10 Tips to Make Your Christmas with Kids Memorable

For families around the world, Christmas is a very special time of the year. It is a time of magic and wonder made even more special by company of family and friends. Often times, for kids, gifts are a major source of excitement and anticipation in the days leading up to Christmas. Then, when all the fun and festivities are over, it is the treasured Christmas memories that stay with you for years. Here are ten exciting ways for you to make your Christmas with the kids more memorable for everyone.

Then, when all the fun and festivities are over, it is the treasured Christmas memories that stay with you for years. Here are ten exciting ways for you to make your Christmas with the kids  more memorable for everyone.

1. Take time off for Christmas crafts with the family – Decking up the home in December is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit . However, the money and effort required can often turn this holiday tradition into more of an undesirable chore. If possible, take a day or two off from work just to spend time with the family creating Christmas décor together. Setting aside time to make fun Christmas crafts with the kids is a great way to unwind, deck up the house, and create special holiday memories.
"2012 Elf on the Shelf - Snowy" by Mark Baylor is licensed under CC BY 2.0

2. Start your own Elf on the Shelf tradition – As the legend goes, Santa sends a little elf to every home in December to watch young children and report back to him on their behavior. However, the elf is never caught in the same place for two days in any home. The fun of this Christmas tradition  is finding new, innovative ways to position your elf around the house. As for the kids, they love searching for the elf every day. It’s a great way to ensure your children are on their best behavior, and is certain to make for a memorable countdown to Christmas.
3. Camp out by the Christmas tree – Why wait for Christmas to have all the family fun? Once the Christmas tree is all decked up, single out one night to camp by the Christmas tree. Keep the tree lights on, stock up on holiday food and read the kids Christmas stories.
4. Check out the Christmas lights – Checking out the Christmas lights in the neighborhood never gets old, and is particularly special tradition for children. Pile your family into the car and drive around town to see the spectacle of brilliantly decorated houses and streets. Some newspapers even publish seasonal reports on the best decorated houses in town. If you happen to get hold of a similar list for your area, hunt down the houses for a Christmas spectacle your kids will never forget!
5. Track Santa with NORAD – "2012 Elf on the Shelf - Snowy" by Danny Sullivan is licensed under CC BY 2.0
   Track Santa live!
   For more than 50 years, the North American Aerospace Defense Command has been using their high-tech equipment to track Santa’s progress across the world on Christmas Eve. Log on to this website to track Santa on the 24th of December and see live updates, pictures and videos of Santa making his progress towards your home!
6. Make reindeer food to sprinkle on the lawn – Don’t forget to leave out food for the reindeer that do all the work in bringing Santa to your home! Making reindeer food is very easy – mix plain oatmeal and glitter and you’re all set. Kids will love sprinkling this magical snack on the lawn to mark out the house for Rudolph and his team.
7. Capture the excitement – Your children are probably rarely as excited on regular days as they are on Christmas morning, when the month-long anticipation has come to a peak! Capture this special time with plenty of photos and videos. Many families gift the children new pajamas or seasonal accessories on Christmas eve so that everyone looks their best in the subsequent Christmas photos.
8. Outdoor fun in the evening – Once the gifts have been opened and the usually daytime festivities are over, head outdoors to let the family fun continue. If it snows in your area, consider going o sledding, ice skating or do some other fun activity that your kids will enjoy as a great way of appreciating the seasonal splendor of the great outdoors.
9. Write a family Christmas letter – Sending letters to loved ones is a great way to personalize your Christmas greetings. Make it a family activity by including at least one line from each member of the family, recounting special moments from each person’s lives. This is a great way to record the good times and involve your kids in making Christmas special for those who can’t be with you.
10. A special ornament for every child – Every year, hang up a special Christmas tree ornament for each child in your family. Some families just write the name of the child and the year on traditional ornaments. Others personalize the tradition by choosing an ornament that symbolizes something special that happened in the life of the child that year. As you add new ornaments each Christmas, your tree will hold more significant memories of your child’s growth through the years.