The holidays bring a special kind of magic when friends and family gather together. With Christmas activities, it helps create those wonderful moments that everyone will remember for years to come.
Whether you enjoy quiet nights at home or outdoor winter adventures, the right Christmas activities make this season truly special. Find the activities in Christmas that work for everyone in your group, and don’t need to feel stressed.
Simple traditions like decorating cookies or watching Christmas movies bring just as much joy as elaborate plans. The key is choosing things that fit your style and make people smile.
All Activities for Christmas
Browse through these Christmas activities to discover new traditions and rediscover old favorites. We’ve sorted these activities into helpful categories so you can find exactly what you need.
- Best Indoor Christmas Activities
- Best Outdoor Christmas Activities
- Best Fun Christmas Activities
- Best Christmas Activities for Families
- Best Christmas Activities for Kids
- Best Christmas Activities for Teenagers
- Best Christmas Activities for Adults
- Best Christmas Activities for Couples
- Best Christmas Activities for Seniors
- Best Christmas Activities to Do When You’re Bored
Best Indoor Christmas Activities
Cozy indoor Christmas activities bring warmth and comfort during cold winter days. These ideas keep everyone entertained without stepping outside into the chilly weather.
Bake and Decorate Gingerbread Houses or Cookies
Gingerbread houses turn your kitchen into a sweet-smelling workshop. Store-bought kits include the bare essentials to build four walls and a roof, while heading to the candy aisle lets you add custom treats to personalize each creation. Meanwhile, cookie decorating offers similar fun with less construction work as you mix up batches of sugar cookies in festive shapes like stars, trees, and snowmen.
Watch Holiday Movies with Popcorn and Hot Cocoa
Holiday movie marathons create perfect lazy afternoon activities. Classic favorites include The Polar Express, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Elf for families with children who enjoy animated features. To make movie time feel special, pile blankets and pillows on the couch and pop fresh popcorn alongside steaming mugs of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows.
Craft Paper Snowflakes, Wreaths, or DIY Ornaments
Paper crafts require minimal supplies while delivering maximum creativity. Making paper snowflakes is a simple but magical activity that can turn your home into a winter wonderland when you hang them in windows. Additionally, DIY ornaments become treasured keepsakes that return year after year, especially salt dough ornaments that work well for younger crafters since the recipe uses simple pantry ingredients.
Play Christmas Charades or Board Games by the Fire
Game nights bring laughter and friendly competition to holiday gatherings. Christmas charades challenges players to act out holiday-themed words and phrases without speaking, while classic board games take on new life with festive twists. Best of all, gathering around the fireplace makes game time even cozier as the crackling fire creates the perfect background while everyone enjoys spending time together.
Make Personalized Gift Tags or Wrapping Paper
Handmade gift presentations show extra thoughtfulness and care. Creating custom gift tags costs almost nothing but adds significant value as you use cardstock, markers, stamps, or stickers to design tags that match each recipient’s personality. Similarly, personalized wrapping paper turns ordinary brown kraft paper into something special when kids decorate plain paper with stamps or handprints.
Best Outdoor Christmas Activities
Winter weather creates opportunities for adventures you can only enjoy this time of year. Bundle up in warm clothes and head outside for these outdoor Christmas activities that bring out everyone’s playful side.
Build Snowmen or Go Sledding/Tubing
Activities like sledding, snowball fights, or making snow angels are timeless and fun for all ages during snowy winters. Building snowmen lets kids express creativity while adults help with heavy lifting to personalize creations with scarves, hats, buttons, and carrot noses. On the other hand, sledding and tubing deliver pure adrenaline rushes down snowy hills at slopes offering safe runs for different skill levels.
Visit Drive-Thru Light Displays or Neighborhood Walks
Going to look at lights on other people’s homes is a fun Christmas activity for all ages that requires minimal effort. Load everyone into the car with thermoses of hot chocolate and drive through decorated neighborhoods while rating your favorite displays. Alternatively, walking tours work well for mild evenings as strolling past twinkling lights while breathing crisp winter air creates romantic moments for couples.
