35 Meaningful Christmas Eve Traditions To Make Your Own This Year
There's more than one way to wait for Santa!
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You’ve been counting down all December long, but the wait is finally over! Christmas Eve is finally here, and with this much-anticipated night comes a chance to (hopefully) rest and relax in the company of loved ones. While you may have spent the 24 days prior working your way down your Christmas bucket list or baking up dozens of batches of Christmas cookies, Christmas Eve is a night to take things easy. Still, you may be searching for ways to make meaningful memories this holiday, and that’s where our handy list of the best Christmas Eve traditions comes in.
In the market for Christmas Eve traditions to enjoy with the whole family? Try going caroling, enjoying a Feast of the Seven Fishes, or dressing in matching pajamas. Looking for new traditions to try with just toddlers? We’ve got a list of great mason jar crafts and sweet stationery ideas for drafting a letter to Santa. Hosting a 21-plus celebration? Our favorite Christmas Eve traditions for adults include the Tom & Jerry cocktail (a great alternative to egg nog) and volunteering with those less fortunate.
However you choose to celebrate December 24th, know there’s more than one way to do it right. As long as the Christmas Eve traditions you make your own feel special to you and the people you love, we guarantee a good time will be had by all. And if you’re in need of even more holiday inspo, be sure to check out our lists of holiday treats, Christmas dinner menus, and festive decor, too.
Whip Up a Tom and Jerry Cocktail
Featuring splashes of dark rum and brandy, this classic Christmas drink is a serious upgrade to egg nog!
Entertain the Kids With a Mason Jar Craft
Need something to help pass the time while the young ones wait for Santa Claus? Set out the supplies for a great mason jar craft. With our extensive list, you can make a new one each year—and make each part of your Christmas decor!
Enjoy a Collection
There's nothing that bonds generations quite like a shared passion. To that end, Christmas Eve is the perfect time to put your favorite holiday collectibles to good use—or simply to take them out of storage and teach a younger generation of their value and provenance.
Set Out a Simmer Pot
Keep the house smelling cozy while you celebrate by adding seasonal ingredients to a large pot and setting the heat to low.
Bake Breakfast for the Next Morning
Get a jumpstart on enjoying Christmas day by baking a batch or two of gingerbread pear loaf. The flavors pair so perfectly with coffee and presents being opened that you'll want to return to it every year.
Relax With a Cross-Stitch
The stockings are hung, the tree is decorated ... what else is there to do besides relax by the fire with good conversation and something to keep your hands busy? For a craft to enjoy every Christmas Eve, try any one of our free cross-stitch patterns.
Host a White Elephant Game
If you have a big family, get everyone involved in a funny White Elephant game. There's no doubt you're in for a night of laughs with fun gag gifts or Christmas gift cards that'll have everyone stealing gifts left and right.
Surprise Your Neighbors With Christmas Cookies
Spread Christmas cheer to the whole street by putting together tins of Christmas cookies to surprise your neighbors with.
Break Out the Ugly Christmas Sweaters
Have your family put on their favorite outlandish tops and throw an ugly Christmas sweater theme night. At the end of the night, have everyone anonymously vote for the best (and by best, we mean worst) sweater and hand out candy prizes. Extra points to anyone who creates a DIY ugly Christmas sweater.
Make Christmas Cards
Create DIY Christmas cards with your kids on Christmas Eve that they can hand out to friends and family at your festivities the next day. These homemade cards would make the perfect finishing touch on your gifts.
Put a Care Package Together
A care package is a great way to remind loved ones and people in need that you're thinking of them during the holidays. Or, you could put a care package together for soldiers overseas. You can also send these out after Christmas so that they'll be received as a New Year's gift to extend the holiday wishes.
Make Christmas Crafts
Feeling crafty? You can never have too many Christmas crafts. Get started on DIYs for next year by giving your kids paper, glitter, and glue!
Write a Letter to Santa
Santa definitely appreciates all of the cookies and milk he gets, but he'll love a personalized letter even more. Encourage your kids to leave thank-you notes for Saint Nick, and they're sure to be on the nice list next year!
Make a Gingerbread House
Baking Christmas desserts is always a fun activity, but after you're done making cookies, there's something else you can create—a gingerbread house! Either grab a kit or make a DIY gingerbread house for this fun activity.
Track Santa
If your children want to know when they can expect their Christmas presents, you can log onto sites like NORAD that follow Santa's every step on Christmas Eve. Just make sure your kids are in bed when he approaches your area! 😉
Hang Up Your Christmas Stockings
You're going to need a place for all of those stocking stuffers! If you use your fireplace often, you may want to refrain from leaving your stockings up at the beginning of the season. However, leaving it to the last minute makes for a special Christmas Eve tradition.
Make Reindeer Food
To prepare for their long trip, Santa's reindeer are going to need food too. Just grab carrots, oats, and anything else in your pantry to mix up a bag for Rudolph and his friends.
Read a Christmas Classic
Send everyone off to bed with a special rendition of The Night Before Christmas or another one of the most iconic Christmas books for kids.
Feast of the Seven Fishes
Celebrate like an Italian by indulging in their iconic seven-course seafood feast that dates back to the early 1900s. You can make an array of recipes at home, or avoid dirtying your dishes by finding a local Italian restaurant that offers a special Christmas Eve menu.
Attend Church Services
Most churches offer special programs on Christmas Eve (live performances, caroling, nativity pageants, and more), making it the perfect place to spend the evening. Some even offer late night services, allowing your family to ring in the special day together at the stroke of midnight.
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