{"id":743,"date":"2024-11-27T20:47:33","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T20:47:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/?p=743"},"modified":"2024-11-27T20:49:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T20:49:02","slug":"25-family-activities-for-december-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/25-family-activities-for-december-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"25 Family Activities To Do At Home This December"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading743_dbdc4a-29, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading743_dbdc4a-29[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading743_dbdc4a-29\"]{margin-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading743_dbdc4a-29 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading743_dbdc4a-29[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading743_dbdc4a-29\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading743_dbdc4a-29 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading743_dbdc4a-29\">It\u2019s almost Decembeeeeerrrrrr! It\u2019s now acceptable to do all those Christmas and Advent activities you might have been thinking about for weeks (months? Just me?).\u00a0 These days it\u2019s acceptable to get as Christmassy as you like as early as you like, but as December is almost here it\u2019s now\u00a0<em>officially<\/em>\u00a0acceptable.<br><br>I haven&#8217;t quite got my tree and decorations up yet but SOON, because I\u2019m genuinely excited at having December free to do All The Christmassy Things. I&#8217;ve made a list that should last 25 days, so there&#8217;s plenty to choose from.<br><br>So while it may be dark and cold out there, it&#8217;s warm, cozy and festive at home! Here are the best Christmassy family activities to do at home this December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Christmas Activities For the Whole of December!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I started this at-home list during the dark days of covid and <a href=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/ten-ways-to-cope-with-a-winter-lockdown\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"565\">winter lockdowns<\/a>, but the love of cozying up at home in the long winter darkness hasn&#8217;t left me, especially at Christmas. So in the spirit of keeping your life delightfully simple, this list focuses on low-key, lovely little things you can easily do and make at home. (And if, like me, you\u2019re not a natural-born crafter, don\u2019t worry \u2013 you\u2019ll need zero artistic ability.)<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-wrap.wp-block-kadence-rowlayout.kb-row-layout-id743_4b7a65-c2{margin-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kb-row-layout-id743_4b7a65-c2 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id743_4b7a65-c2 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}.kb-row-layout-id743_4b7a65-c2 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id743_4b7a65-c2 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id743_4b7a65-c2 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id743_4b7a65-c2 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id743_4b7a65-c2 alignnone has-theme-palette8-background-color kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-1-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top\">\n<style>.kadence-column743_0f62bb-be > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column743_0f62bb-be > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column743_0f62bb-be > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column743_0f62bb-be > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column743_0f62bb-be > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column743_0f62bb-be > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column743_0f62bb-be{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column743_0f62bb-be > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column743_0f62bb-be > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column743_0f62bb-be\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading743_1cad94-b6, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading743_1cad94-b6[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading743_1cad94-b6\"]{font-size:var(--global-kb-font-size-sm, 0.9rem);font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading743_1cad94-b6 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading743_1cad94-b6[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading743_1cad94-b6\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading743_1cad94-b6 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading743_1cad94-b6\"><em>Almost The Weekend is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family Activities To Do at Home This December<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So without further ado, here\u2019s your complete list of all the stuff you might want to do to Christmas up your life and make the most of the holiday season. These are the perfect weekend activities and most of them can be done from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Make a list of Christmas activities as a family<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m all about the anticipation, and I like advent and the build-up to Christmas just as much as the day itself. I like to get the kids just as excited as me by getting them involved and making a family list together of all the things we want to do throughout December.<br><br>Admittedly, if my kids were in charge of the list, it would simply read \u201c<em>Watch Home Alone. Again<\/em>\u201d but after a bit of brainstorming we always come up with a selection of activities that everyone is happy with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Use a terrarium to make a Christmas scene<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As I said, I\u2019m not naturally very crafty, so whenever we make any Christmas decorations, it\u2019s usually using a kit or closely following some instructions. However, my one attempt at making something original turned out to be an unexpected triumph and my kids absolutely love it. It\u2019s also really simple to do! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I bought this rectangular glass box (I think it was from Sainsburys but <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B07WRWWY4S\/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?th=1&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=2e7601490b7afa7d8410f3bed1b9d942&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">you can get similar ones on amazon<\/a><\/strong>) and filled it with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/gp\/search?