Cut a Christmas Tree at a Local Farm
Visiting a Christmas tree farm makes tree selection an event rather than a chore. Walking through rows of evergreens while breathing in the fresh scent feels worlds away from buying pre-cut trees at parking lots. Beyond tree cutting, many farms offer additional activities like hayrides, hot cider, and visits with Santa, so you can plan to spend a few hours enjoying everything the farm offers.
Ice Skating at Rinks or Frozen Ponds
Ice skating combines exercise with holiday atmosphere at outdoor rinks. Public rinks often feature holiday music and twinkling lights after dark, where beginners can hold onto the rail while learning. For a different experience, frozen ponds offer skating adventures in natural settings, though you should always check ice thickness and safety before venturing onto natural ice.
Caroling Door-to-Door with Lanterns
Caroling brings traditional Christmas spirit to modern neighborhoods. Bundle up and go caroling around your neighborhood with classic carols like “Jingle Bells” and “Silent Night” that work for groups with varied singing abilities. To add extra charm, carry lanterns or flashlights for practical lighting while creating a festive ambiance as you spread holiday cheer.
Best Fun Christmas Activities
Fun Christmas activities add extra excitement to your holiday celebrations. They work well for parties, family gatherings, or simply breaking up routine days with something memorable.
Elf on the Shelf Hide-and-Seek Adventures
Elf on the Shelf creates daily excitement for children throughout December. Hide your elf in creative new spots each night after kids go to bed at popular locations like the Christmas tree, kitchen cabinets, or hanging from chandeliers. Even better, create elaborate scenes showing what your elf did overnight by setting up miniature activities like baking tiny cookies or playing board games with action figures.
Christmas Trivia Quizzes or Minute-to-Win-It Challenges
Holiday trivia tests everyone’s knowledge about Christmas traditions, movies, and songs. Prepare questions covering different difficulty levels so all ages can participate while including picture rounds showing movie scenes or Christmas decorations. For added excitement, Minute-to-Win-It challenges add physical comedy as people stack Christmas cookies, unwrap candy canes while wearing mittens, or transfer jingle bells using only chopsticks.
💡 Looking for more ideas to play? Check out our guide on the best Christmas games for all ages to play this holiday.
Ugly Sweater Contests with Prizes
Ugly sweater parties celebrate the tackiest holiday fashion possible. Encourage guests to wear their most outrageous Christmas sweaters or create their own from scratch with pom-poms, battery-powered lights, tinsel, and oversized ornaments. Then vote on categories like “Most Creative” or “Ugliest Overall” while preparing small prizes like gift cards or holiday treats for category winners.
Photo Booth with Props and Holiday Backdrops
Setting up a photo booth preserves memories from your holiday celebrations. Hang a festive backdrop using wrapping paper, tinsel garland, or a decorated sheet while positioning lighting to avoid harsh shadows. Next, gather props like Santa hats, reindeer antlers, and fake mustaches so guests can mix and match props for silly or sweet photos that become treasured keepsakes.
Ornament Guessing Games (Estimate Candies Inside)
Fill clear glass ornaments with small candies or treats for guessing games. Count the items as you fill each ornament, then seal them closed and display the ornaments where guests can examine them without touching. After that, provide paper and pens for guests to write their names and guesses while whoever estimates closest to the actual number wins the ornament and its contents.
Best Christmas Activities for Families
Christmas family activities bring multiple generations together around shared experiences. These ideas balance tradition with flexibility for different ages and interests that everyone can enjoy.
Multi-Generational Cookie Decorating Contests
Cookie decorating contests let creativity shine across all ages. Bake plain sugar cookies in festive shapes ahead of time, then set out colored icing, sprinkles, candies, and edible decorations for everyone to use. To encourage cooperation, divide into teams mixing ages and skill levels together so grandparents pair with grandchildre,n while parents work with teenagers.
Secret Santa Gift Exchanges with Reveals
Secret Santa adds excitement to family gatherings through anonymous gift-giving. Draw names weeks before Christmas so people have time to find perfect presents while setting spending limits to ensure everyone participates on equal footing. During your family gathering, exchange gifts with dramatic reveals as each person opens their gift, then guesses who their Secret Santa might be.
