Tween & Teen Christmas Activities
Christmas is always fun with little kids and it can still be a joy when creating a Tween and Teen Christmas Activity List. I interviewed my grandchildren for this blog post.
As the children grow older, their fun factor changes with their parents and grandparents. It can become difficult to know exactly how to plan for Tween and Teen Christmas Activities.
I mean, you know we always want to make the season special for everyone. So I decided to just ask each of my grandchildren the same question. “What are some of the things you enjoy most about the Christmas season?” I was pleasantly surprised by their answers.
Welcome to the 5th annual 12 Days of Holiday Ideas event, hosted by Shirley of Intelligent Domestications and Erlene of My Pinterventures Between Nov. 11th and December 6th there will be hundreds of new ideas shared by over 55 Co-host bloggers!
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See all 12 Days of Christmas Ideas
- Day 1 (Gift Guides) 15 GIFTS WOMEN REALLY WANT UNDER $50
- Day 2 (Holiday Survival Guides) MY HOLIDAY SEASON SURVIVAL TIPS (this is what works for me)
- Day 3 (Kids Activities) TWEEN & TEEN CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES (I interviewed my Grand kids and these are their answers)
- Day 4 (Party Games) CHEAP & EASY CARDBOARD BOX SNOWMAN BEAN BAG TOSS
- Day 5 (DIY Advent Calendar) ADORABLE ADVENT CALENDAR EASY CHRISTMAS CRAFT
- Day 6 (DIY Wreath) FESTIVE RED BUFFALO PLAID CHRISTMAS WREATH
- Day 7 (DIY Ornaments) SIMPLE & EASY NATIVITY CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS
- Day 8 (Christmas Printables) EASY KIDS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SCAVENGER HUNT GAME
- Day 9 (Pot Luck Recipes) ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE
- Day 10 (Christmas Desserts) CRANBERRY PECAN WHITE FUDGE
- Day 11 (Christmas Breakfast) CHICKEN AND CHEESE EGGS SKILLET
- Day 12 (Christmas Tree) FESTIVE RED AND GOLD CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATIONS
NUMBER ONE ANSWER TO WHAT THEY ENJOY MOST ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
1. Going to Grandma’s house! Insert big smile here because I’m Grandma! What do I do during the holiday season to create that cozy Christmas feeling our Teen’s and Tween enjoy?
Frankly I think the answer is really that we tend to be the gathering place where the families come together and they get to visit with extended family over food and fun times. Cousins unite and their Aunts and Uncles are here. So I really think it’s that family connection more than anything else but there is food involved too.
I always try to keep those Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes throughout the entire season and the grands know that. Did you know those little cakes come in other flavors? Oh yes, see them all right here. (affiliate) I always buy plenty because they never eat just one! My hubby loves them so much he snapped this picture in the grocery store to share!
Our family enjoys these treats kept in the refrigerator. Do you do that too? It is such a simple thing for everyone to enjoy.
CHRISTMAS MOVIES
2. Watching Christmas movies on TV with the family was a top pick for Teen & Tween Christmas Activities. The key factor is that they get to pick some of the movies.
The fact that our teens and tween enjoy Christmas movies is no big surprise. We like to pile up on the sofas under soft blankets with a fire going in the fireplace and binge watch movies on a cold Saturday in December. We all have our favorites and we watch them every year no matter how many times we may have seen them before. There is also food involved on movie days too.
Some of our grandchildren’s favorite Christmas movies include
The Santa Claus (all 3!)
See my Top 5 Favorite Christmas movies list right here.
HALLMARK CHRISTMAS MOVIES
Okay so our grand daughter named this one, she’s our tween, on her list of things she looks forward to about the Christmas season but trust me the boys will get interested and stay for the whole movie too! Plus there is food involved.
If you have let cable go in favor of streaming you will enjoy knowing that Hallmark movies are now on Amazon Prime! You are welcome. Check that out right here. (affiliate link)
CHRISTMAS TREE SHOPPING
3. Going to a Christmas Tree Farm creates wonderful childhood memories which last a lifetime and will even be recreated into their own families one day. All of the children look forward to it and know it is happening the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Even though Papa and I are currently using an artificial tree, we enjoy tagging along with the grand children to enjoy the Christmas tradition adventure. There is always food involved.
