It's the most wonderful time of the year

There'll be much mistltoeing

And hearts will be glowing

When loved ones are near.....

It's the most wonderful time!

Got you singing now? I hope so!

It's indeed one of the most wonderful times of the year! There's just something magical about December and the holidays!

Most importantly, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, and second to that, spending time with our loved ones and acknowledging all our blessings! 

During this time, my family and I like to disconnect from the world and focus on what matters - Deepening the roots of our faith, having quality family time, taking time to rest, and celebrating small, happy moments. 

We do this by setting time aside to do fun and meaningful activities with Ava and our friends and family.

At the beginning of December, I like to make a list of some of our favorite traditions and activities. We aim to get to as many of them as possible by the end of the month.

This way, it's a great reminder to not postpone things (and never get to them!) and have ideas ready when boredom might creep up. It also helps to plan ahead and prepare or buy any equipment/ ingredients/ supplies you may need. 

10 Festive Activity Ideas for the Holidays

1. Forage for natural decorations

Whenever I decorate our home, no matter the occasion or holiday, I first look to mother nature for inspiration.

I'm a firm believer in repurposing and reusing natural, cost-effective, earth-friendly, and unique natural elements.

Natural elements such as pine cones, berries, colorful leaves, and green branches can make beautiful decorations for a tablescape, Christmas tree, or mantle. Have a look HERE at how I decorated our mantle this year.

Grab a basket and send the family on a fun foraging mission! 

You can also make it a game! A scavenger hunt never disappoints and is a great way to keep the kids busy. THIS fall scavenger hunt is perfect for a winter hunt too!

2. Bake and decorate Cookies

Yes, it may seem cliche, and that's okay! Baking cookies is an age-old tradition, and for a good reason! It's fun, easy, and rewarding.

It's also an activity where little ones can join in and feel they have contributed to something. Our Ava loves making and decorating cookies with me! Albeit a mess sometimes, we have such a good time! 

Grab a few fun cookie cutters, prepare colorful icing, and get decorating!

You could also organize a cookie swap. Have a cookie date with neighbors or friends, and swap out (gift) your homemade cookies. It's such a fun way for the kids to show off their creations and you can get some new yummy recipes. 

I've got a delicious cranberry cookie recipe, deconstructed in a beautiful glass jar, for you HERE. It makes a beautiful, affordable gift.

And THESE cranberry orange sugar cookies are ideal for cutting and decorating. As you may have guessed, I like cranberries!!

3. Go out and get a Christmas tree

This must be one of the top holiday traditions for most families!

Searching, picking, and decorating a Christmas tree is often the first thing most of us do to start the holiday season and bring Christmas magic into our homes.

It's a fun outdoor activity and a great way to get the kids out of the house to get some fresh air and exercise. 

Not sure how to choose and prolong the life of your Christmas tree? This article from bhg.com is a fantastic resource!  

This year I cheated a bit and settled for a faux tree. Our ceilings are very high, and I wanted a tree that would fit the space. It's still gorgeous and brings that magical feeling!

If you're crunched for time or don't have the space (or too much of it) for a real Christmas tree, it's totally okay to get a faux tree! I won't say anything if you won't ;-)

4. Gingerbread House Competition

Another cliche, yes, but so fun! This is an activity that everyone enjoys, no matter what age!

There's just something about carefully building your gingerbread house, decorating it like a true fairytale home, and seeing who’s stays up for the longest! A proud moment of accomplishment! And then to devour it all! 

Invite friends, and have a gingerbread house competition day to share in the fun and have a good laugh! Throw in some hot cocoa and carols, and you've got yourself a day you'll never forget!

HERE is an easy recipe for your gingerbread house cookie sheets and icing. Or you could buy pre-made gingerbread house kits.

5. Make a pine cone bird feeder

During the colder winter months, birds may have a more challenging time finding food in the wild. We can help them by making natural bird feeders and hanging/placing them onto trees. 

Simply spread peanut butter onto pine cones and sprinkle them with bird-friendly seeds. Place them outside where birds would easily reach them. It's a delicious, nutritious treat for the birds! 

Or you could make these fun DIY garden bird feeders. It's such an easy activity, even the little toddlers can join in! Little Ava loved it!

6. Make fruity or homemade Christmas ornaments 

Make beautiful, all-natural Christmas tree ornaments with fruit. Not only are they unique, beautiful, and cheap, they also have a pleasant citrus scent!

To make your own, slice up one to two large oranges and lemons, sprinkle on some powdered sugar for a candied stained-glass look, and cook them on low in the oven for about two to three hours to dehydrate them.

Make a small hole with a knife or scissors and pull through some beautiful string to hang them up.

These dried citruses will also look gorgeous sliced and tucked onto a glass’s rim or as part of your table decor. 

You could also make ornaments from salt dough and decorate or paint them according to your theme. They are also perfect as a small thank you gift for your guests.

This year I made Thanksgiving place cards from salt dough, and they looked wonderful! You can make the ornaments with the same recipe. Have a look HERE.

If you are not that into DIY or crunched for time, You can buy Christmas ornament kits HERE.

7. Make a natural Christmas wreath 

This is a favorite of mine! I just love a wreath, no matter the time of the year!

Using foraged items, you can make a very pretty, affordable wreath! 

You'll need:

• A wire or foam wreath frame in your preferred size

• Thin floral wire

• Evergreen tree branches & trimmings

• Other natural elements from evergreen plants (boxwoods, cedar, pine, etc.) and maybe some beautiful berries and leaves for some color if you'd like.

• Utility scissors or small pruning tool

Cut your branches and trimmings into smaller pieces. With the wire, tie the ends all around to the wreath frame, making it as full as possible.

Use your foraged items such as pines, pinecones, leaves, and bare twigs as fillers. Tie in some berries for a natural pop of color, or add a Christmas bow tie for a splash of color. Let the creative juices flow!

Tip! For the wreath to last as long as possible, soak the materials in water overnight before assembling.

8. Holiday cards for family and friends

Another DIY activity for the whole family! Handmade surely beats store-bought! And what is more personal and special than a handmade card?! I know that these are the ones I usually keep! 

Scout your home for anything that may work as crafts and decorations for your cards. Upholstery offcuts, yarn, felt, buttons, color paper, glitter, leaves, etc are all good options.

And then you just need some beautiful (or plain) paper for the card itself, glue, scissors, and maybe a stapler to make your unique Christmas cards.

9. Make personalized Christmas stockings 

A Christmas mantle is not complete without a few stockings! And receiving a Christmas stocking filled with surprise goodies never gets old! It's like a bonus gift!

If you like to sew and have the time, you can make some gorgeous stockings from patterns found on the web. Or save yourself some time and buy Christmas stocking kits from Amazon or your local craft store.

Stock them with goodies such as your homemade cookies, handmade Christmas ornaments, DIY essential oils in cute bottles, or even a beautiful gift from BLOOMIST. 

10. Have a family slumber party 

Either indoors under the Christmas tree or outdoors when it's not too cold!

Every kid gets excited when the routine is a little bit out of the ordinary! And when it's a Christmas bed in the living room or an hour or two outside stargazing, you can bet they will be ecstatic!  

Add delicious hot chocolate (find my favorite recipe HERE), smores, a picnic basket, and some carols, and you've got the perfect evening! This is a fantastic way to kick of the Christmas spirit.

I think I'll make it number one on my list this year! 

I hope you enjoy some of these activities and that they bring many happy memories to your family!

Love, Annette xx

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