• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Happy Simple Mom Logo

Happy Simple Mom

Simple, Clutter-Free Living

  • Start Here
  • Decluttering
    • How to Declutter
    • Areas to Declutter
    • Cleaning
    • Organization
  • Simple Living
    • The Simple Life
    • Minimalism with Kids
    • Minimalist Lifestyle
    • Simple Gifts

A Fun and Memorable Christmas Traditions Bucket List (on a budget)

December 5

Sharing is caring!

379 shares
  • Share162

Money is tight for our family this year, but it doesn’t mean we have to miss out on all the Christmas traditions fun.  That’s why I created this Christmas Traditions Bucket List for our family. 

Christmas can easily become a stressful time of year.  There are presents to buy, parties to attend and budgets to keep!  Before you know it, you are so wrapped up in all the things you “should” be doing that you forget to slow down and enjoy the time of year. 

The holidays are also an easy time of year to blow your budget, making the start of a new year a whole lot more stressful than it has to be!

Use this Christmas Traditions Bucket List to infuse some fun into your holiday, without breaking the bank!

Christmas Traditions Bucket List

Make a Christmas countdown

A fun way to get the family excited for Christmas is to create a Christmas countdown. 

Ideas include:

  • An advent calendar, homemade or one you use every year.
  • Construction paper chain – Remember making these as a kid? Grab some red and green construction paper and make strips of paper with the numbers on them.  Interlink them with tape or staples and hang then up!

Hot cocoa bar

Create a hot cocoa bar using hot cocoa packets (or make your own hot cocoa), candy canes, and mini-marshmallows!

hot cocoa for a hot cocoa bar Christmas tradition

Sledding

If you live where it snows, take a day to go sledding! Pack a lunch, and make a day out of it.  It’s a free activity, and it is so much fun, including for adults!

Go visit Santa

It doesn’t cost money to go see Santa.  Check out local events near you, or pop into the mall.  You are not obligated to buy photos. Simply snap one with your phone. 

Have a special holiday breakfast

I love making a special holiday breakfast at the start of every December.  We also do all out on Christmas morning.  Our favorite tradition is to make monkey bread to snack on while opening gifts.  (This is the recipe we have used for years!)

Decorate the Christmas tree

We’ve never had a fancy, matching ornaments Christmas tree.  My husband calls those “soul-less trees”.  Decorating the Christmas tree with homemade ornaments or ornaments we collected in our travels has always been a family event, and it is so much fun!

You don’t have to have an expensive tree either.  Where we live you can cut down a tree in the National Forests for about $10.  I saw some great looking artificial trees at our local donation center if an artificial tree is more your thing. 

Bake and decorate cookies

Baking and decorating cookies is a Christmas tradition favorite in our home, and it doesn’t cost much to do.  Every year, each family member creates a favorite cookie recipe (it keeps the costs down to limit the recipes). 

We all put on our aprons and have a great time, with Christmas music blasting in the background.

Make/Send out Christmas cards

You don’t have to buy fancy Christmas cards to participate in the tradition.  I usually get 10-20 free Christmas cards from Shutterfly every year using one of their coupon codes.  It is sufficient for our close family members. 

Every year after Christmas, you can buy Christmas cards for crazy discounts and use them the following year for teachers, neighbors, etc. 

If you or your children are crafty, homemade Christmas cards are the best!

Christmas movie marathon

Nothing says Christmas traditions like a day in your pajamas and having a Christmas movie marathon.  Set a day on the calendar, pop some popcorn, and start watching!

Make a Christmas gift

In a world of consumerism, it is easy to forget how to gift give with intention and love.  Nothing says love like a homemade Christmas gift. 

Break out your craft supplies, and search Pinterest for ideas using what you have on hand.  You may be surprised. 

Write a letter to Santa

Kids love writing letters to Santa.  Once it is complete, you can even stuff the envelope, stamp it and take it to the mailbox (or Post Office).  The Post Office does special deliver to the North Pole!

Take Christmas photos

Make sure to take a family Christmas photo this season.  Don’t worry about an expensive photography session.  Ask a friend to use your phone, or set it on a timer. 

Your phone likely has an amazing camera, and it will do just fine for creating a memory. 

Added bonus if you all wear your Christmas PJs or ugly Christmas sweater! 

Make a digital Christmas card and send it out with your fun family photo.

