Get into the Holiday Spirit: 25 Heartwarming Christmas Activities
November 1st, the day every Christmas obsessed person waits for. The day that Christmas music starts ringing through our radios. The last two months of the year are dedicated to joy and holiday cheer. The streets are adorned with twinkling lights, and soon the sound of carolers will fill the air.
Christmas is right around the corner, and there’s no better way to embrace the festivities than by indulging in a variety of Christmas activities that will warm your heart and get you into the Christmas spirit. Planning must start early, so in this blog post, I’ve compiled a list of 25 activities that will make your holiday season memorable, meaningful, and full of joy. One Christmas activity for each day of December!
Activities to get into the holiday spirit
Decorate Your Home
The first step to getting into the holiday spirit is transforming your living space into a winter wonderland. Nothing will get you into the holiday spirit like hanging up stockings, putting up a tree, and don’t forget to decorate it with ornaments and twinkling lights. The mere act of decorating can be a joyful and creative experience for the entire family.
If you typically get a real tree for Christmas, you may want to plan ahead and pick out a tree at the end of November. This way you can hit the ground running in December and decorate right away.
Bake Festive Treats
Santa loves a good cookie, so let’s give the man what he wants. The whole month of December acts as the perfect excuse to try different sweet recipes and figure out exactly what you’ll place under the chimney.
The sweet aroma of freshly baked gingerbread cookies, brownies, and spice cupcakes can fill your home with the essence of Christmas. Baking with family and friends is not only delicious, but it serves as a great bonding experience to celebrate the season.
Host a Christmas Movie Marathon
Elf, The Santa Clause movies, Home Alone. The list of holiday movies to watch with family is endless. Not to mention I’m a sucker for the having the Hallmark Christmas romance movies in the background of my days throughout the holiday season.
Gather your loved ones and indulge in a Christmas movie marathon. Classics like It’s a Wonderful Life, and A Christmas Carol never fail to inspire the holiday spirit. Don’t forget the popcorn and hot cocoa!
Streaming services like Disney+ have no shortage of family friendly Christmas movies and classics for you to watch throughout the holiday season.
Give Back to the Community
November gets everyone into the giving mood as we truly think about all that we’re thankful for in our lives. Keep the good energy and gratitude going throughout December as well.
Volunteering during the holiday season is a heartwarming way to give back and spread the Christmas spirit. Donate your time at a local shelter, food bank, or participate in a charity event to help those in need. Getting family and friends involved is a great way to impact the community and you’ll also get a boost of serotonin when you see the joy that comes from your actions.
Create Handmade Christmas Cards
Crafting personalized Christmas cards for family and friends adds a personal touch to your holiday wishes. Gather friends and/or family and take some fun holiday pictures. Maybe everyone will wear the same striped pajama set?
Once you have the picture, get creative with glitter, ribbons, and heartfelt messages to spread the joy of the season. Or if you’re feeling more digitally creative, jump on Canva and make a design you can print and send out to loved ones.
Attend a Christmas Market
Visiting a Christmas market is a sensory delight. Check you town’s website and see when the Christmas market is coming. If you don’t have one locally, there are sure to be a few in nearby areas. Enjoy the festive music, try seasonal desserts, and find unique, handcrafted gifts for your loved ones.
Sharing the spirit of the season with your community will lift your spirits!
Go Ice Skating
Such a classic Christmas and winter activity. Whether you’re a pro or a first-timer, ice skating is a must-do activity. Find an ice rink with a Christmas tree in the center or nearby and listen to Christmas music as you glide, or stumble, across the ice.
Host a Holiday Party
Invite friends and family over for a Christmas gathering. Play some fun holiday games, cook up a nice meal, exchange gifts, and enjoy the company of loved ones in the warm glow of holiday decorations.
Some favorite activities to do at a holiday party include:
- gingerbread house competition
- cookie decorating
- white elephant gifts
- anonymous gift card swap
- ugly sweater competition
- Christmas trivia
- guess that Christmas song
Explore Christmas Lights Displays
There’s always one house that outdoes themself and links their Christmas lights up to a radio station and displays a light show that I’m sure drives their neighbors crazy. Grab a hot cocoa and drive through some festive neighborhoods and look at the light displays. After all, they put them up for people to enjoy and you wouldn’t want all that hard work to go to waste.
Sing Christmas Carols
Gather around a piano or put on the holiday radio station. Simply sing along to your favorite Christmas tunes and bask in the spirit of Christmas. Music is a universal way to immerse yourself in the holiday spirit.
Write Letters to Santa
It doesn’t matter how old you are, writing a letter to Santa can be a fun and nostalgic activity. Send it to your parents so they know exactly what you want this year, or send it to a friend as a funny way to make them smile.
Writing a letter to Santa can also be a way to journal your dreams for the upcoming year and send them out into the abyss.