Last year we went out to eat Mexican food after buying the tree. It had been raining quite a bit a few days before we went. I warned everyone to bring an extra pair of shoes and dry socks for the walk around the Christmas Tree Farm. No one listened and our daughter even had a broken foot. Needless to say, I was the only one with dry feet at the end of the adventure. We still laugh about that.
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
4. Helping to decorate the tree and house for the season is a big deal. Everyone wants to be able to touch the decor and feel the magic of Christmas.
Creating that warm and cozy holiday feeling is a matter of setting out a few or maybe even a whole lot of seasonal decor. The Christmas tree and mantle are always decorated. A few more well placed family favorite pieces like an aging but precious Nativity set are always welcome and expected. If the grand children don’t see something they will ask me why I didn’t set it out and follow that with why they want me to always bring it out at Christmas.
We inherited my Mom’s Christmas Village which we enjoy displaying because it brings back memories of those Christmases at Mom’s through the years. Our grand children enjoy it too and they love that Papa sets it up on the mantle these days.
At least one of our grandchildren mentioned to me that he enjoys the Christmas Tree smell from the Scentsy warmer every year. I felt like that was worth mentioning here because it isn’t the kind of thing you would really expect a young man to say, is it? Using a scented wax melt warmer or Christmas candles is a simple thing to do which will create that cozy holiday feeling in your home.
THE CHRISTMAS FOOD
5. There doesn’t have to be a party to enjoy party food all season long.
All of our grandchildren enjoy different types of food and sometimes they even like the same things like those Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes.
We tend to have a good variety of party foods without actually having a party throughout the holiday season. The Grands stay with us a little more on the weekends during the holiday season so we try to plan some fun foods like our Crockpot BBQ Wings or our 3 Ingredient Meatballs which are scrumptious yet super easy to prepare. I load up on all their favorite chips which we may not normally keep on hand.
Their Papa bakes some of his goodies like these Pecan Snowdrop Cookies which literally melt in your mouth. These Christmas Magic Cookie Bars are a must have because not only are they festive but they are a yummy holiday treat too. Our daughter makes all sorts of cookies, candy and goodies to have on hand at their home. She makes each one of her 5 children their favorite thing and they all love that.
CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS
6. Those stocking that are hung by the chimney with care.
It really made my heart smile when several of the grandchildren told me how much they look forward to our Christmas Stockings Tradition. You can read about how we do it right here. My Mom started this tradition when the first grandchild came and now we have been carrying it on for over 40 something years and the great grand children enjoy it too.
Isn’t it nice when something so simple turns out to be a big deal for everyone to enjoy!
These 6 Things are our Teen & Tween Christmas Season Activities. The kids picked them and that makes me smile. Oh don’t think they don’t look forward to the giving and receiving aspect of the season as well but that is only one aspect of the entire season. The Christmas season is a nice time for family traditions to be molded.
PRINT THE LIST RIGHT HERE and let your Teens and Tweens add their favorite Christmas season activities too!
When the grand kids were little they would spend time with us while their parents went shopping. Over time as they became old enough to manage themselves at home, they opted to come to our house anyway and watch Christmas movies, play our favorite board game and eat lots of fun party food without having a party.
One way to make memories during the Holiday season is to create family events which you know the children will enjoy. I’m happy to be able to share this list which the grand kids created of the things which make the Christmas Season special to them.
Now stop by and see more Kids Christmas Activities shared by so many family friendly bloggers!
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It’s nice to see your grandkids 🙂 Grandma’s house was my favorite too, so I get why they love hanging out with you. Love that they enjoy hanging out with you and being around family.
How fun that you get to spend time with your grandkids! My own kids (ages 31 and 28) still enjoy getting a stocking at Christmas!
Ahh this is so sweet and you remind me of my mom. My kids love going to Grandma’s house for food too. haha- she always has their favorite treats. These are great ideas for Christmas time and keeping that family bond strong.