15 Ways to Make Christmas More Meaningful This Year

Christmas is a great time of year to make memories as a family, memories that will last a lifetime and may even be passed down to future generations. This time year gets busy very quickly with Christmas shopping, parties, and services. It’s times like these where it’s good to pause and be intentional about the memories you want to make with your family.

Here are 15 fun ideas to make the Christmas season more memorable:

  1. Silly and tacky christmas sweater card

    Most kids don’t love family pictures, so have a little fun this year. Gather tacky Christmas sweaters or outfits and have a silly family photo session for your Christmas card. It will get a laugh from friends and family!

Christmas family photos Lee's Summit

2. Go ice skating together

Nothing is more memorable than slipping and falling together, or more rewarding than finally getting the hang of it! Find a pop-up rink near you. If you’re in the Lee’s Summit area, check out Summit Ice this winter!

Ice Skating in Lee's Summit

3. Gingerbread house decorating contest

Stir up some fun family competition with a gingerbread house decorating contest. Divide your family into teams and see who can decorate the gingerbread house the best! The loser has to clean up the mess!

gingerbread house decorating

4. Bake Christmas Cookies

Spend an afternoon or evening baking together! Bake your favorites and maybe some gingerbread men too! As an added bonus, put together boxes of cookies and give them to your friends and neighbors.

Christmas cookies baking

5. Go caroling

Put on some Santa hats and show up at your friend’s and family’s houses and sing them your favorite Christmas songs. It doesn’t have to be pitch perfect, just have fun!

Christmas carols

6. Christmas Light Tour

Put on your coziest sweater, get some hot chocolate to-go, and drive around looking at Christmas lights!

christmas lights

7. snowball fight

We’re dreaming of a white Christmas! Surprise your family with a snowball night. Build some forts and have fun in the snow!

snowball

8. Christmas photo booth

Set up a Christmas photo booth with a Polaroid camera. When friends and family stop by, have them dress up with a Santa hat or a Rudolph nose and take a fun picture to remember the season.

9. Christmas Movie Marathon

Settle in with some blankets and hot cocoa for a Christmas movie marathon. Let each family member choose their favorite Christmas movie and make your way down the list.

10. Go to a christmas concert

Enjoy the fun and festivities of the season by attending a local Christmas concert. Find the detail about A Very Summit Christmas Concert in Lee’s Summit here.

Christmas Concert in Lee's Summit

11. Serve together

The Christmas season is a great time to serve together as a family. Look for opportunities at local churches like these as well as your community. And ask your kids how they want to help serve!

serving opportunities in Lee's Summit

12. Decorate your Christmas tree together

Everyone, pick out a new ornament and find the perfect place to put it on the tree! Then, finish decorating it as a family.

Christmas Tree Ornaments and Decoration

13. Go on a Sleigh Ride

Bundle up and enjoy the brisk winter air on a sleigh ride. Consider putting your phones away after you take a picture for a screen-free evening together.

sleigh ride

14.Have a White Elephant Gift Exchange

Don’t wait for Christmas morning! Get together with friends and family and exchange silly gifts for $5 or less. Pick things you know will make each other laugh.

white elephant exchange

15. Read the story of Jesus’ birth

Go through the story of Jesus’ birth together; you can find it here. If your kids are old enough, you can take turns reading a section of the story.

Christmas story

We hope this Christmas season is full of unforgettable memories that your whole family will look back on fondly. And, no Christmas season is complete with a Christmas Eve service. The Summit Church has several different service times you can choose from that will include candlelight, Christmas music, the nativity animals to pet, and a fun gift for kids. Make your Christmas Eve plans here.

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The 12 Best Things to Do in Lee’s Summit This Holiday Season