Build a Snowman
The Olaf’s of the world aren’t going to build themselves. Even though snow means that it’s cold out and summer is definitely over, if you’re fortunate enough to have a white Christmas, building a snowman is a must.
If it’s going to be cold anyway, you might as well embrace it and have fun in the snow.
Elf on the Shelf
If you have children or live with other people, the elf on the shelf can be a fun and creative holiday tradition. Take turns with friends creating funny scenarios that the elf gets caught up in.
Activities like the elf keep you involved in the holiday and give something to look forward to on even the most non-spirited and mundane days.
Read Christmas Stories
As a reader, reading a nice Christmas book can invoke all the warm fuzzy feelings. Pick up a copy of classic Christmas stories like “The Night Before Christmas” or “The Polar Express.” Reading these tales can transport you to a world of wonder and magic.
The best part? When you’re done reading you can watch the movie versions and see all of your favorite scenes come to life.
Gift Exchange with Friends and Family
Exchanging gifts is a cherished tradition. It’s a way to show your love and appreciation for the people in your life and to receive tokens of affection in return. I’ve always found that my favorite part of the gift exchange is watching my loved one’s faces when they open a gift I thought long and hard about. Take some time to consider the people you love and what could enhance their lives this holiday season.
Create Your Own Christmas Traditions
While many traditions are passed down through generations families and some are just societal traditions, consider starting your own. Whether it’s a special Christmas Eve ritual or a unique way to decorate the tree. Creating new traditions can be a meaningful way to connect with the holiday spirit.
Building new traditions can make the holiday feel more personal especially if you’re someone who tends to feel lonely due to personal family dynamics.
Donate to a Toy Drive
Contributing to a toy drive is a wonderful way to make a child’s Christmas magical. Think about adopting a family for Christmas and sharing the joy of the holidays with people that would otherwise be unable to receive gifts. Make it an event and go shopping for your Christmas family with family or friends.
Check your local area for hands-on volunteer opportunities like wrapping gifts for children from toy drives. The act of giving to those less fortunate can fill your heart with the Christmas spirit.
Visit a Local Church Service
If you’re religious, attending a Christmas church service can be a spiritually enriching experience. Faith can grow during the holidays as we’re more aware of blessings and our spirits tend to be more gracious. The hymns, sermons, and candlelight of church can create a serene and reflective atmosphere.
Host a Gingerbread House Decorating Contest
Gather friends and family for a gingerbread house decorating contest. It’s a fun and competitive way to bond and get creative. Set a timer and see who comes out on top. The fun part will come with seeing whose house actually stays standing.
Hang Mistletoe
Looking to add some romance into your Christmas season? Hang a sprig of mistletoe in your home to create a little extra romance and magic during the holiday season.
Send Christmas Letters or Care Packages to Soldiers
If you’re lucky enough to spend time with family during the holidays it can be easy to forget that that isn’t the case for everyone. Show gratitude and love to people who can’t be with their families during the holidays by sending them Christmas letters or care packages. This act of kindness can make a world of difference to those who can’t be home for the holidays.
Explore Christmas Traditions from Around the World
Believe it or not, other countries go all out for the holiday season. Get into the holiday spirit and discover the rich traditions and Christmas activities from different cultures.
Learn about the customs of countries like Germany, Mexico, and Japan to gain a deeper appreciation for the global holiday traditions. And who wouldn’t want to take a nice vacation for Christmas. Read this post for more info on must-travel Christmas destinations.
Enjoy a Yule Log Ceremony
Burning a Yule log is a tradition that dates back centuries. The ceremony is meant to bring warmth, light, and protection to your home during the darkest days of winter. Try this Christmas activity at the start of the holiday season to bring light to your home and uplift the holiday spirit throughout December.
Organize a Secret Santa Gift Exchange at Work
Getting into the Christmas spirit at work can be key to surviving the holidays in the office. Bringing the holiday spirit to the workplace can foster camaraderie and good cheer. Organize a Secret Santa gift exchange within your team to add a touch of merriment to your office. Always remember to check with HR beforehand and make sure you’re aligned with company policies.
Reflect and Set Intentions for the New Year
It’s nice to end the year on such a high with all the Christmas activities. But, with the new year coming quick, take some time to reflect on the year gone by and set intentions for the year ahead. Embracing the Christmas spirit involves both looking back in gratitude and looking forward with fresh optimism.
There are countless Christmas activities that can help you get into the holiday spirit and make Christmas a special time of the year. Make the act of giving, spending time with loved ones, and immersing yourself in the traditions and decorations a priority this holiday season.
The holiday season has a way of bringing out the best in all of us. Have fun with these 25 Christmas activities, but remember that the true essence of the holiday spirit lies in love, joy, and the spirit of giving. Let the magic of Christmas warm your heart and fill your home with cheer.
Share your favorite Christmas traditions in the comments below!
