by Leigh Goessl

Created on: January 04, 2009   Last Updated: September 13, 2009

Christmas time is a season which family can use to spend quality time together. Children get a vacation from school and if parents can take some time off from work this is the perfect opportunity for families to find activities to enjoy.

No matter what your child's age is there is bound to be something you'll all enjoy doing. One of the best things about holidays is that the joy is for all ages. There are lots of different things your family can do together:

*Decorate the House

Getting the house all donned up for the holidays is something the kids look forward to every year. Everyone can take part in this annual tradition and have fun together. Put on some holiday music, get the hot cocoa brewing, light a few Christmas scented candles and get into the spirit.

Older kids can help with carrying boxes and helping put decorations together and the little ones can help put out the non-fragile decorations and ornaments. Decorating is something the whole family can enjoy.

*Fun and Games with a Picnic

Games are another terrific pre-Christmas activity. Card games, board games and even video games are fun family nights. You can make a whole evening out of it with a kid-centric dinner and games after you eat.

Bake a pizza or "pack" some sandwiches and have a picnic right on your living or family room floor. The food can be decorated with festivity in mind. Try using red (pepperoni), green (perhaps basil or peppers) and white (cheese) to create a Christmas feel; you can do the same with sandwiches.

Other ways to add to the festive spirit is to use a holiday themed blanket or tablecloth on your floor and use Christmas paper goods.

After dinner is over let the games begin! Put out a platter of Christmas cookies and enjoy.

*Bake Cookies

Cookies are a tradition kids adore. As a family pull out a cookbook and select the kinds of cookies you want to make this year. Take the kids shopping to choose the ingredients and have them help bring everything home for preparation.

Kids of all ages can help measure, stir and if you have little ones they can do the pouring. Allow the kids to be involved with all aspects of baking, including timing when the cookies are done. Baking holiday treats is a fantastic Christmas activity.

*Build a Gingerbread House

Building a gingerbread house is a great way to get the family together and in on a project all will enjoy participating in. You can opt to make it from scratch or purchase a kit which provides you with ingredients and instructions.

*Story Time

For the days leading up to Christmas each member of the family can take turns reading a traditional Christmas story each night. If your little ones are too young to read they can help turn the pages and show off the pictures.

*Family Movie Night

Another great family activity is to create a tradition of family movie nights. Choose a few evenings where you can all gather together to watch your favorite Christmas movies. Let each family member choose their favorite and make a night out of it.

Pop the corn, make a plate of cookies, heat up some cocoa and enjoy the show.

In today's hustle and bustle society, the holidays are a great time to shut down all the electronics and focus on spending time together. By creating special family activities which become an annual event, this has the makings of memorable family traditions which your children can pass onto their own someday.

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