25 New Family Holiday Traditions To Start This Year

Sending or sharing holiday cards is a tradition for many, but with much of the world having been shut down again due to the health crisis, the case for sending safe and sweet messages to loved ones is a reason to start the tradition or keep it going. Kids can make their own cards as a fun holiday activity.

Cards are fun to make and write, but they're not the only holiday crafts that can become a new family tradition. Making new ornaments for the Christmas tree is a DIY arts and crafts activity for kids, with the end result being a keepsake for years to come. These could also be a fun way for the family to make gifts for friends and relatives.

Receiving gifts is a big part of the holiday season, and a fun one. But giving feels even better. More than giving gifts, making it a tradition to donate goods to an animal shelter during the season is a way to give supplies that animals in shelters desperately need. It's a wonderful way to give back and teach kids the true spirit of the holidays.

Many who celebrate Christmas with young kids usually remembers to leave cookies for Santa, but what about the reindeer? Making "reindeer food" with bags of birdseed can become a Christmas Eve family tradition. The kids' faces the next morning when the seed is gone will be worth it.

Putting up the holiday decorations is one of the biggest ways to bring joy. It signals the start of the holiday season and between the lights and fun figurines, they're just cheery to have up and around. Make it a family tradition to throw on festive music and decorate the house or tree together.

Cooking is an activity that's done year-round, but making a family holiday recipe together makes for a super special tradition. And a yummy one, too. Pick a night to make a dish that is unique to the holidays and do it together as a family before sitting down to enjoy all the hard work that went into the meal.

Of course, if there's cooking, there certainly should be baking. Whether baking cookies for the family, friends, or for Santa (or all!) the activity is fun for both the grown-ups and the kids. And it doesn't end once the cookies are baked — everyone can decorate them, too. Oh, and don't forget the fun that will be had by everyone while eating their festive treats.

Sometimes the most memorable and fun family holiday traditions are free. Christmas lights go up around the end of November through December and some homes go all out. Each year, plan a night to hop in the car or go for a stroll around the neighborhood to find the coolest displays. Families can get in on the action, too, and create their own elaborate light scene.

Donating to those in need is a wonderful tradition to take up during the holiday season but in safer times, volunteering to put together bags of donations or to serve those in shelters or kitchens is also a good idea. It can teach kids that helping others can feel as good as getting gifts.

Sending homemade holiday cards to friends and family is a lovely tradition, but kids might be more interested in sending a letter with their Christmas list to Santa. Break out paper and crayons or markers and have them pen their letter to the North Pole. Don't forget to write a letter to Rudolph, too.

Waking up to head down to the Macy's Day parade or watch the local city's parade is a sweet family tradition to have and one that many do. Over the past few years, virtual options have opened up, too, so the family can watch along online in the comfort of home while wearing cozy pajamas!

Christmas morning has to be one of the happiest mornings of the whole year. Kids open presents from Santa. But it could be fun to open at least one gift on Christmas Eve from "mom and dad" or the other members of the family to get the cheer going early. This would be a good opportunity to gift books or pajamas to help wind the kids down to go to sleep.

Speaking of jammies, families wearing matching pajamas has skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years, and for good reason. It's fun to coordinate outfits and they're also super comfortable. Fun socks could work, too, for families who aren't fans of pajamas. And don't forget the furry members of the family: Many stores sell accessories for dogs and cats that match the family PJs.

Watching holiday movies is one of the most popular and fun traditions. It helps that the Christmas classics really never get old. From the animated specials to It's a Wonderful Life to Elf, having family movie marathons should absolutely be a tradition. Pop some popcorn, grab some hot chocolate, and enjoy the festive stories.

Technology has kids knowing how to work tablets and smartphones at a young age, for better or worse. But a perk of tech is that kids can now "track" Santa on his journey giving kids around the world their gifts. There are a few, but Google and NORAD have great ones.

Not everyone celebrates Christmas this time of year. Hanukkah is the Jewish holiday that many celebrate around the same time most years and if so, playing with a dreidel a great tradition to start. It's a top that lands on different words in Yiddish and a fun way to share more about the Jewish traditions.

Baking is fun, and watching movies is great, but there's really something nostalgic and tradition-worthy about books. There's many holiday books to break out for the kids, whether they're about Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa. It can be a good tradition to purchase a new one each year and get cozy together to hear the new story.

Since 2005, the Elf on the Shelf toy has been a phenomenon among kids. The tiny elf is sent by Santa to check in on the kids and finds itself in new spots each morning. It's a fun way to bring the Christmas magic before the actual day. But if it's too much for parents, just one day is fine with us.

Listening to Christmas music (or even singing along to it) is one of the first things people do to ring in the holiday season. That's why it makes a great family tradition to do alongside another one, like decorating, baking, and cooking. There are many classics to choose from, or it could be fun to make up lyrics, too.

Is it really the holiday season without a gingerbread house? We think not. Gingerbread houses make a fun (and yummy) activity for the whole family, young and old, but with more people staying home, there can even be gingerbread house contests. Also, eating it (or at least the candy decorations) is something to look forward to as well.

Remember all those holiday songs we would sing in school as kids? They’re still around and it’s a fun tradition to add to the family memory making. This could either be a fun thing the family does together at home. Or make it larger and go around the neighborhood to bring holiday cheer to everyone.

Advent calendars are a fun way to get everyone excited about the holidays. It’s a countdown to Christmas Day with a little treat every day before that. There are a lot of different Advent calendars to purchase — with everything from wine and cheese for mom and dad to Lego bricks for the kids.

If the family likes to decorate a holiday tree each year, bring a yearly tradition into it that the kids can take with them well into adulthood. Choose to purchase or DIY an ornament that will represent the year, highlighting something that was a milestone that year. A new baby? A new job? Survive a global health crisis? Lots of opportunities.

The Christmas tree is a center of the holiday for so many families. We look forward to seeing all the lights, adding on the ornaments, and taking photos of the gorgeous tree through the holidays. If it’s possible where you live, making a tradition of going out to a tree farm and cutting the family tree together can be so much fun.

There are so many opportunities for good photos during the holiday, but there are also a lot of chances to turn it into a tradition. Families can take this seriously or playful —from ugly holiday sweaters, dressing up as a character from their favorite movie, matching in the same outfit year-after-year. The collection of these photos will be fun to look through for years to come.