As the holiday season is fast approaching, families are searching for fun activities to keep their loved ones entertained. Whether it is the joy of working on a crafty Christmas decor for your tree, baking a new cookie recipe or working on a challenging puzzle together, the holidays are a fun time to bond as a family. The challenge is to come up with an interesting activity that can work for your children and other family members of varying ages. A little creativity and innovation is the key to a good time.
To help we have come up with a list of entertaining family activities that you can enjoy during the holidays.
Put the pieces of the puzzle together
One of the best ways to bond over hot chocolate and great conversations is to enjoy putting together 500 piece puzzles or more with your loved ones. Kids and adults may have an obvious generation gap between them, but once an attractively designed puzzle is put in front of them, age is just a number. Working on a puzzle as a family may be a challenge, but it will be well worth the effort. There is nothing more rewarding than completing the puzzle together. Consider framing it after it’s completed so it can be displayed on one of your walls at home. It can serve as a fond reminder of how you laughed and toiled over it with the ones you love.
Put on a holiday movie
Spend an afternoon together or after dinner watching your favorite holiday movie. Even better, try spreading out the movie marathon for the rest of the week. Each family member can pick their favorite holiday flick. Set up your favourite snacks, beverages, cozy blankets and pillows in your living room to make it more comfy to enjoying the film. Classic black and white films, to holiday-themed movies from different genres, can all bring back fond memories as a family and get everyone into the true festive spirit.
Cook something unusual
Spice things up in the kitchen and cook something different from what you traditionally prepare over the holidays. Collectively agree on a theme that you can make during the week or even for Christmas Eve. Explore exotic cuisines like Indian, Vietnamese, or Thai. Each member of the family can help with the process, from cutting, chopping, stirring, and sautéing. Take turns in conceptualizing the menu, setting the table, and clearing up the pots and pans. Try experimenting with your own charcuterie board or a set of small plated appetizers if you want something quick but impressive. Suggest organizing a potluck if you are off to visit friends or relatives over the holiday break.
Bake some goodies
The holidays may give you more time to spend at home with your loved ones, so now is the time you will finally be able to try that cookie or cake recipe you’ve always wanted to, but was too busy to make. Look into popular baking tutorials online or on YouTube to help you get through the recipe with ease. There is nothing more special than baking as a family and tasting the fruit of your labor together. Your cookies might be good to give away as gifts too. Remember to leave the oven door open after baking, this will not only make your home smell great but it is a great way to add extra warmth as well.
Make your own festive ornaments
Creating your own festive decor such as ornaments for your Christmas tree or wreaths for your front door can keep your family entertained during the holiday season. Visit a local craft store for the latest supplies and manuals. This can be part of your holiday tradition to keep up with a hands-on, do-it-yourself family activity. This is also a wonderful way to keep track of your children’s artistic progress as they make a new set of ornaments each year. It will serve as a treasured memento of the time you spent together and something to look back on as they age.
Pay it forward
It’s a good feeling to be able to share what you have with those who need it most. This is particularly important during the holiday season because some families struggle to provide for their children due to financial constraints. Look into your personal things and donate old toys, books, and clothes that can still be of use to others who are less fortunate. Find a cause or charity that your family believes in to share your blessing. Cook at a community soup kitchen, or donate your excess canned goods to support a holiday dinner hosted by your church or place of worship. It’s never too late to volunteer as a family to pay the kindness forward and make a small difference in this world.
Keep fit together
A family that keeps fit together, stays healthy over the holidays together. There is no need to deny yourself that slice of fruit cake or a side of mashed potatoes and gravy over dinner. Incorporate a fun exercise activity that you and your family can do together. A bike ride or a walk around your neighborhood for an hour to see the festive lights can be a fun exercise to do together. As winter eases in, there is so much you can do in the snow, like ice skating, sledding or even building a family of snowmen.
In closing
Think of creative and fun activities for your family to do together over the holidays like working on a jigsaw puzzle, cooking up an exotic curry, or even doing some community work for those in need. Spending time together does not require a lot of money, but you can enjoy each other’s company with a little creativity and ingenuity. Not only will it bring you closer together as a family, but it will provide wonderful memories that you can look back together on for many years to come.