Nativity Story Reenactments with Costumes
Acting out the nativity story connects families with Christmas origins. Assign roles like Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men, and angels to willing participants, while younger children often enjoy playing animals in the stable scene. Rather than focusing on perfection, create simple costumes from bathrobes, towels, and fabric scraps since imagination fills in the details.
Family Christmas Karaoke Sing-Alongs
Karaoke transforms sing-alongs into entertaining performances. Set up a karaoke machine or use YouTube videos with lyrics displayed on screen as you create a playlist mixing classic carols with modern holiday songs. Throughout the evening, everyone takes turns singing solos or performing in groups while shy family members appreciate duet options where they share the spotlight.
Hot Chocolate Bar with Toppings Stations
A hot chocolate bar is a must-do activity during the holiday season that pleases all ages. Prepare a large batch of hot chocolate as your base while offering both milk and dark chocolate options for different preferences. Then set out toppings like marshmallows, whipped cream, candy canes, chocolate chips, caramel sauce, and cinnamon so everyone can customize their perfect cup.
Best Christmas Activities for Kids
Children need age-appropriate activities that capture their imagination and energy. These Christmas activities for kids keep little ones engaged while building holiday memories that last well beyond the season.
Santa Letter Writing and Mailbox Crafts
Set up a cozy writing station with festive paper and crayons for your kids to write their letters to Santa expressing their Christmas wishes. Encourage children to include drawings alongside their written requests or have them write about things they’re grateful for rather than just gift lists. To make the experience feel real, create mailboxes for Santa letters by decorating shoeboxes or cereal boxes with red paper and cotton ball snow.
Gingerbread Man Lacing or Playdough Snowmen
Gingerbread man lacing cards develop fine motor skills through holiday fun. Cut gingerbread shapes from cardboard and punch holes around the edges so kids can thread yarn or ribbon through the holes, creating decorative patterns. Meanwhile, playdough snowmen let little hands practice sculpting and stacking as white playdough forms the snowman body while children add details using beads and buttons.
Reindeer Games Like Pin-the-Nose-on-Rudolph
Reindeer games add active fun to holiday parties. Pin-the-nose-on-Rudolph works like the classic pin-the-tail game with Christmas themes as you blindfold players, spin them around, and watch them try placing a red pom-pom nose on Rudolph’s face. In addition, other reindeer games might include antler ring toss, reindeer races, or feeding Rudolph carrots that burn energy while teaching good sportsmanship.
Bubble Snow Sensory Play or Oobleck Experiments
Bubble snow creates fascinating sensory experiences for curious kids. Mix shaving cream with baking soda until it reaches a snow-like consistency, then add peppermint extract for scent as children explore the texture. For a different experience, oobleck experiments teach basic science principles through play by mixing cornstarch with water to create a substance that acts solid when squeezed but liquid when relaxed.
Small World Christmas Farm Setups with Toys
Small world play encourages imaginative storytelling using toys and props. Create a Christmas farm scene using toy animals, miniature trees, and small buildings while adding fake snow, tiny fences, and holiday figurines for detail. As children arrange the scene however they want, they act out stories with their toys that develop creativity and narrative skills through open-ended play.
Best Christmas Activities for Teenagers
Teenagers appreciate activities acknowledging their growing independence and interests. These Christmas activities for teenagers appeal to teen sensibilities while maintaining holiday spirit in ways that feel relevant to them.
DIY Phone Cases or Custom Spotify Playlists
Teenagers love personalizing items they use daily, like phone cases. Purchase clear cases and decorating supplies like paint, stickers, glitter, and resin so teens can create custom designs reflecting their personality and interests. Alternatively, creating holiday Spotify playlists lets teens curate their own music experiences by spending time creating festive playlists for family dinners and holiday parties.
Holiday TikTok Challenges or Photo Edits
Social media challenges engage teens in their preferred communication style. Research trending holiday TikTok dances, lip-syncs, or comedy sketches that teens can film with friends or siblings before sharing results online. Similarly, photo editing apps let teens create festive content for Instagram and Snapchat as they add holiday filters, stickers, and effects to ordinary photos.
Gaming Tournaments with Christmas Themes
Video game tournaments speak directly to gaming-enthusiast teens. Host competitions using popular multiplayer games with holiday modifications, if available, while setting up brackets for organized competition with prizes for winners. These tournaments work especially well for teens who struggle with traditional social gatherings since they provide structured interaction around shared interests.