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=7cadaa28331fd8efbd082e334821a537&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738&amp;index=lighting&amp;keywords=copper string lights\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">battery lights<\/a><\/strong>, a bag of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/G4GADGET-Decoration-Iridescent-Artificial-Snowflakes\/dp\/B08Q8LCZ3P\/ref=sr_1_5?&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=2d7fc3f359b208fc9af9c9cb4ab788a0&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">fake snow<\/a><\/strong>, and decorative <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Anniversary-House-Raymond-Snowman-Decoration\/dp\/B00O3IL7UW\/ref=sr_1_6?&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=f936ac1df6a9b14a1a4731ce73193dd2&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">Christmas cake figurines<\/a><\/strong>. Hey presto \u2013 a magical Christmas scene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My 4-year-old sits and looks into it for ages, making up stories about the Christmas world of Snowman and Snowdog. Meanwhile, the old-fashioned lamp-post makes me think of Narnia.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"334\" src=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-terrarium.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas terrarium with snowman, trees and snow\" class=\"wp-image-784\" srcset=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-terrarium.jpg 510w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-terrarium-300x196.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Make some bird feeders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We have a lot of birds that visit our garden, but that never used to be the case. We\u2019ve been putting food out consistently for the past couple of years, and now we have a whole host of regular visitors, including two robins in the colder months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this time of year, it\u2019s nice to give the birds some high-energy food, and fruit- or fat-based bird feeders are really easy to make. Try these&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/cbeebies\/makes\/bird-feeder\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">bird feeder ideas from Cbeebies<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Read some Christmas books<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your family might already have a list of favourite Christmas books, but if you\u2019re looking for inspiration, here are some of my favourites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For young children I\u2019d recommend&nbsp;<strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/gp\/search?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=f856de06684c382db3cf29769582a156&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738&amp;index=books&amp;keywords=christmas in exeter street\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">Christmas in Exeter Street<\/a><\/em>&nbsp;<\/strong>and&nbsp;<strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/gp\/search?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=f45e8fe1b2be94f8deb1fac2e0b66367&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738&amp;index=books&amp;keywords=the jolly christmas postman\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">The Jolly Christmas Postman<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, and definitely&nbsp;<strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/gp\/search?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=643300bc20470519639231b778db1a67&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738&amp;index=books&amp;keywords=the box of delights john masefield\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">The Box of Delights<\/a><\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;for older children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am also a huge fan of&nbsp;<strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/gp\/search?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=4a1473c43034ffb9731359189db9f47c&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738&amp;index=books&amp;keywords=the christmas chronicles nigel slater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">The Christmas Chronicles<\/a><\/em><\/strong> by Nigel Slater for adults. Part journal, part recipe book, it\u2019s an ode to winter and is hugely relaxing reading that will take you from November to February.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"510\" src=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-chronicles-nigel-slater.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater\" class=\"wp-image-791\" srcset=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-chronicles-nigel-slater.jpg 510w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-chronicles-nigel-slater-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-chronicles-nigel-slater-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-chronicles-nigel-slater-440x440.jpg 440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Get out to see the neighbourhood Christmas lights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Decorating the outside of your house never used to be a thing in Scotland, but over the past few years more and more people have started putting Christmas lights up outside. Since the pandemic, it has really taken off and now it\u2019s like Deck The Halls out there! Luckily LED lights are amazingly low energy and inexpensive to run. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So wrap up warm and take a walk to see who\u2019s gone to town with their outdoor decorating. Or take a drive to see some lights further afield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Decorate mini trees<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve slightly gone crazy with the Christmas trees over the past couple of years and had a total of 5 in the house. That sounds excessive (said no one ever) but some of them are really small&#8230; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The little ones include this tiny one in the kitchen. It\u2019s an artificial one from IKEA, but I\u2019ve had miniature real ones before \u2013 and you can plant those outside in a pot after Christmas. You just need some miniature lights and decorations and you can dress up any room for Christmas. Alternatively, bring in some greenery from outside. Go searching for holly or any evergreen branches from your garden.