Go see Christmas lights

Going to see the neighborhood Christmas lights is a family favorite Christmas tradition, and it only costs the gas for the car. 

Pick up the kids from school, eat a fast dinner, and then head out for a tour of the town. 

Make a Christmas craft

Kids love to make Christmas crafts, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. 

Got some construction paper lying around? I guarantee you they can think of a craft on their own using the supplies on hand. 

Snowflake Christmas craft

See a Christmas parade

Nearly every town has a Christmas parade, and it is a free Christmas tradition you can add to your to-do list. 

Want to make the parade extra special? Grab a blanket or your outdoor chairs, pack a thermos of coffee, tea or cider, and go pick out your parade spot super early.  You will have the best seat in the house!

Go caroling

Every Christmas Eve my husband insists on us caroling the neighborhood.  It’s embarrassing, as I can’t carry a tune to save my life, but it is so much fun.  Our neighbors always love it and get a kick out of it.

Make homemade ornaments

You don’t have to have fancy ornaments to have a fun tree.  We like to buy one ornament a year to signify our year, but some years, that hasn’t been possible. 

If you want an extra special memory, or if you want to save some cash, then try making your own homemade ornament.  Who knows, it may become a new family favorite!

Homemade Christmas ornament as a new family Christmas tradition

Random act of kindness

It is easy for us all to forget that Christmas is about giving over receiving.  Surprise someone with a random act of kindness this holiday season.  It will feel so good!

Volunteer

Want to start a new family Christmas tradition? Volunteer for a local charity and give back to those who aren’t as fortunate as you. 

In all our years of living with less, we have still been very fortunate to have a room over our heads and food on the table.  You don’t have to have money to give your time.

Write a letter to a soldier

There are soldiers spending their holidays away from their families so you can be safe at home. 

Sit down with your family and write a letter to a soldier. 

Not sure where to send your letter?  You can send a letter to a US Soldier using Operation Gratitude for guidance. 

Read the Christmas story

Want to remember the real reason we are celebrating Christmas?  Read the Christmas story on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.  If your kids are old enough, have them read the story aloud. 

Make popcorn garland

Popcorn is super cheap, and popcorn garland is so much fun to make! Grab some string, a needle and start treading the popcorn.  You can put it on your Christmas tree or hang it outside. 

Leave carrots for the reindeer

Every year we leave out a plate of cookies for Santa and couple carrots for the reindeer.

Kids get super excited knowing they helped fuel Rudolph!

Track Santa on NORAD

Track Santa on NORAD on Christmas Eve.  It is a lot of fun, and it doesn’t cost you a penny!

Make a birthday cake for baby Jesus

This one isn’t a Christmas tradition I did as a kid, but I have done it with my girls. 

Ask my kids what Christmas celebrates, and they excitedly tell me “Baby Jesus’s birthday!!!”. 

One year, my girls asked me to make a birthday cake for baby Jesus, to which I happily obliged.  I still love having a birthday cake sometime in December to celebrate!

What are your favorite family Christmas traditions?

Christmas traditions don’t have to be expensive and busy.  They can be simple little celebrations we have throughout the month to celebrate the season and time with our families. 

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?  Please share them below!

Save to Pinterest for later:

Christmas traditions bucket list

Sharing is caring!

379 shares
  • Share162
Category: Simple Living, The Simple Life
Previous Post:11 Simple Decluttering Questions You Should be Asking to Maximize Results
Next Post:How to Control Holiday Clutter (and Stay on a Budget)Holiday clutter in the form of too many Christmas gifts.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sidebar

Join the Happy Simple Mom community:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
Happy Simple Mom profile image - welcome to the page!

Hello, I’m Brooke! My goal is to share lessons I’ve learned to live simply and clutter-free with a family. Don’t let excess stuff and too many obligations weigh you down. Reduce your stress, and live a happy life!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Recent Posts

mom cleaning her floors with a vacuum

Dear Sweet Friend… Don’t Clean Your House For Me

Blue front door with a package in front of it

7 Easy Practices to Stop Clutter from Ever Entering Your Home

Mom meditating while kids play with toys around her

9 Easy Ways to Get Your Kids Interested in a More Minimalist Lifestyle

A minimalist family hiking and sitting on a mountain side.

Minimalism May be the Secret Ingredient Your Family NEEDS

  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy and Disclosure

Copyright © 2023 · Happy Simple Mom™ · All Rights Reserved

Exclusive Member of Mediavine Home

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...