12 Days of Family Fun

 This time of year can get so busy that we can forget the most important thing, our family.

There’s so many fun things to do at Christmas with our families……

Seeing the Christmas Lights

Caroling

Making Gingerbread Houses

Watching Christmas Movies

Sledding

Reading Christmas Stories

BUT….

I’ve come up with some other ideas.  They don’t take a lot of time and are scheduled for you for the 12 days before Christmas.  These are just suggestions and can be rearranged for your schedule or just to supplement your own activities.

Send videos from Santa to your family with this amazing site.  Truly, these videos are very well done and user friendly.  Sitting around this evening drinking hot chocolate watching each other’s videos will bring so much laughter and joy.  Fun for all ages.

Santa Video

There is nothing greater than hearing how your family loves each other.  Something we’ve done that I’ve kept to this day are “love cards”.

On 3×5 cards write each family member’s name; one per card.  Give each person their card and then pass them around and have each family member write why they love that person.  Younger children could draw pictures or have an adult write their words for them.  This is a treasured gift that doesn’t cost a thing.

Christmas Body Charades

What?!!

Yes, you will use your bum to spell the words.  This game is hilarious.  Write out several Christmas words on strips of paper.  Put in a bowl and have each person draw one when it’s their turn.  Younger children can act out the words if they don’t know how to spell.

Pop some popcorn and watch videos or look at pictures of past Christmas’.

Aren’t these the cutest. Having matching family pajamas would be so fun. Click on the image to purchase.

We have a set of music pipes that we made years ago.   Here are the instructions to make your own.

Music Pipes

If you don’t want to go through that much work make your own instruments.  Pots and pans, wooden spoons, whistles, cans with rice in them, etc. can be used to create a family band and sing Christmas carols.  You might also play Name That Tune.

When you’re well tuned and ready call relatives and friends and sing the Christmas carols to them.

One thing our family likes to do is a play on Mad Lib games.  One person starts the story by saying “Once upon a Time” and then adding a sentence of their own.  The next person will add a sentence and so forth.  You could keep the stories around the theme of Christmas.  I have found that this is extremely useful in helping kids learn how to put a beginning, middle, and end of a story together; something they will have to do in school.

Another fun activity is the telephone game.  One person would whisper a sentence with a Christmas message and it would be whispered down the line.  The end person would then repeat the sentence to see how close it is to the beginning sentence.

Have each family member write down something they would like help with or that they would like to have done for them.  Put them in a pile and have each person draw one and not let the others know who they have, unless they are small children.  During the days before Christmas have your family complete this secret service project and report back during the candlelight dinner Christmas Eve (see number 12).

Now that everyone has drawn their service make snowman ice cream sundaes.  Here’s one idea.

Snowman Ice Cream

Instead of just reading the Christmas story from the Bible ask questions instead.  The younger children could be asked:

What kind of animals were in the stable with baby Jesus?  How long did it take for Mary and Joseph to get to Bethlehem?  What kind of gifts did the Wisemen bring to Jesus?  You could make video of this conversation because usually the answers would be completely wrong but so cute.  This video gives you an idea of what to ask.

Kid’s Answering Questions About Jesus’ Birth

If you have older family members you could have a discussion on things not normally known about the story of Jesus’ birth.  Here is an idea.

The Birth of Christ

Adopt a new family tradition from a country of your heritage.  For example, in Germany on December 6th, St. Nicholas Day, children put their shoes near the front door in hopes that St. Nicholas will fill them with candy and other goodies.  If they’ve been good their wishes will be fulfilled.

Here’s an awesome list of what other countries do:

Christmas Around The World

Enjoy this evening discussing the new tradition and possibly a yummy dessert from that country.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt

This can be done in different ways.  Here’s a list of some Christmas Items.

You can divide in teams and drive around and take pictures of those items.  The first team back home wins.

or

You can do it in your own home.  First one back with that item wins.

or

If you have family members who all have phones with internet on them have them hurry to see who can pull up a picture of that item first.

Turn off the lights, the TV, the cell phones, the computers and turn on the Christmas lights on your Christmas tree.  One of my fondest memories with my family is just sitting around talking without distractions in the glow of the Christmas lights.  There’s something magical about the feel it creates.  Talk about anything and everything.  The point is that we are just enjoying each other’s company.

Have a beautiful candlelight dinner with your family and have birthday cake for dessert to remember the birth of our Savior.

I certainly hope these ideas will help inspire you during this Christmas season.  I promise you that your family will become closer the more time you spend with them.

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