Christmas is a special time of year, and as a mom, I want my kids to feel all the magic, wonder, and joy of the season that I remember from my childhood. Oftentimes people’s ideas of Christmas magic come with a hefty price tag, but that’s not what this post is about at all! In fact, some of the most memorable moments are the ones that are simple and full of love. Here are 10 ways of how to make Christmas magical for kids that don’t cost much but will create memories that last a lifetime.
One thing that makes Christmas special is the traditions your family chooses to do. Whether you are carrying on traditions from your childhood that you look back on fondly, want to add new ideas to the Christmas magic, or maybe you don’t have many happy memories of Christmas and want your kids to have the opposite experience.
Whatever brought you here I think you are in the right place for some fun and festive new ideas that can make Christmas a bit more magical this year and for years to come.
Write Letters to Santa
There’s something so enchanting about writing a letter to Santa. Nowadays we all just make virtual lists but it didn’t used to be that way! We would write letters to Santa, spend hours scouring the Christmas toy guides, and handwrite lists or make collages of all the things we wanted!
To write Santa a letter gather some paper, markers, and stickers, and let the kids pour their Christmas wishes onto the page. Then there are multiple ways that you can send the letter to Santa.
Sometimes malls, libraries, or stores have a “mailbox” where letters to Santa can go. You can pop it in your own mailbox addressed to:
Santa Claus
North Pole
If your family is in need at all this year, consider writing a letter to Santa and sending it to USPS Operation Santa. There is another address that your kids can use to mail Santa, AND sometimes generous people will adopt your child’s letter and grant them some of their Christmas wishes too.
2. Create or Use a Christmas Countdown
There are so many ways to do a Christmas countdown! It’s a tradition your kids will want to do year after year. You can create your very own Christmas countdown using construction paper, wood, magnets, or gift bags.
Your countdown can simply be a special calendar (maybe with little doors you can open or a magnet you can move along the days), it can list a fun holiday activity to do every day of the month, OR it could be a small gift each day like an ornament or a candy.
You can also buy some pretty cute and affordable Christmas countdown plaques or trees that your child can change the number on each day as Christmas approaches. You can even buy chocolate advent calendars at most grocery stores for only about 3 bucks.
3. Go on a Pajama Christmas Lights Tour
Load everyone into the car in their coziest pajamas, pack a thermos of hot chocolate or maybe coffee for the grownups, and drive around to look at neighborhood lights.
Turn on some Christmas music, and make it a game to spot the brightest house, the funniest decoration, or the most elegant display.
Sometimes you can find “Christmas Houses” nearby online where the family really goes all out and even syncs the dancing of the lights on the house to a radio station. These types of shows are planned out months in advance and will often have more than just lights like candy canes or cocoa, bubble “snow,” and more.
4. Bake Christmas Treats Together
Christmas is a time for indulging, enjoying, and sweet treats. Baking for the holidays isn’t just about the end result—it’s about the mess, the laughter, and the memories you create together.
Pick a recipe for Christmas cookies, Christmas bark, or fudge and let the kids have fun creating and sampling. This is fun for ANY AGE! Your kitchen may be a disaster zone at the end but that can be cleaned– the memories will last forever.
Imagine Christmas tree pancakes or gingerbread house sandwiches. With a little extra time and effort, breakfast on that special day can become memorable and magical too.
6. Make Reindeer Food on Christmas Eve
A fun and magical tradition to start this year is making reindeer food! This goes beyond setting out some carrots along with Santa’s cookies. You mix oats and glitter into a magical mess and sprinkle it in the yard to attract the reindeer to your house.
The idea is that they will smell the oats and the glitter will reflect off Rudolph’s shining nose to bring their attention to your house! This is cheap, simple, and so fun.
7. Create Handmade Ornaments
Get crafty and make some simple ornaments to hang on the tree. Salt dough ornaments are easy and fun for little hands to shape and paint. They require only flour, salt, and a bit of water. You can use cookie cutters or simply make round ornaments that your kids can then decorate with paint. If your kids are really little you can even use this to make handprint and footprint ornaments too!
Or use paper, glue, and glitter to make snowflakes, stars, or paper chains. Every year when you hang them on the tree, you’ll remember the fun you had making them.
8. Leave Footprints from Santa
This one is pure magic. On Christmas Eve, after the kids are asleep, sprinkle some flour or baby powder on the floor around a boot to make “Santa’s footprints.” Watching the kids discover the evidence in the morning is priceless.
9. Have a Christmas Story Night
Gather everyone around the tree, dim the lights, and read classic Christmas stories together. If you have older kids, you can take turns reading aloud. Add hot drinks to the mix, light a fire if you can, and maybe sing some Christmas carols too!
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