Favorite Holiday Traditions with Kids

The holiday season is full of exciting events, festive sweets, and time with family and friends. However, we would argue holiday traditions are what make the season so special! We know, new moms and parents with little ones are looking for traditions to start with their own family. So, we polled some of our mom-boss friends for their favorite holiday traditions with their kids. We hope their special times help you find a family tradition on your own!

Photo by Kylie Chevalier

Every year, we take our kids to donate books, clothes, and toys to a local kid’s charity – so that they understand the importance of helping other kids who may be less fortunate.  The holidays are not just about the gifts they could receive but the joy they can give to others as well. – Joy Cho of Oh Joy!

Since my daughters are both still so young (3.5 and 7 months) we are creating new traditions each year. My favorite is picking out our tree and decorating it all together. As a family, we go pick up a tree the Friday after Thanksgiving and that is our official start of the holiday season. We put on Christmas music, light the fireplace and decorate the tree that evening. This year was so fun since my daughter loved picking out each ornament and saying “Do you remember this one mom? And smiling at all the ornaments. One of my favorite days of the year! I can’t wait until my youngest daughter is able to join in the fun next year. – Jen Campbell of Green Wedding Shoes

Olive & June is only closed only three days all year (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day) so I love being able to unwind with my family and pretend like my phone doesn’t exist. One of my favorite things to do with Noah is make pancakes. Most mornings, I’m rushing around, trying to eat “healthy”, and barely get to enjoy the process, but the best days are ones when I can relax, put on fun music, and we can just hang. – Sarah Gibson Tuttle of Olive & June

We do an advent calendar with our little ones (although my 6 year old is the only one who gets it yet) and I try to fill it with family fun and holiday activities big and small: Watch The Grinch, get hot cocoa, visit Santa, donate a toy, make a gingerbread house, bake cookies, do good deeds, make salt dough ornaments, read The Night Before Christmas, etc. It’s a fun way to start traditions and make memories each year.  – Chandra of Oh Lovely Day

With a one year old, we’re pretty new to holiday traditions. This is the first Christmas that Isla is excited; like “oh my gosh, there are lights EVERYwhere!” excited. Each time she sees a santa or christmas lights, she says “More, more!” So this year, a couple times a week after dinner, we bundle up, get in the car, crank up the holiday music, stop by our neighborhood coffee shop to grab hot cocoa, and we drive through the city to check out all the lights and decorations. The look on Isla’s face is priceless as we come up to each house. It has quickly become our favorite thing to do. – Liz Bachman of Grey and Scout

Photo by Tiffany Roohani

My oldest, Asher’s favorite thing during Christmas is building gingerbread villages (not just 1 house, a whole neighborhood!). We usually start making them right before Thanksgiving and accumulate a half dozen houses and men before Christmas. I love seeing his creativity come out while he decorates. – Danielle Walker of Against All Grain

2 of my 3 kids don’t know what Christmas is yet, but my oldest (almost 4 years old) and I have started a fun tradition baking together. We make “Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies”. She puts on her apron and uses kid size cooking bowls and utensils to help mom bake. We play Christmas music and sing while we bake together and it reminds me what the holidays are all about- spending time together as a family! – Leila Lewis of Be Inspired PR and Inspired by This

What are your favorite holiday traditions?