‘Tis the season! Christmas is upon us and we’re reminded everywhere we turn. There are holiday events popping up, gifts and sales in every store, kids writing their lists to Santa, and decorations going up all around the neighborhood.
In the middle of all that, I love sitting down to write out our Christmas fun list for the month. It helps me slow down and think about what we actually want to make time for, instead of just letting December rush by.
I like to print our Christmas Bucket List and hang it on the fridge. Having it right there in the kitchen reminds me to look ahead at the calendar, plan a few special things in advance, make space for baking days, and keep up with the Christmas traditions that matter most to us. It’s a simple way to be a little more intentional, without turning the season into another giant to-do list.
I also make a separate Winter Fun List that stretches beyond December and carries us through the rest of the cold, cozy months. I’ll be posting that next week, so keep an eye out if you want more simple, family-friendly ideas once Christmas has passed.
*This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. I only share products I genuinely love or would recommend. Affiliate income helps me keep creating free content—thank you for your support!
For now, here’s a look at our Christmas Bucket List and Christmas traditions for this year:
You can save it, screenshot it, or print it out and use it with your own family. Use it exactly as it is or as inspiration to create your own version that fits you and your schedule.
- Send out Christmas cards – Take an afternoon to write, address, and send Christmas cards to friends and family to spread a little cheer.
- Go on a drive to look at Christmas lights – Make some hot chocolate, put on pajamas, and drive around to look at Christmas lights in nearby neighborhoods or downtown.
- Bake cookies – We love a cozy baking day with classic sugar cookies, raspberry thumbprints, and snickerdoodles (plus all the sprinkles, of course).
- Visit Santa – Head to a local event, mall, or holiday market so the kids can say hello to Santa and take a quick photo.
- Spend the day downtown – We live near Detroit, so we love going downtown to soak in all the holiday things—lights, ice skating, window displays, and Christmas music.
- Make homemade ornaments – This is a yearly tradition for us. Since we homeschool and don’t get the usual school-made crafts, I like to make ornaments as keepsakes for our tree.
- Write and mail a letter to Santa – Let the kids write or dictate a letter to Santa, then mail it together for a simple but magical little ritual.
- Donate a toy to a child in need – Pick out a new toy together and donate it through a local library, rec center, church, or community toy drive.
- Attend Christmas service – Set aside time to attend a Christmas service and slow down to remember what the season is really about.
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen or pantry – Serve a meal, help stock shelves, or pack boxes as a family to show kids generosity in action.
- Write and send Christmas letters to hospitalized kids and/or military – Spend a little time writing encouraging notes and Christmas wishes for kids in the hospital or for men and women serving in the military.
- Make a gingerbread house – Build and decorate a gingerbread house—store-bought kit or homemade, it all ends up covered in candy and frosting anyway.
- Give cookie tins to friends, family, and neighbors – Take those baked cookies and fill cute tins (I usually grab them from Dollar Tree) to drop off as simple gifts.
- 12 days of Christmas books – Wrap up twelve Christmas or winter books—some old favorites, some new—and let the kids open one each day leading up to Christmas. Check out my post here on a Christmas shelfie for some ideas!
- Get together with family – Plan at least one intentional get-together to share a meal and spend unhurried time together.
💬 I’d love to hear from you: do you make a Christmas bucket list, or do you tend to keep things more go-with-the-flow? And what’s one tradition or activity your kids look forward to every single year?
Tell me in the comments—and if you use this bucket list with your family, I’d love to know which activity ended up being their favorite this year.
