7 Christmas Morning Traditions to Start with Your Family

Christmas traditions help make the holiday special and can create lasting memories for many generations. Traditions can also add meaning to the holidays and grow the bonds between family members. You probably already have a few Christmas traditions that you look forward to each year. But there is always room for something new. This year, why not try a new Christmas morning tradition from the list below?

Open One Present at a Time

Most kids will tear into their presents with such fervor that the experience only lasts a minute or two. You can make presents more exciting and fulfilling by having members of your family take turns opening one present at a time.

Opening one present at a time gives kids (and adults) a chance to share their gifts and express gratitude. It also gives you time to take pictures or videos. In the future, you’ll love looking at your recordings to relive each Christmas morning.

Choose a Gift to Donate

If the toys and gifts tend to pile up each year, then you might want to start a Christmas tradition where each person chooses a toy or item to donate. This tradition honors the spirit of Christmas by emphasizing the importance of giving to less-fortunate people. It can also make your children more appreciative of the gifts they receive.

Hide One Present for Each Person to Find

When the Easter Bunny comes to town, he gets to hide presents all over your house and yard. Why not extend that tradition to Christmas by having Santa Claus (or a parent) hide one present for each person to find?

You can make the game even more exciting by leaving clues written by Santa. The scavenger hunt will add a whole new level of excitement to opening presents on Christmas morning.

Wear Matching Pajamas

The night before Christmas, pass out matching pajamas to every member of your family. The next morning, you’ll have coordinated outfits that make your pictures and videos even more special. Even if your clan doesn’t want matching PJs, it’s still fun to have new pajamas for everyone as they will be featured in the photos on Christmas morning!

Hang a Special Ornament

Instead of buying Christmas tree ornaments during the holiday season, keep your eyes open for them throughout the year. By choosing meaningful ornaments, you will transform your tree into a collection of memories.

Try looking for ornaments during family vacations. Gift shops often sell them throughout the year. If you don’t take a vacation one year, then you can get an ornament from a museum, zoo, or other fun location that you visited. Another option is to make a new DIY ornament every year and hang it on the tree Christmas morning.

Enjoy a Special Breakfast

The Christmas holiday gives you a good excuse to indulge in special breakfast foods that you normally wouldn’t serve. Search online for a recipe that you think everyone in your family will love. Perhaps you’ll make a sweet dish like orange pecan French toast or a savory meal like an apple, sausage, and smoked cheddar breakfast casserole.

If you don’t want to eat the same food each year, then you can make a similar breakfast tradition where everyone in the family gets involved in choosing and making a new dish annually. That way, you can cater to the changing tastes of your children as they get older.

Watch a Favorite Christmas Movie

Once your family has unwrapped presents and eaten breakfast, you can settle around the television to watch a beloved holiday movie. Again, you have plenty of options to consider. Some families prefer classic movies like Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life.

Don’t forget that there are a lot of modern Christmas movies, too. Standouts include Home Alone, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and National Lampoon’s Christmas. 

It’s your Christmas, so you can choose any option that your family will love.

Traditions play important roles in how families celebrate the holidays. The more traditions you have for your family, the more enjoyable your holiday will become.