Makeup Tutorials with Festive Looks
Makeup enthusiasts enjoy experimenting with holiday-inspired looks. Teens follow online tutorials creating festive eye shadows, glitter accents, or bold lip colors that appeal to those interested in beauty and fashion. Whether creating subtle everyday looks or dramatic artistic designs, this activity keeps teens happily occupied for hours while producing Instagram-worthy results.
Concert Ticket Hunts or Virtual Reality Santa Visits
Older teens appreciate experiences over material gifts. Research upcoming concerts by their favorite artists and surprise them with tickets so the anticipation builds excitement throughout the holiday season. For tech-savvy teens, virtual reality experiences bring modern technology to classic traditions, as some locations offer VR Santa visits where teens interact with Santa in digital winter wonderlands.
Best Christmas Activities for Adults
Adults also need their own holiday activities beyond planning and hosting for others. These adult Christmas activities let grown-ups relax and enjoy the season too, while creating moments worth remembering.
Mulled Wine Tasting or Cocktail Mixing Classes
Level up your bartending skills with exciting online mixology classes for fun Christmas activities, where professionals teach techniques for making holiday cocktails. Learn proper methods for shaking, stirring, and garnishing seasonal drinks while mulled wine tastings explore different spice combinations. These adult-focused activities create sophisticated entertainment that’s perfect for couples’ nights or friend gatherings.
Wine and Paint Holiday Scenes Nights
Ring in the holiday season with paint and sip for fun Christmas party activities for adults, where professional artists guide you through creating winter landscapes or holiday still lifes. Choose festive subjects like snow-covered cabins or Christmas trees, as everyone paints the same subject, but personal touches make each piece unique. After finishing, take home your artwork to use as decorations or gifts that remind you of fun evenings with friends.
Book Club with Christmas Novels
Book clubs provide intellectual stimulation and social connection. Choose classic Christmas literature like “A Christmas Carol” or modern holiday romances, then schedule discussions around hot drinks and seasonal treats. As members take turns hosting meetings at their homes or meet at cozy coffee shops, discussing themes and characters deepens appreciation for what you’ve read.
Puzzle Races or Adult Trivia Nights
Large jigsaw puzzles provide hours of focused entertainment. Choose festive images showing Christmas scenes, winter landscapes, or holiday artwork as you work independently or competitively racing friends to finish first. For variety, adult trivia nights test knowledge across various subjects with a list of 10-15 Christmas questions, including matching Christmas movie titles with their posters and naming songs based on 30-second clips.
Spa Nights with DIY Face Masks and Foot Soaks
Holiday stress calls for self-care through relaxing spa nights. Create DIY face masks using honey, yogurt, avocado, and oatmeal while applying masks and soaking feet in warm water with Epsom salt and essential oils. To complete the experience, light candles, play soft music, and wrap up in plush robes for a full spa atmosphere that recharges your depleted energy stores.
Best Christmas Activities for Couples
Romantic holiday activities strengthen relationships while celebrating the season together. These Christmas activities for couples create intimate moments away from family obligations that deepen your connection.
Romantic Tree Decorating Date Nights
Turn tree decorating into a special evening just for two. Wait until after dinner when distractions fade away, then play soft holiday music and light candles for romantic ambiance. As you share stories behind meaningful ornaments while hanging them together, end the evening cuddling on the couch, admiring your handiwork under the glowing tree lights.
Couples’ Cooking Challenge (Make Appetizers)
Cooking challenges add playful competition to date nights. Each person creates one appetizer using mystery ingredients or following specific themes while setting time limits and judging criteria for authentic competition vibes. After working in the same kitchen but maintaining secrecy about your creations, finish by enjoying both appetizers together while discussing what worked or failed.
Stargazing with Hot Drinks and Blankets
Winter stargazing offers peaceful romance on clear, cold nights. Bundle up in warm blankets and bring thermoses of hot drinks while finding dark locations away from city lights for the best star visibility. As you download stargazing apps, identifying constellations and planets, take turns pointing out interesting celestial features, while the combination of natural beauty and physical closeness creates intimate moments.
