Adult-focused Christmas Eve/Christmas traditions our teens will enjoy?

[Anonymous]

My kids (12 and 14) have changed so much this past year (after starting middle school and high school) and have really matured, but in a good way. Still, we are finding we have to find new ways to connect with them. I’m feeling nostalgic this Christmas, and want to make things fun for them, but they have zero interest in our usual traditions and seem to have outgrown them.

I’m looking for ideas for more mature, adult focused traditions. Please share everything you’ve got!

[Anonymous]

For many years, our family had a tradition of going out for dinner on Christmas Eve to a nice downtown restaurant. Would that interest them?

[Anonymous]

Can you just ask them?

Our older teens like holiday themed movies, going out to new release movies (this year we will all go to boys on the boat).

The absolutely will not go drive through holiday light displays anymore.

I also bought a new card game that we will play over the holiday and sometimes I can still get them to decorate cookies.

[Anonymous]

Our extended family gatherings at some point stopped occurring on Christmas, so we would go see a movie after we did presents and brunch.

[Anonymous]

My teens like:

Light displays
Going downtown to see Xmas tree
Cookies
Dinners out
Walks in places with decorations and twinkly lights
Card games and board games

[Anonymous]

Movie theaters
Museum visits
Go to cafe for cookie and hot chocolate in the afternoon
Sporting events
Bookstores
Holiday concerts/events
New restaurants

[Anonymous]

We had cousins close in age and we all went to my grandparents' house for christmas. just being together was the tradition!

[Anonymous]

I'm curious about which traditions they have "outgrown"? My kids are teens and still love making gingerbread houses, Christmas cookies, getting cocoa and driving around to look at Christmas lights, blasting Christmas music, going out to dinner in DC and going to the National Christmas Tree, etc