For Christmas 2020, there may be less to do. There may be no office Christmas party, no traveling to see distant family, and no seasonal theater or concerts. If you’re opting to stay home for the holiday season and are scratching your head as to how to still make it fun and memorable, here are 25 ideas for you and your family. Add them to your advent calendar, Christmas bucket list, cheer jar, or whatever you use to make each day of December exciting.
- Choose a charity to work with this season. Here’s a list of Coastal Bend charities.
- Mail out Christmas cards.
- Dress up in festive outfits and walk (or drive) around the neighborhood to see all of the lights.
- Wrap all of your family’s Christmas books and open one each week or day (depending on how many you have). Here are some of our favorite Christmas books!
- Opting out of a live Jingle Jog 5k run? Do one anyway on your own, and snap a sweaty selfie!
- Grab a holiday Starbucks drink and pay for the person behind you.
- Make salt dough ornaments and mail them to friends and family.
- Make paper snowflakes and hang them from the ceiling with fishing wire. Here’s an easy guide to making one. Change it up by using coffee filters or other materials.
- Mail your Christmas cards. If you haven’t bought any yet, make hand-made ones with the family!
- Make this adorable DIY 5-minute keepsake ornament.
- Create a list of must-see Christmas movies this year, and throw a casual family viewing party each weekend. Here’s our list of underrated Christmas movies that you may want to add to your personal list!
- Designate a baking day to bake Christmas cookies and candies.
- Make a snowman out of sand on the beach.
- Don’t want to meet Santa at the mall this year but missed our Surfing with Santa photo op? Create your own special memories by renting a Santa suit and having a family member or friend play Santa this year!
- Make this amazing gingerbread play-dough to add to a sensory bin or design a gingerbread man or gingerbread house.
- Go caroling in your neighborhood, or…
- Have a family Christmas karaoke party using videos from YouTube. Here’s a YouTube playlist.
- Make pinecone bird feeders to hang outside.
- Decorate a gingerbread house.
- Have a cup of hot cocoa.
- Make some dried orange slices. Turn them into tree ornaments, garland for the mantle, or an added gift wrap decoration.
- Add cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, orange slices, and cranberries to a pot of water on the stove. Simmer on low to make your house smell like Christmas!
- Have a snowball fight with DIY fake snow.
- Put together a small gift basket and anonymously leave it on the doorstep of a neighbor or friend.
- Reenact your favorite Christmas story as a family, and don’t forget to record it! Send it to friends and family to spread the holiday cheer.
What are some activities or holiday traditions you and your family plan to do this season? Tell us in the comments below!
