Activities for Christmas Eve

It’s virtually a guarantee that Christmas Day will be full of hustle and bustle. There will be the very early wakeup call from your little darlings, the rush to open presents and ensuing excitement over their contents, a bit of sugar high from candy-filled stockings and just general giddiness all day long! So take advantage of Christmas Eve, the lovely night before all of that giddiness to create a sense of calm and holiday beauty with special activities that set the stage for Christmas. Here at HABA, where children are our focus every day of the year, we’ve come up with suggestions for 10 Activities for Christmas Eve:

1. 1. Pop up a batch of popcorn (no butter) and sit together to make long strings to decorate the tree, mantle and banisters. It’s okay to sneak a few kernels here and there.
2. 2. Make a special dinner of dishes from your family’s heritage and serve them by candlelight on the good dishes.
3. 3. Bake cookies and set out a few for Santa, along with a glass of milk. Don’t forget a carrot for the reindeer. Take the rest of the cookies around to neighbors as you…
4. 4. Sing Christmas carols whether just among yourselves or, if it’s not too cold out, go around to the neighbors caroling, door-to-door, presenting gifts of cookies.
5. 5. Drink mugs of hot chocolate or spiced apple cider to warm up.
6. 6. Make paper snowflakes with simple pieces of white paper and craft scissors, folding and cutting, revealing snowflakes as unique as the real thing. Hang them up in the windows, on the tree or from the mantel. They also look lovely hanging from the chandelier over the dining table.
7. 7. Help the kids leave Santa a hand-written note thanking him (a good practice to encourage) for last year’s presents and for once again, making the magical journey to your house.
8. 8. Read Clement Moore’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas just before putting the kids to bed.
9. 9. Let the kids open one small gift, if you want, just to tide them over until morning.
10. 10. Once you’re sure the kids are asleep, create some “Santa Magic” by doing things like leaving a trail of stuffed animals from the kids’ rooms to the Christmas tree; leave a thank you note from Santa for the treats (which requires some special paper, creative handwriting and a little soot from the fireplace) and leave the Christmas tree lights on so those early birds discover the magic even before they wake you up to tell you all about it!

However you choose to spend Christmas Eve or any of your holiday celebrations, our HABA USA  family wishes your family a happy, safe, merry, loving, joyful and peaceful holiday season.