Magical Moments: Your Ultimate Family Holiday Bucket List
Holiday season is about to begin and we’ve created a holiday bucket list for you and your family to make sure this season is a special one. This list of activities can be extremely useful when your little ones are on winter break from school and bored. We’ve even made a checklist so you can keep track of how many of these activities you can complete through November and December.
Holiday Puzzle Extravaganza:
Set up a festive holiday puzzle and leave it in a central location in your home, like the living room or the dining table. Encourage each family member to work on it whenever they need a moment of relaxation and quiet time throughout the season. Watch as the puzzle slowly comes together, and enjoy the sense of accomplishment as a family when it's completed.
Cookie Decorating Contest:
Host a cookie decorating contest with unique ingredients like edible glitter, holiday sprinkles, marshmallow fondant, holiday cookie shapes, and unexpected toppings like that leftover Halloween candy you have in the cupboard. Whoever can create the most unique cookie masterpiece wins!
Family Onesie Fashion Show:
Choose matching or outrageous onesies and have a hilarious fashion show right at home. Strut your stuff and make sure you accessorize your onesies with fun items like garland as a scarf to show each of your individual styles. Bonus points if you buy a polaroid or disposable camera and take pictures!
Holiday-Themed Storytelling:
Gather around the fireplace or under the twinkling holiday lights for a storytelling session. Have everyone pick their favorite book and read it to each other. Have a little one who can’t read yet? Let them pick the book and read it for them!
Time Capsule Creation:
Build a time capsule with your family, adding personal letters, keepsakes, and mementos. Bury it in your yard, to be opened at a future holiday season. This is a great way to end the year and reflect on the memories you’ve created as a family.
DIY Snow Globes:
Craft your own snow globes using mason jars, figurines, and glitter. Watch your little winter wonderlands come to life. Afterwards you can use the snowglobes as fun wrapping for any gift cards you’ll be gifting this year or tie a string to it and make it a custom family ornament for the tree.
Toy Giveback Mission:
As a family, go through your children's toy collection and encourage them to select toys they've outgrown or no longer play with. Then, together, take a trip to a local charity or donation center to give these toys a second life.
Paper Snowflake Blizzard:
Gather your family for a paper snowflake crafting session. Use old magazines, colored paper, or simple printer paper to create a flurry of unique snowflakes. Hang them around your home to bring the winter wonderland indoors. Not only is it an affordable decoration idea, but it will make your decorations feel extra special.
Letters to Santa:
Set up a cozy letter-writing station with colorful paper, markers, and stickers. Encourage your little ones to write heartfelt letters to Santa, sharing their wishes, dreams, and even a few kind words. Once they're done, help them address the envelopes, and together, take a trip to the mailbox to send their letters on their way to the North Pole.
Wacky Gift Exchange:
Organize a family gift exchange but with a twist: each gift must be quirky or a gag gift. Laughter is guaranteed! Want to make it more interactive? Make it a white elephant gift exchange!
Holiday Playlist Dance-Off:
Gather your family and create a holiday playlist with your favorite festive tunes. Include classics like "Jingle Bell Rock" and contemporary hits like "All I Want for Christmas Is You." After your playlist is ready, clear some space in your living room, crank up the volume, and have a dance party. Get everyone moving and grooving, and have your own personalized holiday soundtrack to enjoy throughout the season!
Random Acts of Kindness:
Dedicate a day to performing random acts of kindness as a family, such as leaving surprise notes for strangers or donating to a local charity. This is a great way to show your kids that they have the power to make a difference.
Movie Theater Night at Home:
Transform your living room into a cozy home theater. Dim the lights, prepare popcorn, set up an air mattress decorated with Christmas themed blankets and have a family movie marathon with all your favorites.
Festive Family Beverage Flight:
Channel your inner barista and create a lineup of holiday-themed drinks like eggnog, hot chocolate, spiced cider, and peppermint mochas. Label each cup with its name and serve them to your family members. Have everyone take sips and share their thoughts on each drink. Vote on your family's favorite holiday beverage, and maybe even crown it the official family drink for the season. Extra points if they drinks our in holiday-themed mugs!
Decorate a Gingerbread Village:
Get creative with gingerbread houses and have each member of the family and even some friends decorate their own gingerbread house to make a gingerbread village.
DIY Holiday Card Workshop:
Get crafty as a family by organizing a DIY holiday card-making workshop. Provide supplies like blank cards, colored paper, markers, stickers, and glitter. Encourage your family to design and personalize their own holiday cards to send to friends and family.
Magical Christmas Light Tour:
Pile into the car, put on your coziest holiday sweaters, and embark on a magical Christmas light tour around your town or neighboring areas. At the end of the tour, pick your favorite house. Don't forget to bring along some hot cocoa for sipping during the ride!