Wow. December is here already! Are you ready for a busy holiday season? We have a lot going on in our lives right now but are trying to keep the focus on the meaning of the season.
That’s why carving out time for yourself and time for your family is even more important than ever. I don’t want my grandkids to grow up feeling like Meemaw was too busy to spend time with them because she was so focused on trying to make the holidays “perfect”. What could be more perfect than family time?
These ideas for 15 minutes of family fun in December are simple and don’t require a lot of(or any) special equipment. They’re inexpensive and focus on spending time together – which is what’s most important after all!
Find 75+ Christmas Activities for Kids here.
15 Minutes of Family Fun in December
Remember not to over-complicate this. These ideas are meant to be simple and fun. Just choose one or two that will allow you to have some special time together as a family.
Light some sparklers after dark and run around in the backyard.
Not sure where to find sparklers at this time of year? Try a party supply store. They often have some year-round.
Plant your own Christmas tree.
You can buy seeds in many places at this time of year and start growing your own Christmas tree! Want a faster start on it? Pick up a sapling.
Sing Christmas carols.
Each person can pick out their favorite and you can all join together in singing. There’s nothing better to bring on a festive mood!
Have a family dance party.
If you can, play vinyl oldies on the record player to dance along to. It just adds a special touch to your dance party. If not, find a playlist on Spotify and dance together.
Make your own family holiday playlist.
Take a few minutes each day to gather suggestions from each family member for holiday songs to add to your own special festive playlist.
Pick out a pair of cozy bed socks to wear each night.
You can each pick out your own and wear them for bedtime story time or pick out socks for each other!
Put together an Advent calendar made of books.
Speaking of bedtime stories, if you’re anything like us you have stacks and stacks of Christmas storybooks. Wrap them up and open one each day as your bedtime story for the night. If you don’t have enough, round them out with library books. You can also take a shopping trip to a local thrift store and search for some new holiday reads.
Have snack time by candlelight.
Candlelight elevates pretty much everything. Having a simple snack by the glowing light is the perfect lead-in to some quiet time together. If you’re worried about candles around the little ones, there are some realistic battery operated candles available, complete with flickering flames.
Have a cup of hot cocoa.
Sit down to talk about your day over cups of hot cocoa. Take them to the next (festive) level by using candy canes as stir sticks.
Write letters to Santa.
You can each write your own letter or write one family letter to Santa. Grab some crayons or stickers to add your own flair to your letters.
Work on a Christmas-themed jigsaw puzzle.
You can add to it over time with the goal of having it complete by Christmas Eve.
Pray together.
We like to place the Christmas cards we receive in a bowl or basket and then we pull one out and pray for the people who sent it to us.
Make a garland.
Use strips of paper looped together, string popcorn (and/or cranberries), or even put together a garland of items found outside, scrounged from around your house, or gathered up from the local dollar store. Work on it a little bit at a time until you have a full garland to adorn your tree.
Admire the tree.
Sit in the light of the Christmas tree and just enjoy some quiet time together.
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