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"732\" src=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mini-christmas-tree.jpg\" alt=\"Mini Christmas tree with lights and coloured ornaments\" class=\"wp-image-786\" srcset=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mini-christmas-tree.jpg 510w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mini-christmas-tree-209x300.jpg 209w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Do some Christmas baking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This one goes without saying. I love to get baking as a Christmas activity (although I don\u2019t like traditional Christmas cake or mince pies. Sorry, traditionalists.) This year I\u2019m planning to make&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/food\/recipes\/christmasbiscuits_93733\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christmas tree cookies<\/a><\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk\/recipes\/all\/yan-christmas-memories-cake-pops\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christmas cake pops<\/a><\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbcgoodfood.com\/recipes\/melting-snowmen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">melting snowmen biscuits<\/a><\/strong>, and probably&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rachelcooks.com\/2019\/08\/19\/snickerdoodle-recipe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">snickerdoodles<\/a><\/strong> (youngest child is a major cinnamon fan).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re short on time and are looking for the easiest recipes ever, go for <a href=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/failsafe-chocolate-brownies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Failsafe Chocolate Brownies<\/strong><\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/really-easy-no-egg-cookies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Easy No-Egg Cookies<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-image-783\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-baking.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas tree and star cookies on baking sheet\" class=\"wp-image-783\" srcset=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-baking.jpg 510w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-baking-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Baking Christmas Cookies<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Make some edible gifts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I always like to make a few little edible gifts at this time of year. Mostly because I like to make extra and keep some for our own house\u2026 My favourites are&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/allrecipes.co.uk\/recipe\/25593\/never-fails-scottish-tablet.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Scottish tablet<\/a><\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbcgoodfood.com\/recipes\/collection\/christmas-chutney-recipes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christmas chutney<\/a><\/strong>, and&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nigella.com\/recipes\/spiced-peaches\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nigella\u2019s spiced peaches<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Create your own advent countdown<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Love me an advent calendar. I have a particular weakness for these traditional German paper ones, covered in old-fashioned wintery scenes, embellished with glitter, and with paper backing behind the little doors so that light shines through and lights up the pictures. We make an annual trip to a local garden centre to buy them every year. Honestly, they&#8217;re stupidly expensive for what they are but my nostalgic side can&#8217;t resist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also can\u2019t go through December without an advent candle. The ritual of lighting it each evening (and trying to remember not to let it burn too far, which always happens at least once) is one of my favourite traditions. But you can make an advent calendar from anything. A jar with 24 slips of paper on which you write festive activities or quotes. A chalkboard countdown that you cross off each night. Or go all out and buy a fancy one full of little treats.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/25-family-at-home-activities-for-december-pin-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"25 family activities for December - that you can do at home\" class=\"wp-image-753\" srcset=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/25-family-at-home-activities-for-december-pin-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/25-family-at-home-activities-for-december-pin-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/25-family-at-home-activities-for-december-pin-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/25-family-at-home-activities-for-december-pin-610x915.jpg 610w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/25-family-at-home-activities-for-december-pin.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10. Decorate a gingerbread house<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is good, messy fun for the kids. The easiest way is to buy a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/gp\/search?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=bad120e63ec159217ec77c163519ab21&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738&amp;index=kitchen&amp;keywords=gingerbread house kit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">kit full of the pieces<\/a><\/strong> and let them get to work. You might need to add a few more of your own decorations. To be honest, all the ones we\u2019ve tried have ended up looking like a hilarious house of horrors, but the children have had great fun doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/gingerbread-house.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas Gingerbread House\" class=\"wp-image-760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/gingerbread-house.jpg 510w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/gingerbread-house-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">11. Make Christmas cards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This one can be as easy or complicated as you like. I like to keep things simple, so I\u2019ve bought some little kits full of cards and various embellishments. Perfect for a cold afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">12. Go Christmas shopping at a small business<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a good idea in any given year, but has become particularly important since the pandemic when small businesses have suffered more than most. It\u2019s up to all of us to shop local and support our small businesses. Whether you go out or shop online, try doing some Christmas shopping at a small business local to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">13. Make a popcorn garland<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This can actually be two activities in one, because you can make one decorated garland for the tree, and you can make another one to hang outside for the birds. Pop some corn kernels and thread them with a large needle