There are probably many Christmas traditions you already do every year without thinking since it’s simply part of your routine, but there’s no harm in undertaking new ones for 2022. This year has seen many traditions become even more popular as people are trying to find simple, easy ways to enjoy Christmas while saving money. So, if there are some traditions that you can’t do this year, we’ve put together a guide to 9 inexpensive Christmas traditions you can do and should start in 2022.
1.Decorate Christmas cookies
If baking is your thing, great, this one you’ll love! Even if it isn’t and you want something simple for the kids, you can buy simple cookie or cake mixes that don’t need any complicated dough making and are reasonably cheap. The fun part is the decorating anyway, so get everyone together to decorate their own cookies with icing, sprinkles, and anything else you might fancy! This tradition can be done at any time during the festive season, but it’s a great way to spend Christmas Eve.
2. Visit the Christmas lights
There are quite a few Christmas lights shows around December time and they can be a magical experience. Even if you don’t get a chance to go to a specific event, you can make your own! Get the family in the car and drive around your neighbourhood and see if you can spot any Christmas lights. The first one to spot Santa wins!
3. Do a Christmas jigsaw or puzzle
Another fun activity for around the festive period is to do a Christmas jigsaw or puzzle. Christmas themed ones are great to get into the festive spirit, or if you already have a puzzle that takes your fancy, set some time aside to have a go with a glass of sherry for that added Christmas feel. Puzzles are great at keeping everyone quietly entertained between Christmas and New Year when the excitement of Christmas Day has tired everyone out.
4. Start your own advent calendar
The shops are full of all types of advent calendars nowadays, from chocolate to gin, but there’s something even more magical about making your own. You can buy empty ones to fill with treats or messages of your own, giving the whole family a chance to join in. Simpler, more manageable ones for the kids could be moving a stuffed Santa or angel along a timeline or countdown to Christmas Day so they can visibly see that it’s getting closer. The great thing about DIY items is that you can reuse them every year, becoming a family Christmas tradition.
5. Exchange books and have a reading day
This tradition comes from Iceland, where on Christmas Eve they celebrate Jolabokaflod by exchanging books and spend the whole day reading, eating and drinking. Jolabokaflod’s rough English translation is ‘Christmas book flood’, so it’s a great way to get everyone into reading and enjoying Christmas Eve as a day on its own. A great idea is to wrap them up, just like with presents on Christmas Day.
6. Rent or buy a new movie
Christmas movies are part of the festive season, even if you’ve seen them countless times. This is probably a tradition in itself. However, to change it up a bit, a good idea is to rent or buy a new movie from the past year that none of your family has yet watched, get cosy on the sofa with drinks and snacks and pop the film on. It’s essentially a movie night, but it’s just another way to spend time together during the Christmas holidays.
7. Give
Christmas is the season of giving, and that shouldn’t just be extended to friends and family. A nice way to give during Christmas is to donate to charity, whether this be a monetary donation or a gift box of unwanted toys or clothes. Some communities put gift packages together for children who may go without at Christmas so that they too can enjoy Christmas Day.
8. Have a special Christmas Day breakfast
We all look forward to our Christmas dinner every year, but no one talks about breakfast. A great addition to opening presents Christmas morning is having a special breakfast to eat while you do it. The great thing about it being Christmas Day is that this breakfast doesn’t need to be boring or healthy – we recommend pancakes, doughnuts, biscuits, or cinnamon buns!
9.Celebrate the 12 days of Christmas
As the first day of Christmas starts on Christmas Day itself, celebrating the 12 days afterwards is a great way to continue the fun and beat the January blues. Ideas include either doing a different activity on each day or making a pledge to get use out of one of your Christmas gifts every day. The great thing is that you can be creative and use what you already have in your home.
