25 Days of Christmas...ideas to do with your family.

Christmas traditions are one of the little things that make Christmas so special. Having an activity or special trip to look forward to each year adds to the excitement of the Christmas season. 

One of my favorite Christmas traditions we have is to make homemade ornaments each year. We often  make enough to take around to our friends and neighbors as well. This tradition actually started when I was a young girl. Every year my parents would give each of us kids a new ornament. This way when we grew, up we all had a nice collection of ornaments to take to our new home and decorate our own Christmas tree.  It was nice that first Christmas away from home to decorate my tree with ornaments I had grown up with and that held special memories. 

This tradition of a new ornament continues on with my children. Each year we buy a new ornament for the kids. As the kids and I love crafts, we have made our own ornaments each year as well. The first time we decided to make our own ornaments was after a trip the mountains to see the fall colors. We collected a bag full of colorful leaves that had fallen. We then brought them home and placed them in a book to flatten and dry. Just before Christmas we took out the leaves and covered them with clear contact paper and added a ribbon to the top, our first homemade ornaments. We still have them and love putting them on the tree each year. We have continued making homemade ornaments each year since, and plan to do so each year. 

This year we want to add in, among our other little family traditions, a 25 Days of Christmas tradition. 

We made a list of ideas and have chosen what we plan to do, but instead of throwing the list away, I thought I'd share the list with you. 

25 Days of  Christmas ideas:

1) 25 Books of Christmas

Wrap up 25 different Christmas or winter books, unwrap and read one each night starting December 1st, ending with your favorite on Christmas morning. 

The kids decided to do this one this year. We don't have 25 Christmas books yet, but we have enough Christmas and winter books to use. I love the idea of having to go looking for Christmas books to add to our collection. 

2) 25 Bible verses and Christmas poems to read each night. 

3) 25 songs of Christmas

Listen to a new Christmas song each night, learn the lyrics, and sing together as a family. 

4) 25 Christmas prayers

Each night, as a family, say a little prayer for those in need. 

5) 25 Cards of  Christmas

Make 25 homemade cards (or buy nice cards) decorate and write a Christmas note of love, peace, and joy inside. Then hand out to people you meet, one each day until Christmas day. Give to people in the grocery store, walking down the street, or standing on the corner.

6) 25 Goodie Baskets of Christmas

On your own, with friends, or a social group, make 25 baskets of goodies. Place cookies, candy, hot chocolate, mints, little cards or handwritten notes, or whatever you like, into the basket. Decorate and hand deliver to family, friend, neighbors, co-workers, or nursing homes. You can deliver one each day, or make one each day and deliver them on Christmas Day. 

7) 25 Christmas Letters

Write 25 handwritten letters to 25 people. Either hand deliver or send in the mail, one each day until Christmas. 

8) 25 Days of Christmas Joy

 Each day take the time to sit down and write out a joyful Christmas memory or thought. Read the list on Christmas day. Keep the list and re-read each year. 

9) 25 Days of Christmas Crafts

Make a different Christmas craft each day. There are tons of ideas online. Many are simple and can be made with items you already have at home. If you choose, give the craft as a gift to neighbors, friends, or family. 

10) 25 Nights of Homemade Gifts

Spend each night working on homemade gifts for others. You can pick one gift to work on each night, or a different gift each night. 

11) 25 Days of Gifting to those in need

Find a way to donate time, supplies, or food each day, to those in need. This could be as simple as doing something kind each day for someone less fortunate. Visit an elderly person, take a meal to a family who is struggling, donate to your local homeless shelter, volunteer at the soup kitchen, help a neighbor with their housework or grocery shopping, or invite a lonely neighbor or friend over for coffee or lunch. There are so many ways one can help. 

12) 25 Days of Silent Gifts

Each day do something for someone, secretly. Leave a card with a little cash on the desk of a co-worker who you know is struggling, pay a bill or part of a bill for someone ( you can donate to the local utility company and can specify which address you wish to help), leave a bag of groceries and a card (no name) on the doorstep of a neighbor, mail gift cards to those you know could use a little extra help, or leave small gifts wrapped (with note but no name) on another's door step. I know that some of these take a little money, but of you are creative you can come up with plenty of ideas that cost very little or nothing.

13) 25 Days of Christmas Appreciation

Make or buy Christmas cards, write a note of appreciation and a wish for a Merry Christmas and give to local charities, adoption groups, homeless shelters, police stations, fire stations, doctor offices, mail carriers, trash companies, or health care workers. Give the cards to those who care for your community. 

14) 25 Goodies of Christmas

Each night make a Christmas treat. Try to find Christmas treats from all over the world. Enjoy the evening together making goodies and learning the history and origin of the treat each night. 

15) 25 Days to Fill a Stocking

This may be something you do a little each night or you could fill 25 stockings.

Fill one or a few stockings with 25 little items. Depending on who you plan to give it to, fill it accordingly. For a child, fill it with small toys, crayons, candy, gloves, warm hat, and whatever else you can think of. For the homeless, fill with hygiene items, snacks, warm gloves, socks, gift certificates, and a card. For an elderly person, fill with snacks, cards from friends, lotion, little Christmas decorations, and gift certificates.

There is so much one can do to bring a little joy to others for the holidays. All it takes is for one to care for others and give their time to those in need. 

We have chosen a few of these to try, and will hopefully find a couple that can be our 25 Days of Christmas, each year. 

I would love to add to this list and share with others so if you have any ideas please leave a comment with your ideas. 

**Next post: Christmas party ideas for the kiddos.