onto thick thread. Use a little glue and glitter to make a sparkly one for the tree. (Don\u2019t use too much glue as it dissolves the popcorn!). Make another one with some raisins or dried cranberries on and hang outside for the birds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">14. Make paper snowflakes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Simple and timeless fun. Paper, pencil, scissors, snow! Decorate your windows with a flurry of pretty paper snowflakes. You can, of course, go freestyle with these, but if you don\u2019t know where to start, try a template. Loads are available with a quick Google image search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">15. Make real hot chocolate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We all love a hot chocolate, but once in a while it\u2019s nice to indulge in a rich, thick, creamy actually-made-of-proper-chocolate hot chocolate. You can use your favourite chocolate for this, milk or dark, and you\u2019ll need some milk and cream. Try this&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbcgoodfood.com\/recipes\/deluxe-hot-chocolate-marshmallows\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">hot chocolate recipe from BBC Good Food<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">16. Donate some toys before Santa comes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve made this a tradition for the last couple of years. It feels good to have a clear-out and donate some outgrown toys to charity. If you have an elf-on-the-shelf, it\u2019s an easy idea for your elf to do too. The elf can just leave a note and some bags for the kids to fill with toys to donate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">17. Make Christmas ornaments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s nothing kids love more than making their own ornaments for the tree. Whether you want to make salt dough shapes, Christmas angels, or millions of other options, there are ideas for whatever supplies you have in the house. I\u2019ve bought some <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Baker-Ross-Christmas-Decorate-Personalise\/dp\/B0BLM3KHMW\/ref=sr_1_5?&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=4235d98e8d1c6b764d5858f5f784bdbf&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">bauble-painting kits<\/a><\/strong> and some <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Trimits-Pom-Decoration-Christmas-Pudding\/dp\/B08FXH62CH\/ref=sr_1_6?&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=almosttheweek-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=813aac8cf88766b1c1d5571e54e78d7f&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">Christmas pudding pom-pom kits<\/a><\/strong> to keep things stress-free.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-crafting.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas Crafting\" class=\"wp-image-793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-crafting.jpg 510w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-crafting-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">18. Have a carpet picnic in front of a Christmas movie<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is another <a href=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/easy-family-christmas-traditions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>family Christmas tradition<\/strong><\/a> we\u2019ve settled on over recent years. We usually save it for Christmas Eve, so the kids can chill out in front of a movie while the parents open a bottle of fizz and feel all festive. Keep it simple: tablecloth on the floor, Christmas movie, easy food like pizza and party nibbles \u2013 boom: everyone relaxed and happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">19. Make Christmas gift tags<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If I\u2019m being honest, I mainly love this because it\u2019s the kind of activity we used to do in primary school back in the 80s. However, it\u2019s a classic for a reason and kids still love it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Get some old Christmas cards (ideal if you always find a pile when you open up your decoration boxes) and cut out the pictures from the front in gift-tag sizes. (To go properly 80s you\u2019ll need a pair of pinking shears for zigzag edges.) Make a hole with a hole-punch, thread through some ribbon and you\u2019ve got yourself some gift tags. My kids also like to go freestyle with coloured card and Christmas stickers, so you don\u2019t need to have old cards to hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">20. Have a candlelit family dinner listening to Christmas music<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We try to do this at weekends in December. Kids generally love candlelight. Actually, they might complain about it being dark at first, but perhaps it\u2019s the sense of occasion they love. Stick on some Christmas music (you can even get them to make a playlist beforehand) and enjoy your festive together-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">21. Make your own Christmas crackers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I used to work in an office in London full of colleagues from the US. There were all the usual cultural differences where you discover what is and isn\u2019t normal in each other\u2019s countries. But one that has always stuck with me was the revelation that most Americans had never heard of a Christmas cracker! A complete standard of British Christmas, I couldn\u2019t imagine Christmas dinner without a table full of crackers. Anyway, hands up \u2013 I haven\u2019t made them before, but I\u2019d like to give it a try this year. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"339\" src=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-crackers.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas Crackers\" class=\"wp-image-795\" srcset=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-crackers.jpg 510w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-crackers-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">22. Make orange pomanders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a real favourite of mine. Although my children inexplicably hate oranges, so it\u2019s usually left to me alone. Suits me. Fill your house with festive fragrance by studding oranges with cloves. Use fancy patterns and even add a ribbon if you\u2019re feeling really fancy. One of the simplest but most enjoyable Christmas activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">23. Have a Christmas cookie decorating contest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is another Christmas Eve tradition in our house. Doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s cookies you\u2019ve made or bought, get some red and white icing, silver balls and other decorations and go to town. We usually try to make Father Christmas faces out of our cookies, for no specific reason. There are also no prizes apart from eating the entries!