Exchange “Love Coupons” for Future Dates
Love coupons create anticipation beyond Christmas Day. Each person makes handmade coupons offering future experiences like breakfast in bed, movie night of the recipient’s choice, or an hour massage. Then exchange coupons on Christmas and redeem them throughout the coming year, so romantic gestures spread across months rather than concentrating everything on one day.
Slow Dance to Holiday Playlist by Candlelight
Dancing together at home creates surprisingly romantic moments. Compile a playlist of slow holiday songs with meaningful lyrics, then clear space in your living room and light candles around the room. As you hold each other close and sway to the music, these private dance sessions cost nothing but provide priceless intimacy through the combination of music, candlelight, and closeness.
Best Christmas Activities for Seniors
Even seniors appreciate Christmas activities accommodating physical limitations while maintaining a festive spirit. These gentle options include everyone in holiday celebrations with dignity and joy.
Gentle Ornament Hanging Storytelling Sessions
Seniors often have decades of ornamental stories worth sharing. Sit together hanging ornaments at a comfortable pace while asking about the history behind each decoration to prompt memories and conversation. By recording these stories either through video or written notes, future generations will treasure learning about family history through these stories.
Chair Yoga with Holiday Music
Chair yoga provides gentle exercise adapted for limited mobility. Follow along with online videos or hire instructors familiar with senior needs, while holiday music makes the practice feel festive rather than clinical. Through simple stretches and breathing exercises, seniors can participate regardless of fitness level as the activity promotes wellness without requiring intense exertion.
Memory Sharing Circles Around Family Photos
Gathering around photo albums prompts stories and reminiscences. Seniors enjoy looking at old pictures while explaining who appears in each photo, as younger family members learn about relatives they have never met. During these sessions, talk about all the answered prayers and ones you are still praying for while reflecting on the past year together.
Simple Card Games or Bingo with Prizes
Card games offer entertainment requiring minimal physical demands. Classics like Rummy, Hearts, or Go Fish work well for mixed-age groups when you keep games lighthearted and social rather than intensely competitive. Similarly, holiday bingo provides structured fun with achievable goals as you use festive markers like candy canes or small ornaments instead of traditional chips.
Warm Scarf Knitting Circles or Easy Puzzles
Knitting circles combine productivity with socializing. Work on simple projects like scarves, dishcloths, or prayer shawls, as the rhythmic nature of knitting is meditative while producing useful items. For those who prefer different activities, easy jigsaw puzzles with large pieces suit seniors with vision changes or dexterity issues when you choose images with high contrast and clear details.
Best Christmas Activities to Do When You’re Bored
The time between Christmas preparations offers perfect opportunities for low-key activities. When you’re tired of shopping and wrapping, watch Christmas movies you haven’t seen in years or simply cook your Christmas dinner.
For a relaxing, creative outlet, try downloading free holiday coloring sheets off the internet, as adult coloring books feature intricate designs that reduce stress while producing beautiful results.
You can also organize your holiday music playlists or discover new seasonal artists by exploring different genres of Christmas music, from jazz to country to international traditions.
Finally, bake something simple just for yourself since not every holiday recipe needs to feed crowds, as making a single serving of cookies or a small loaf of bread provides satisfaction without leftovers.
What Are Some Popular Christmas Activities?
Christmas traditions vary by culture and family, but some activities appear consistently across celebrations.
- Baking: Almost everyone is familiar with the plethora of delicious desserts during the winter season, making baking one of the most universal holiday activities worldwide.
- Decorating: Remaining central to Christmas celebrations as hanging lights, trimming trees, and displaying decorations transform ordinary spaces into festive wonderlands.
- Gift-giving and exchanging presents: Brings people together around acts of generosity. Whether participating in family exchanges or charitable giving, sharing gifts expresses care for others, while the thoughtfulness behind presents matters more than their monetary value.
Make This Your Best Christmas Yet
The Christmas activities you choose shape how you remember this holiday season. Simple traditions often create the strongest memories when you fully enjoy the moment rather than checking boxes on someone else’s list.
Start planning which activities work best for your situation by mixing indoor comfort with outdoor adventure, plus quiet moments with lively celebrations.
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