The most amazing way to pass on your family Christmas traditions to your children

Preview: An adorable and heartfelt way to pass down your family Christmas traditions to your children!

There is nothing more special than a family Christmas. Generations of family recipes, special Christmas ornaments, and family Christmas traditions make it really feel like a holiday.

When I was a little girl, “Santa” would put a baby doll in bed with me while I was sleeping. It was the first thing I woke up to Christmas morning; that doll was the first spark of Christmas morning excitement.

It turns out that “Santa” left a baby doll for my mom too. She passed this tradition on to me. And now I do this with my own kids. I hope they will do it with theirs. That doll or stuffed animal is so much more than a toy. It is the embodiment of generations of family traditions, of mothers and daughters, and of every Christmas in our future.

Now it is the first item my kids add to their Christmas list.

(This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn on qualifying purchases)

A new way to celebrate family Christmas traditions

We have recently added a new tradition of using Advent calendars. What I love about them most is how they force me to slow down and take at least a few minutes to celebrate this moment with my kids.

And there are some really fun Advent calendars for kids! I recently pulled together a list of the 10 best Advent calendars for bonding with your kids but it was missing #10 because it really needed its own explanation.

This is my favorite and when you see why I think you will agree –

Treasure Box Advent Calendar with Gift Drawers for Kids Countdown to Christmas–   This is a cute Advent Calendar with empty gift drawers to add your own treasures.

Here is how I think you can make it special: Fill each box with a little piece of tradition. Add an ornament that has been in your family for generations. A Christmas cookie that your family makes every single year. A photo from a past Christmas that has special meaning. Any small trinket that helps your children understand how important family is to the Christmas holiday. This is a way to pass on your family Christmas to the next generation.

(note: Since the boxes are small, you can add larger items by labeling the package with the number for the day. You could also add a slip of paper directing them to the day’s surprise.)

Ideas for what to put in the boxes:

1. Old photos from Christmas past
2. Anything handmade- especially “old” stuff from grandma or great-grandma that you have kept
3. Recipes- add a family favorite that you can make together!
4. Ornaments- Show your kids an ornament from the year you got married or first bought your home. Let them in on the little pieces of their past that happened before they were born.
5. Something from your childhood Christmas- a photo, a favorite decoration, an old craft- help your kids know that Christmas has been in your heart all of your life and you are thrilled to watch them enjoy it now
6. Christmas cookie- add a Christmas cookie that your family makes every year. Make some together and freeze them for Christmas Day
7. A Christmas smell- add something to the box that holds the smell of Christmas: that scent that immediately reminds you of sitting by the family tree singing Christmas Carols. A pine cone, a peppermint, a sugar cookie, hot cocoa- something you can enjoy together to get into the Christmas spirit
8. A handwritten note- add a note to your kids that tells them what the holiday season means to you or write down a favorite Christmas memory from when you were a kid
9. A new tradition- Add something to the calendar that you can start together as a new tradition!
10. A list of your family traditions- Make a list of all of the traditions your family follows year to year. Maybe you go to church on Christmas Eve, wear matching pajamas Christmas night, eat fish on Christmas day, take a photo by the tree- anything you do every year at Christmas. Having these traditions written down and kept safe can be very important someday. This can be passed down from generation to generation to keep your family’s holiday traditions alive.

Do you have a tradition of watching all of the Christmas specials on television? Make sure you are on the list to get the Complete Christmas Specials free printable list! I compile all the holiday specials from all of the networks into one big list you can hang on the fridge and catch all of your favorites! 

These items may seem small, but together they tell the story of your family’s Christmas traditions. Someday, many years from now, my great-great grandchildren may wake up with a baby doll in bed with them on Christmas morning. Just thinking of this possibility fills my heart (and I bet it would fill my grandmother’s heart too!). Your family traditions are too important to lose. Carry them to future generations with this endearing tradition. <3

I hope someday your children will add their own memories to pass on to your grandchildren and generations to come.