually so beautiful❤️
Yes! My son loves the blinking lights we see from our neighbor😀.
These are all grand ideas, Sheri. Love touring the lights, making Christmas cookies and hot chocolate, and watching Christmas movies best. Great post. ❤️
Thank you so much for reading, Jeff! I’m glad you liked the post❤️
You’re welcome, Sheri. Always. Loved it! ❤️
Great list. I like that it easily works for Christian and non-Christian communities.
I hadn’t thought of that but it is nice to hear non-Christians can use some of the ideas as well. Thank you so much for reading, Michael!❤️
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