Christmas is just around the corner, and it’s that time again to count all our blessings and think about how we can share them as well. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to bond with our children through fun family activities like “Advent adventures,” Christmas storytelling sessions, silly Christmas carol-singing and cool Christmas craft making.  

Here, we share with you twelve ways you can make this holiday season more memorable for the whole family. You may want to do these activities as a “Countdown to Christmas,” making the 12th day fall on Christmas day itself.

Day 1, December 14

Craft your own unique tree-top ornament.Instead of the usual shiny Christmas stars or glittery angels, why not create a tree-top ornament that represents your family, or your family’s beliefs? 

Step 1: As a family, decide on what you want to make. Some ideas: a star-shaped photo collage of the family; a Baby Jesus-shaped ornament; an ornament that forms the first letter of the family name (e.g. “S” for Santiago). 

Step 2: Try to use recyclable items as much as possible. This helps instill the value of caring for Mother Earth in our kids. Be as creative as possible, and make sure to involve the little kids too, even if all they need to do is just paste certain elements of the ornament, or make a few scribbles with crayons.  The important thing is that your bond as a family is made stronger as you work together.

Note: You could go one step further and create other ornaments for your tree, not just for placing on the top, and also for other parts of the house. For some great ideas, click here, here and here.