Christmas Eve Traditions With Toddlers

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Looking for some fun Christmas Eve traditions with Toddlers?

Here’s a list some fun ideas for Christmas Eve traditions for toddlers, kids, and families that will keep them busy and excited (and anticipating Christmas!).  These ideas will definitely be memorable and keep a Christmas spirit in the house!

Christmas is definitely my favorite time of year – and it’s important to bring the joy I have from Christmas and share that with my kids.

These Christmas Eve family ideas are also simple, easy, fun, and most importantly – DO-ABLE.  There’s nothing unrealistic on this list so anyone can do these Christmas Eve Traditions (except maybe the mountain one depending on where you live).

Here’s a list of fun and easy Christmas Eve Traditions:

Christmas Pajamas 

• Have the whole family get into matching or coordinating Christmas pajamas a little earlier in the day and relax and be comfy.  Get a photo of everyone together!  They will be fun to look at every year.

Christmas Eve Box or gift

• I always do a Christmas eve gift for my kids on Christmas eve.  Usually it’s something they can use that night like Christmas pajamas, a board game, a book, or a Christmas movie with some treats like popcorn, hot chocolate, and their favorite candy.  

Watch Christmas Movies

• I like to put on Christmas movies during the day or one before bed.  Some of our favorites are A Christmas Story, Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer, and A Charlie Brown Christmas.  

Santa Tracker

• This one is so fun for kids.  They can track where Santa is throughout the world at any given time.  This really makes toddlers and kids anticipate Christmas morning!

Portable North Pole 

• My 2 year olds love watching this video from Santa from the North Pole.  It really gets them excited about Christmas!

Related:  10 Ways To Prove Santa Is Real For Kids and Toddlers

Set out cookies and milk for Santa 

• Right before bed, my toddlers and kids put out milk and cookies for Santa.  We make my favorite cookies for this.  

Write a letter to Santa on Christmas Eve

• Leave it next to the cookies and milk.  Have Santa write back!

Lay out carrots for Reindeer on Christmas Eve

• Have your kids put carrots on the doorstep for the reindeer.  They need a snack, too!

Read a Christmas story before bed

• Some of our favorites are The Night Before Christmas and The Polar Express.

Go Sledding or to the mountains to play in snow

• This will work only if you live near the mountains.  We live only about an hour and a half away from a major mountain with snow so it’s a fun day trip if we leave early!  We haven’t done this with our 2-year-olds yet, but will probably next year.

Related: Christmas Morning Breakfasts for Kids and Toddlers

Sing Christmas songs and play Christmas music

• I just put on youtube Christmas songs or my Amazon Echo Dot (affiliate link) and play Christmas music all day long!

Make homemade gingerbread play dough or another Christmas play dough

• It’s so easy and fun and you can get the kids involved with making it.  It gives them something fun to do.  Add in Christmas cookie cutters and they can have fun with an easy pretend play activity.

Make Hot Cocoa for a Christmas Eve tradition with Toddlers and Kids

• Surprise your kids with a special treat by making them hot cocoa on Christmas eve.  Add in marshmallows and a candy cane.  

Christmas Eve Gift Exchange with friends or family

• Do a white elephant gift exchange if there’s lots of people.  This is where everyone brings one gift and exchange it (there’s many ways to play this game).

Christmas Eve Dinner

• Make a ham, turkey, or your other favorite meals and have a nice big dinner on Christmas Eve with family.

Make Christmas Crafts together

• Here are easy and fun Christmas crafts for toddlers and little kids.

Let all the kids sleep in same room

• I’ve let the kids do this before and usually, they stay up really late.  They love it though and it really creates bonding and memories! 

Play Board Games on Christmas Eve

• Have the whole family play a board game together.  Do a game that little kids can play Hungry Hippo.

Make homemade wrapping paper 

• Easy and simple and gives the kids something to do that’s Christmasy (is that a word?)!  Have toddlers and kids paint or color paper grocery bags or use a large roll of paper.

Drive around and look at the Christmas lights

• Play music as you drive around and look at all the lights on Christmas Eve.  It’s very peaceful and relaxing to me and gets me in the Holiday spirit (hopefully the kids, too!)!

Make a Christmas food recipe like Reindeer Chow or decorate cookies.  

• It’s yummy, fun, and allows the family to do something together.  Eat this treat during a Christmas movie!

Get the kids involved in wrapping some presents

• Have them help with picking out the wrapping paper, cutting, or putting the tape on if they aren’t able to fully wrap a present by themselves.  Have them wrap a relative’s gift or even the dog’s present!  

I do not do all of these Christmas Eve Traditions all in the same day.  Do what works for you and your family!

You should be able to enjoy Christmas Eve while creating memories with your family.  Do what you can do, and enjoy it!  Even if it’s nothing, just enjoy being together!

I usually do about 3-4 of these ideas or see what my kids are up to doing.  It kind of just depends on how the day is going.  Do ideas that work for your family – not all of these ideas will work for everyone. 

Since we have a wide range of ages, it’s hard to get activities that everyone can do together.  The little ones might like doing play dough, so I’ll have the older kids help them make the recipe.  That way they are all involved and bonding as a family. 

If your family likes a certain activity, stick with it and keep it as a tradition!

Related: 

Christmas Traditions For The Whole Family

Stocking Stuffers for Toddlers

Top Gifts for 2 Year Old Boys