10 Family Activities to Get into the Holiday Spirit (with Free Coloring Pages)

December always flies by. Between office parties, end-of-year concerts, and last-minute shopping, we sometimes reach the 24th wondering where the magic went. The good news: you don't need a big budget or a perfect schedule to find it again. A few simple activities, done together, are enough to create memories the kids will talk about for years.

Here are 10 ideas to bring the holiday spirit home, several of which use our free printable Christmas coloring pages.

1. A Coloring and Hot Chocolate Night ☕

It's the simplest activity, and often the most loved. Print a few drawings, pull out the crayons, make some hot chocolate, and put on Christmas music. Grown-ups can color too: it's relaxing, and kids love seeing their parents join in.

Among our free coloring pages, the most popular during the holidays are Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Elves, and Tattooed Santa. Just download the PDF and print it on regular paper.

Tip: print the same drawing several times. Each family member colors "their" version, and you compare at the end. The differences always get a laugh!

2. Turn Coloring Pages into Decorations 🖍️

Once colored, drawings don't have to end up in a pile on the counter. A few ways to show them off:

• A drawing garland: punch two holes at the top of each page and string them on twine to hang along the staircase or above a window.
• A window gallery: tape the drawings in the window, facing outward, to make passersby smile.
• Tree ornaments: cut out the characters, glue them onto cardboard, and add a ribbon loop.

3. Bake Christmas Cookies Together 🍪

Christmas cookies are a classic for good reason: measuring, mixing, cutting with cookie cutters, and decorating are tasks kids of all ages can help with. While the cookies bake, our free Christmas Cookies coloring page keeps impatient little hands busy.

Tip: set aside a few cookies decorated by the kids to give to neighbors, the teacher, or the bus driver. Kids love making the deliveries.

4. Write (or Draw) a Letter to Santa ✉️

Writing to Santa is often the real kickoff to the holidays. For little ones who can't write yet, a drawing or a collage of pictures cut from flyers works perfectly. For older kids, it's a great chance to practice writing... and to add a question or two for Santa.

Idea: ask the kids to include a wish for someone else, too. It opens up a lovely conversation about generosity.

5. Make Your Own Holiday Cards 💌

A handmade card always means more to grandparents than a store-bought one. Fold a sheet of cardstock in half, glue a small cut-out coloring page on the front, and let the kids write or dictate their message inside. A few Christmas stickers add the finishing touch.

6. A Walk to See the Holiday Lights ✨

After dinner, bundle everyone up and head out on foot (or by car) to admire the neighborhood decorations. To make it even more fun, turn it into a scavenger hunt: who can spot a reindeer, an inflatable snowman, a house lit up all in blue?

Back home, the Bear and Lights coloring page is perfect for stretching out the cozy moment.

7. A Christmas Movie and Book Marathon 📚

Pick a weekend evening, pull out the blankets, pillows, and popcorn, and enjoy a Christmas movie followed by a few stories. For younger kids, reading a picture book before bed every night in December quickly becomes a ritual they look forward to. If you want to keep bedtime steady despite the holiday excitement, our article on the kids' evening routine offers some helpful pointers.

8. Craft Your Own Tree Decorations ⭐

No need to buy new decorations every year. Toilet paper rolls turned into elves, paper snowflakes, painted pine cones, salt dough stars: the ornaments kids make are often the ones we unpack with the most emotion years later.

Tip: write the year and the child's name on the back of each ornament. In ten years, you'll be glad you did.

9. A Family Act of Kindness 🤝

The holidays are also a great time to talk about generosity with kids. A few concrete, age-appropriate ideas:

• Sort through toys in good condition together to donate to a local organization
• Color drawings for a nearby seniors' residence
• Put together a box of non-perishables for a food drive
• Drop off a handmade card at a neighbor's who lives alone

These simple gestures give kids a real role in the spirit of the season, beyond the gifts they receive.

10. Winter Outdoor Play ⛄

If there's snow, nothing beats building a snowman, sledding, or a snowball fight. No snow? A walk in the woods to collect pine cones and fir branches (for craft idea #8!) works just as well. And to wrap up the day, the Christmas Penguin coloring page is waiting for the kids when they come back inside.

For Daycares and Classrooms 🏫

Most of these activities adapt easily to a group: a coloring night becomes a workshop, a collective drawing garland, holiday cards for parents, a food drive. Our free coloring pages can be used freely in classrooms and daycares, making them a handy resource for the last few weeks before the break. For more budget-friendly group activity ideas, check out our 8 fall activities for daycare, many of which carry over easily to winter. And if you'd like kids to help prepare gifts, our article on original Christmas gift wrapping is full of ideas.

In Short

The holiday spirit can't be bought: it's built, one small activity at a time. A coloring night, a batch of cookies, a walk to see the lights, or an act of kindness are often what kids remember most. The point isn't to do a lot, but to take the time to do it together.

All our free printable Christmas coloring pages are ready to download. And to add a little surprise to your holiday activities, explore our Christmas collection: tattoos, stickers, cards, and giant coloring posters.