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Christmas is a holiday for families. It's easy to get caught up with shopping and parties and to lose sight of family time. This year, I plan to slow down and spend more time with my family, and to reflect on how important my family is to me. Here are some family Christmas activity ideas which can bring your family together over the holidays.

Family Christmas activity #1 - Take a different kind of Christmas family photo

Christmas cards which include a family photo always add a personal touch to your holiday greeting. Instead of getting a professional portrait or taking the usual group picture at home, enlist your family to come up with ideas for an unusual family Christmas photo. You could pose at a favorite outdoor location or taking part in a favorite activity. I live in Southern California, and one of my favorite family photos came from a friend who posed her family on surfboards on the sand at the beach, with everyone wearing Santa hats.

Family Christmas activity #2 - Buy and decorate your Christmas tree together

Some of my best childhood memories are going as a family to pick out a Christmas tree, then bringing it home and decorating it together. Make some popcorn and cookies and serve eggnog or hot chocolate. Put on a CD of Christmas Carols. This is a great time to share your Christmas memories and stories with your children.

Family Christmas activity #3 - Watch a favorite holiday special or movie together

There are so many holiday movies and specials, it's impossible to watch them all. Pick one or two and watch them as a family. Remember that tastes change over time, and the specials you loved as a child may not appeal to your children. Choose something that everyone will enjoy.

Family Christmas activity #4 - Open one gift on Christmas Eve

Maybe because my parents had four children who could hardly sleep with anticipation on the night before Christmas, they started a tradition of allowing us to open one gift on Christmas Eve. We've continued that tradition with our children. We pick out the gift for them to open, and usually try to make sure it's an interesting game or book.

Family Christmas activity #5 - Play a game together after Christmas dinner

Our family has made Christmas Bingo an annual tradition. When the Christmas dinner is finished, before anyone gets a chance to wander away to a football game on TV or kitchen cleanup, we clear the table and break out the Christmas Bingo cards. Instead of the usual lettered columns and numbered squares, the squares on the bingo cards have rubberstamped Holiday images. We play several rounds, and the winner of each round gets a small gift, such as a Christmas ornament, candle or treat. For our family, Christmas Bingo is a fun way to finish a beautiful day.

Spending time together as a family is the best way to celebrate Christmas. I hope these family Christmas activity ideas will help you plan some family time which will create Christmas memories for years to come.

Learn more about this author, Catie Watson.
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