Once kids stop believing in Santa, Christmas can often lose its luster. It’s not as exciting as it used to be and you may no longer look forward to this holiday. In order to keep the holiday spirit alive, try starting some of these traditions with your teenagers. Traditions are important not only to create memories but to also spend quality family time together.
Hide Gifts vs. Putting Them Under The Tree
What teen wouldn’t love the challenge of having to find their gifts? To make it fun, every day during the week leading up to Christmas, you could hide a small gift for them to find, with a large gift acting as the final on Christmas day. If you are looking for something a little more low-key, you could hide all of their gifts on Christmas Eve and send your teens on a scavenger hunt to go find the gifts on Christmas morning.
Wearing Matching Christmas Pajamas
Most teens love pajamas. You can help them get in on the Christmas fun by wearing matching pajamas. If you really want them to get into this tradition, let them be the ones to pick out the pajamas for you both to wear. You all can sit in your cozy matching attire together while you open up gifts on Christmas morning. Maybe cook Christmas breakfast together in your pjs.
Have A Baking Contest
There are all sorts of scrumptious Christmas-related desserts. Start a tradition of having a baking contest with your teens. It will be fun to see just what your teens come up with. Even if you aren’t into sweets you could still make something delicious to give to your friends and extended family members this holiday season.
Leave Out A Holiday Puzzle To Complete
Puzzles are fun, but they can be time-consuming. A fun thing to do with your teens is to leave out a holiday puzzle at the beginning of the month and allow everyone to pop in and contribute when they can. This is a great activity to do when teens are bored or are just struggling with insomnia. Even if you don’t think that they are into it, don’t be surprised if they end up sitting down beside you to help when they see you putting together the puzzle.
Set Up A Hot Chocolate Bar With Various Topping Options
Almost everyone loves hot chocolate, even the pickiest of teens. One tradition that you should start is to set up an elaborate hot chocolate bar. Include a lot of different toppings that both you and your teens like including things like churros, candy canes, whipped cream, marshmallows, sprinkles, peanut butter cups, and white chocolate chips. Read more on our blog post how to set up a hot chocolate bar.
Binge Watch Christmas Movies
Holiday movies are a great way to bring you and your teen together. Find a holiday movie that you both enjoy or have been wanting to see, and find a time where both of you are available to watch it. Pop some popcorn, get some cozy blankets, and settle in on the couch for a fun night together.
Special Meal
Maybe cake or ice cream is a bit too far, but why not make breakfast for dinner? If your teen enjoys cooking research traditional Christmas meals around the world and pick their favorite to cook together. For more simple things make an easy desert like rice crispy treats, popcorn balls, holiday candy bark or a party mix. The point is to spend some time together in the kitchen where they can put their cell phones away and get their hands dirty.
Countdown to Christmas
Whether you make your own advent calendar of activities leading up to Christmas, or purchase advent calendar sets such as Godiva’s chocolate countdown, Joe & Seph’s Popcorn Advent calendar, ChapStick holiday flavored lip balm, Sodoku daily logic puzzles, Too Faced Enchanted Advent Calendar, or Target’s 15 days of socks, there are plenty of options to engage your teen daily leading up to X-mas.
Check Out Holiday Lights
Attend a local tree lighting or pick an evening to drive around enjoy holiday lights while playing holiday music. Let your teen set up the holiday playlist. Check your local listing as many have set up beautiful light displays you can enjoy with social distancing.
Although your children are growing up fast, you should still create fond memories together. The new traditions that you start will allow both you and your teen to enjoy Christmas and get into the holiday spirit together.
