OP here. These are awesome! Thank you!

We have an elf on the shelf that pretty much just moves around every day..... About once a week he'll do something funny or bring a small gift, but other than that it's pretty low maintenance..... Sometimes he's here in the morning and then leaves until the next day..... The kids like looking for him and he has been a positive addition to our family celebrations.

Another thing we do is our elf brings a list of things to help make the holidays special for another person in the family or community..... The kids like doing the items and crossing them off..... Things like put toothpaste on your siblings toothbrush. Offer your sibling a snack when you get yourself one..... Choose two books to donate to the lending library.....

Anonymous wrote:Whatever you do, do NOT let them go down the elf on a shelf rabbit hole. I have been trying to kill that elf for the last 4 years.

Hahaha so much work each night!

My advice is to keep it simple. Do a few fun things 2 years in a row, and then see what your kids remember and want to do the 3rd year. Also recognize which ones are FOR YOU and which ones are FOR THEM. Those might not over lap, ex: fancy Santa photos. Most kids hate those.

We decorate sugar cookies with gobs of icing and toppings. Then we give them to neighbors and bring them to gatherings. They are way too sweet, and sort of gross to eat, but the kids LOVE it. We also go to pick out a new ornament each year. Sometimes at Target, sometimes somewhere "nicer". They help decorate the house and tree. The other one my daughter is very into is opening one present on Xmas Eve.

Anonymous wrote:We give the kids PJs on St Nicholas Day, which has remained strong even in my older kid who aged out of most Xmas traditions.

Making/frosting cookies and tree decorating as a family are the other two.

This is a good idea. We do Christmas PJs on Christmas Eve, but that really limits the relevant wear time.

Whatever you do, do NOT let them go down the elf on a shelf rabbit hole. I have been trying to kill that elf for the last 4 years.

Mixed marriage (Jewish/Christian) traditions

- helping shop for a child in need in the angel tree
- family Hanukkah party with lots of latkes and donuts
- baking cookies
- helping decorate the tree at Grandma's house
- going to see a light show at brookside gardens
- one of the 8 nights is Tzedakah (charity) and they pick a charity to donate
- another night is usually going to see a show
- some years we do matching jammies, it depends.
- ice skating or indoor trampoline park with cousins
- going to Grandma's church on Christmas Eve and then we usually have Chinese food at Grandma's
- Christmas Day brunch at grandmas followed by a movie marathon

We always try to go to a movie in the theater on Christmas Eve and then drive around and look at Christmas lights.
We having small 3-ft for you that they take turns keeping in my room for the holidays and get to decorate it with their special ornaments they get each year. They love decorating their own tree and having that specialness.... Because it rotates years. It makes it even more special when they get it..... And that's one child kind of be the center of attention for that year while they decorate their own tree and talk about their ornaments...

We give the kids PJs on St Nicholas Day, which has remained strong even in my older kid who aged out of most Xmas traditions.

Making/frosting cookies and tree decorating as a family are the other two.

The angel tree tradition is a good one.

When I was growing up, each year my parents would get each kid a special tree ornament. It might reflect something memorable that happened that year. For example, if we’d taken a trip as a family or some other experience or sport/activity we were into. Or just be cool or unique. Those ornaments then were ours to decorate our own trees when we moved out/started having Christmas in our own homes. So now I’m doing the same for our kids.

Rather than doing a bunch of gifts to open we sit down and plan special activities and family vacations to do over the next year.

*Take them to Botanic Garden in DC to see the Seasons Greenings display!
*Toy Train showcase at union station!
*Open Christmas PJs and have hot chocolate and Christmas music dance party the first Saturday of December!
*Holiday Singalong (outdoors on the lawn so bundle up!) at wolftrap!

My parents always loaded us up in the car to drive around and look at all the Christmas lights and decoration on people’s houses. I did the same for my kids. When we decorated the tree I’d put on Christmas music and after we were finished we’d have hot chocolate and Christmas cookies.

Baked sugar cookies that they could help decorate. We’d always let them open one present (that we chose) on Christmas Eve.

Advent calendar
Read an advent story every night
Leave a boot out for St Nicholas
Drive around and look at lights
Meadowlark Lights
Assemble Gingerbread houses
Bake cookies for neighbors
Drink mulled apple cider
Special Xmas Eve dinner (Raclette or fondue)
Big Xmas Day brunch

My are teens and tweens now, but we still do:

Advent calendars - these have evolved over the years. When they were young it was things like Disney and Legos. This year it's nail polish and fancy marshmallows.

Get our tree the day after Thanksgiving

Cookies for Santa, although there's also lots of baking all month

Open one gift Christmas Eve

Feast of the Seven Fishes