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">24. Get Christmas colouring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When it\u2019s cold and dark out there, gather round the kitchen table and crack out the Christmas colouring. There are loads of books available, plus hundreds of printables online to suit all ages. A bit of classic Christmas radio goes well with this.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-colouring-in.jpg\" alt=\"Child with colouring pencils and paper\" class=\"wp-image-755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-colouring-in.jpg 510w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-colouring-in-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">25. Watch some classic Christmas TV<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You could basically spend all of December watching the overwhelming volume of Christmas movies out there. But step away from Netflix for a minute and indulge in some classic Christmas nostalgia. I have childhood memories of watching the BBC\u2019s adaptation of John Masefield\u2019s&nbsp;<strong><em>The Box of Delights<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;at Christmas, so I like to watch this each year, and have introduced it to my kids as well. It\u2019s available on DVD and on Youtube if you\u2019re interested. But take your own little nostalgia trip: what will you be watching?<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/box-of-delights.jpg\" alt=\"Snowy scene from BBC adaptation of The Box of Delights\" class=\"wp-image-756\" srcset=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/box-of-delights.jpg 510w, https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/box-of-delights-300x233.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>I hope this gives you some ideas for things to do at home this December. Let me know in the comments what you&#8217;re planning!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote><h4><strong>You might also like:<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/easy-family-christmas-traditions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Easy Family Christmas Traditions<\/strong><\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/how-to-have-a-stress-free-christmas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>How to Have a Stress-Free Christmas<\/strong><\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/twixmas-between-christmas-new-year\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Twixmas: What to do between Christmas and New Year<\/strong><\/a><\/h4><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s dark and cold out there in December, but it&#8217;s warm, cozy and festive at home! Here are the best Christmassy family activities to do at home this December.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":744,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19,16],"tags":[75,53,46,76,47,20,74],"class_list":["post-743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christmas","category-seasons","tag-advent","tag-at-home","tag-christmas","tag-december","tag-family","tag-seasons","tag-staying-in"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":19,"label":"Christmas"},{"value":16,"label":"Seasons"}],"post_tag":[{"value":75,"label":"advent"},{"value":53,"label":"at home"},{"value":46,"label":"christmas"},{"value":76,"label":"december"},{"value":47,"label":"family"},{"value":20,"label":"seasons"},{"value":74,"label":"staying in"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/christmas-activities-at-home-1024x663.jpg",1024,663,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Almost The Weekend","author_link":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/author\/admin\/"},"comment_info":89,"category_info":[{"term_id":19,"name":"Christmas","slug":"christmas","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":19,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Need ideas for Christmas, advent and how to appreciate the best of the season with no stress? We've got those. Come in, relax...it's almost the weekend.","parent":16,"count":7,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":19,"category_count":7,"category_description":"Need ideas for Christmas, advent and how to appreciate the best of the season with no stress? We've got those. Come in, relax...it's almost the weekend.","cat_name":"Christmas","category_nicename":"christmas","category_parent":16},{"term_id":16,"name":"Seasons","slug":"seasons","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":16,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Appreciate the season, and get a bit more weekend feeling into your everyday. Come in, relax...it's almost the weekend.","parent":0,"count":33,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":16,"category_count":33,"category_description":"Appreciate the season, and get a bit more weekend feeling into your everyday. Come in, relax...it's almost the weekend.","cat_name":"Seasons","category_nicename":"seasons","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":75,"name":"advent","slug":"advent","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":75,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":53,"name":"at home","slug":"at-home","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":53,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":6,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":46,"name":"christmas","slug":"christmas","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":46,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":7,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":76,"name":"december","slug":"december","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":76,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":47,"name":"family","slug":"family","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":47,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":6,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":20,"name":"seasons","slug":"seasons","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":20,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":12,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":74,"name":"staying in","slug":"staying-in","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":74,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":5,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/743","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=743"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/743\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2687,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/743\/revisions\/2687"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}