The 12 days of Christmas are a time for families to come together and celebrate. From the nativity story, carols, tree decorating, to gingerbread cookies- there are so many ways you can celebrate with your family this holiday season!
What is the 12 Days of Christmas?
The 12 days of Christmas is a holiday countdown which also includes the Feast of Stephen. They involve family members blessing each other and giving gifts to one another. On the 12th day, friends and family gather for festivities including parading Santa Claus through town or singing Christmas Carols together as they drive around.
Where did the 12 Days of Christmas originate?
The 12 days of Christmas originate from the nativity story in which Jesus is born. Today, many families celebrate the birth of Christ at their church or attend a midnight mass on December 24th to commemorate his birth.
What do we typically do during the 12 day celebration?
For most American and European cultures- these celebrations include decorating and trimming trees with lights, garland, candy canes/ornaments; singing carols around your family’s piano together; cooking traditional foods such as gingerbread cookies (shaped like stars), mincemeat pie (a meat pie made for feasts) , lebkuchen (spicy fruitcake); attending concerts performed by choirs that sing Christmas Carols; watching movies related to the nativity story; attending Christmas plays; and visiting Santa Claus at their local mall (or online).
What are some fun traditions to do with your family?
There are endless traditions that you can partake in or create. Some families go caroling, visit churches for midnight mass on December 24th, watch Charlie Brown’s A Charlie Brown Christmas together, bake cookies together like gingerbread stars & mince pies, put up a live tree decorated with lights/garland/candycanes/ornaments , light candles around the house while singing carols during dinner time all 12 days of Christmas- this is meant to symbolize Christ’s birth by bringing in the fire element! Other ideas include decorating stockings hung from fireplace, making gingerbread houses, writing letters to Santa Claus at the North Pole Station & filling out Elf on Shelf reports.
What are some traditional foods eaten during this celebration?
Some of these include cooking mincemeat pies (a meat pie made for feasts) , lebkuchen (spicy fruitcake), decorating cookies together like stars and gingerbread men, drinking hot cocoa by the fire while singing carols with friends/family members- there is no specific recipe or cookie cutter shape that you must follow! The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating new traditions each year with your family. This time around you can bake together holiday themed sugar cookies; visit local markets to purchase food items such as candy canes, gingerbread, and star shaped shortcakes; learn the nativity story together through books or movies.
12 Days of Christmas Ideas for Families
Here are some ideas on how you can make the most of the 12 days of Christmas with your family:
1) Watch The Nativity Story
2) Sing Carols Together
3) Decorate Your Tree
4) Make Gingerbread Cookies
5) Read A Christmas Story Together
6) Make Special Greeting Cards For Friends And Family Members
7) Spend An Evening Out With Your Loved Ones
8) Make A List of People Who Mean The Most To You And Thank Them
9) Write A Christmas Wish List (From Santa Or Yourself!) 10) Bake Holiday Treats Together
11) Decorate Your Front Door For Christmas 12) Watch Holiday Movies or TV Shows Together
13) Set Up A Poinsettia And Light An Advent Candle
14) Go To A Live Performance
15) Read Stories About The Nativity
16) Write Letters To People Who Are Far Away
17) Make Another List Of Everyone That You Are Thankful For
18) Watch Christmas-Themed Sports Games On TV Or Go To The Game In Person 19) Make A Gingerbread House
20) Invite A Friend Over To Celebrate With Your Family
21) Visit One Of Your Parents’ Homes
22) Pick Out A New Holiday Movie From The Store
23) Watch The Royal Christmas Message
24) Take A Trip To See Santa Claus At The Mall Or Another Location
25) Make Your Own List Of 12 Days of Christmas Activities For The Family!
26. Go ice skating together
27. Bake cookies
28. Have a holiday party
29. Plan what you are going to wear
30. Visit a toy store and play with toys together
31. Have a holiday movie marathon
32. Go on an outing to look at lights or visit a Christmas market
33. Sing carols as you drive around the neighborhood and give candy canes to people in cars that are singing along!
34. Watch A Christmas Story
35) Make a holiday playlist of family-friendly songs
36. Watch a nativity story on TV or online and talk about what you learned after viewing it
37) Go caroling together
38. Spend time with extended family members that don’t live close by
39. Get your wreathe refreshed for the new year
40. Make an advent calendar
41. Play a family board game
42. Make homemade gifts for people you love or bake treats to give as holiday presents!
43. Start planning your 2022 goals and make new resolutions together as a family 44) Go to the mall during Christmas time and see Santa Claus
45) Visit the movies during the holidays
46). Host a holiday party!
47. Watch the lighting of the National Christmas Tree on TV or online
48) Make a list of your favorite things about this time each year
49. Draw pictures and make cards for family members to celebrate their great qualities
50). Decorate gingerbread cookies together as a family!
51). Play games like charades, dictionary, or Pictionary!
52). Write letters to Santa Claus and mail them off at the post office!
53. Have a Christmas movie marathon with your family members (or take turns picking out movies each year)
54. Make homemade holiday cards for friends and relatives
55. Go caroling together
56) Visit one of your parent’s homes
57) Go ice skating together
58. Make your own 12 days of Christmas countdown calendar for the family to celebrate!
59). Put up a nativity scene in your home and talk about who each character is and what they mean
60). Have an ornament exchange with friends or relatives you don’t see very often
61). Plan where you are going to travel for Christmas next year
62) Make your own list of 12 things you want Santa Claus to bring this year!
63) Draw pictures and make cards for family members to celebrate their great qualities.
64). Pick out Christmas aesthetic wallpapers and backgrounds for each other!