6 Christmas Traditions You Should Start With Your Children

when it comes to christmas, i am all about tradition.  when my husband and i got married, we started our own traditions together and, since starting our own family last year, we have added even more traditions that we hope our children cherish in the years to come.  growing up, my family was all about tradition.  in a way, tradition is simply repetition.  doing the same thing each year in celebration of christmas.  last year was our daughter’s first christmas and, besides shopping like crazy and making sure every present was perfectly wrapped, i also was very mindful of what traditions i wanted her to grow up remembering.  we started so many traditions with her last year and can’t wait to continue those traditions this year and every year after.  if you are trying to think of traditions for your family, here are 6 christmas traditions you should start with your children this year.

stocking stuffer ideas can be tricky, but i’ve got you covered.  here are some fun stocking stuffer ideas for toddler girls.

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6 Christmas Traditions You Should Start With Your Children

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1. Elf On The Shelf

pretty much the cutest little tradition there is.  our elf is named oliver and he arrives each year on december 1st to watch over our little one throughout the day, returning to santa each night to report her good behavior.  every morning he comes back in a different place at our house, making it fun to search for him each morning.  the storybook that comes with the elf is adorable, and we also own the movie (i totally recommend it)…which is too cute!

2. New Christmas Pajamas

every year our little one gets a new pair of christmas pajamas on christmas eve.  our elf of the shelf, oliver brings them to her as a goodbye present since he travels back to the north pole on christmas eve and won’t return until the next year.  i personally love burts bees baby pajamas, so that is what i buy every year.  i love this tradition because it gives her something cozy and festive to sleep in on christmas eve, and then christmas pictures on christmas morning are that much better because she has a fresh pair of christmas pajamas on (and it’s a simple way to color coordinate the family for christmas morning without putting outfits on).  and you know, it’s all about the pictures.  of all the christmas traditions you should start with your children this year, this is a really good one.

last year our whole family wore christmas pajamas and took really fun pictures for her first christmas.  click here to see the photos and tips on how to photograph your own family in christmas pajamas.

3. A Christmas Book Each Night

starting on december 1st, we read one christmas story each night before bedtime.  i wrap all 24 of the christmas books up individually, so that she can unwrap a book each night to read from december 1st until christmas eve.  it’s a fun way to keep the excitement of presents and gifts alive, while the waiting for christmas morning can seem like an eternity to little ones.  ok, and to grownups too.  plus, i love collecting christmas books that we can use year after year to read, making it a fun tradition to reread our favorite classics.

4. Handprint Ornament

this isn’t something we do every single year, but we definitely did a personalized hand ornament with our daughter for her first christmas and plan to do it again with our next baby too (yes, i already have the ornament purchased and ready.)  this is so darn easy to do and it turns out really cute!  it is something that is not only a keepsake, but it is really fun for kids to see each year when decorating the christmas tree and noting how much they have grown!  you can do it with either a hand or foot, we just chose to do hand.

5. Christmas Coloring Book

my mother in law actually started this tradition for our daughter, giving her a coloring book to color in each year during the christmas season.  each year, she can color pages in the book and then we will document her age.  it is a fun pastime for kids to enjoy while waiting for christmas, and it is also a wonderful keepsake to have since they will color thorough the same book each year.

6. Build a Gingerbread House

being that our daughter was only 9 months on her first christmas, we didn’t start our gingerbread house tradition until this year.  there are so many fun gingerbread house kits (i purchased ours locally, but linked to a similar one) to choose from and it’s a wonderful family activity…and a yummy one, too.  you can purchase pre-built houses to decorate or assemble them yourself.  my husband insisted upon a kit that we build ourselves, he is confident like that.

when it comes to childhood, traditions are everything.  big or small, traditions are so special to children and will be remembered well into their adulthood and even passed down to their own children.  if you are thinking of where to start, these are 6 really great christmas traditions you should start with your children this year.

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