Family Christmas traditions are important for connecting and building memories with your loved ones. It helps you to create strong and happy family bonding between the members of your family.

The shared traditions also help in developing a strong sense of belongingness among the whole family. They bring people together to have fun and have meaningful moments which last for a lifetime.

The Importance of Celebrating the Season

The holiday season is a time to celebrate not only the holiday’s but to celebrate life. This time of year is a time that we spend with friends and family, enjoy each other’s company, and indulge in delicious holiday treats.

This time of year allows us to stop for a moment and look back at what we have accomplished in the previous year. It also helps us be thankful for all the good things that have happened in our lives this year. It is a reminder that there are still so many things to be grateful for, even when times are tough.

Adding Family Christmas Traditions into the mix can be a way to build up that Christmas excitement, spend quality time together and build memories that will last a lifetime.

Here are 10 family Christmas traditions to start in 2021…

Add a new Christmas ornament to the tree

Every year, you can add a new Christmas ornament the Christmas tree. The ornament can be something special, like a hand-painted bauble of your pet, or. it could be related to a place you’ve been that year. It could even be something that’s really ugly – a competition to find the ugliest bauble that year and then add it to the collection could be fun!

Christmas Jumper Day

I love Christmas jumpers. New Look has some amazing Christmas jumpers and I always look on their website to see what they have in. Christmas jumper day is being held on the 11st December 2021 this year. So you could make it a tradition to all take part and wear a Christmas jumper that day!

Photo in front of the tree.

Every year you can have a photo in front of the Christmas tree with everyone stood in the same place. It will be lovely to look back on each photo over time, especially as your family grows. This will be a lovely family Christmas tradition that you can look back on and see how you have all changed over the years!

Matching Christmas Pyjamas

Get some matching Christmas pyjamas that you all wear on Christmas eve. You get lots of personalised ones on Etsy. You can then spend Christmas morning opening presents with your matching Christmas pyjamas on!

Attend a Christmas pantomime!

Every year, my parents used to take me to the Christmas pantomime at the Civic Theatre in Doncaster. I don’t even know if that theatre still exists. I used to love it! If I’m perfectly honest, I don’t remember much about it other than shouting ‘HE’S BEHIND YOU’. But I know I loved it!

Write a letter to Santa

This one is perfect if you have kids. Sit down and write a letter to Santa with them. You can help them decorate it and then walk to the post office and post it.

In the UK, you can send a letter to Santa’s address: Santa/Father Christmas, Santa’s Grotto, Reindeerland, XM4 5HQ.

Send it with a self-addressed and stamped envelope before the deadline to get a reply! Check the Royal Mail website for the deadline date for 2021 – it’s not currently up yet but in 2020 it was 11th December.

Everyone open a gift on Christmas eve

This was one of our family Christmas traditions when I was a child and it was one of my favourites. I was the type of child that would be obsessed with the presents under the tree. I’d be trying to peer in the corners, carefully lift the sellotape as much as I dare and even sometimes put tiny rips in the paper to see if I could get a clue as to what was inside!

I was allowed to pick one present from under the Christmas tree to open every Christmas Eve and I was always determined to try and find the best one to open!

Go to the pub on Christmas eve

My partner and I have done this tradition a few times. We’ve gone to the centre of York for Christmas eve for a drink and food. It’s actually a lovely time to be in York! York is a very touristy city, but on Christmas eve it’s quiet. We didn’t go last year as Leo was only 4 weeks old, but we can go this year!

Play a game

If your family has a favourite board game that you all love to play, make it a tradition to play it on Christmas eve or boxing day! It will be so much fun to come back to it each year as the family gets older – but we’re never too old for board games. You could even do a Christmas quiz or Christmas crossword together!

Watch a Christmas movie

When I was younger, we used to always watch The Snowman on Christmas eve and I still have fond memories of it now. I always put it on record over Christmas and watch it at some point! You could make a tradition to all watch a Christmas movie together. Either all watch the same one each year, or a different one.

Get ready to fill this holiday season with warmth and joy as you go on the journey of creating cherished Christmas traditions with your family. There’s no better time than now to establish new customs that will bring everyone closer together. From heartwarming Christmas Eve activities to festive Christmas Day ideas, there’s a world of possibilities waiting for you. Whether it’s baking scrumptious gingerbread cookies and decorating the tree as a family or going on a neighbourhood tour to admire dazzling holiday lights, these fun Christmas traditions will become the glue that binds your family’s holiday memories. So gather around and try out my list of 10 family Christmas traditions to start this year, and make this holiday season an unforgettable one filled with love, laughter, and togetherness.

I’d love to know if you have any family Christmas traditions!