This Post: 18 Easy & Memorable Holiday Traditions to Start With Your Teen (Before These Years Slip By)
Written By: The Raising Teens Today Community
When our kids were little, the holidays felt like pure magic… now they feel a little more fleeting.
One day, it was decorating the tree together, Christmas pajamas, and kids who could hardly wait for Santa. Now it’s late mornings, headphones, plans with friends, and our teenagers casually asking, “What time are we doing Christmas this year?”
And the holidays? Well, they still have their magic, but with teens, they feel different. A little less wide-eyed wonder, a little more coordinating schedules, and a whole lot more realizing just how quickly the years are flying by.
That’s why now is the time to hit the refresh button on traditions with your teen. Not heavily scripted traditions that demand “family togetherness” and get eye rolls and heavy sighs from your teen. But small traditions that somehow feel easy, casual, and real. You know, the kind that keep you quietly connected, and that’ll stick with your kids long after they leave the nest.
And no, you don’t need to spend a fortune or plan something elaborate. I’ve found that some of the simplest traditions often become the ones everyone looks forward to most.
18 Easy & Memorable Holiday Traditions to Start with Your Teen (Before These Years Slip By)
If you’re looking for a few fresh ways to make the holidays more meaningful, here are 18 unique, fun, and memorable traditions to consider starting with your teen this year.
1. Make a Holiday Family Bucket List
Instead of letting another year go by with everyone saying, “We should really do that sometime,” or “How come we never do things like that?” make a holiday family bucket list.
Have everyone contribute one or two things they’d like to do as a family over the holidays. Maybe they want to see a holiday play, visit a festive nearby town, or check out a local holiday festival. Or maybe their “wish list” includes things that don’t have much to do with the holidays, like going hiking, going on a weekend getaway, hitting the ski slopes, or visiting a new restaurant in town.
The more your teen is involved in the planning, the more likely they’ll be jazzed about taking part!
2. Start a Holiday Family Interview Tradition
One evening during the holiday season, take turns interviewing each family member and videotape their answers.
You can ask anything… “What’s your biggest accomplishment this year?” “What are your biggest goals in the coming year?” Or keep it more lighthearted and ask questions like, “Who made you laugh the hardest this year?” or “What’s one thing you’re dying to do this year that you’ve never done?”
Years from now, you’ll have a wonderful record of how everyone’s perspectives, goals, and dreams changed over the years.
3. The “One New Thing” Holiday Tradition
Make it a family tradition to try one completely new thing you’ve never done before as a family.
Let everyone weigh in with ideas and either take a vote on which one to do or put all ideas in a hat and assign one person to choose the winner.
Maybe it’s an escape room, a cooking class, an indoor rock climbing session, horseback riding, or a day trip to somewhere you’ve never been. It’s a great way to break out of your usual routine and remind your teen that some of the best family memories happen when you’re willing to try something new.
4. Let Your Teen Host a Holiday Friends Gathering
Let your teen host a holiday gathering with friends. Keep it simple with 2-4 friends or go all out and let them invite the whole gang.
Maybe it’s a fun game night, holiday movie binge party, an afternoon of cookie baking and decorating, or a simple appetizers and festive drinks get-together. You can help with shopping, cooking, and cleanup, but let them take the lead. It’s a fun way to give your teen a little freedom and give them something fun to look forward to.
5. Recreate an Old Family Photo
Choose one favorite family photo when your kids were much younger (preferably a funny one!) and try to recreate it. Try to stand in the same spot, wear similar outfits, and aim for the same expressions.
One of my close friends did this and used it for her family Christmas card… It was a “Then and Now” card that was hilarious!
6. One-On-One “Date Night” with Mom or Dad
Mom and Dad… our kids need and crave one-on-one time with us. And what better time to create this fun, new tradition than during the holidays! Having that special time together without other family members, without our laptops, cell phones, or iPads distracting us, gives us a chance to laugh, bond, and create special memories.
And let me tell you something I’ve learned as a parent… they’ll remember that special time with you forever!
Date Night Ideas:
- “Shop ‘Til You Drop” Night: Hit a bookstore, go to the mall, go thrifting, or check out a hobby store.
- Live Entertainment: Get tickets to a play, a favorite band, an outdoor concert, or a musical.
- “PJs & Pampering” Party: Pop the popcorn, break out the snacks, pamper each other with mani-pedis.
- “Build Something” Together: A gaming desk, a go-kart, a backyard fire pit. It’s all about being together!
- Late-Night Food Crawl: Pick 3-4 fast food spots and rate fries, shakes, or the best tacos.
- Go on an Adventure: Visit a festival, go to a sporting event, or plan an outdoor winter hike.
7. Create a Holiday Signature Mocktail
Let your teen choose a fun holiday signature drink that’s anything but typical.
Maybe it’s a non-alcoholic Chocolate Martini, a Cherry Tart Shirley Temple, or a Christmas Mimosa. Or maybe it’s a new iced coffee experiment or a smoothie creation. Then snuggle up on the couch together, turn on a holiday movie, and enjoy sippin’ and savoring time together. Here are a few more Mocktail Recipes Ideas!
8. Plan a Family Appetizer Hop Night
Gather the family, hop in the car, and go from restaurant to restaurant sampling their best appetizers on the menu.
Do a little research in advance and find restaurants that are known for their one special appetizer. Maybe it’s a spinach artichoke dip, Asian lettuce wraps, or Mexican queso n’ chips that’s to die for. My kids and I LOVE Lazy Dog’s Hot Feta Honey Dip appetizer! This is actually a fun way to hang with your kids doing something they love to do… EAT!
9. Let Your Teen Plan a Family Night Out
Hand over the planning duties and let your teenager choose an evening out for the family.
They get to pick the restaurant, activity, or destination, whether that’s trying a new restaurant, attending a sporting event, visiting a nearby city, or checking out something completely different. Give them a reasonable budget and let them take the lead. You might discover a new family favorite thing to do!
10. Make Christmas Eve Your Takeout Night
Give yourself a break from holiday cooking and make Christmas Eve your family’s official takeout night.
Each year, choose a different restaurant or let everyone vote on the cuisine. Maybe it’s Chinese food, Mexican, sushi, or everyone’s favorite pizza. Then gather around the tree, open a present or two (just to get the excitement rolling), and either hunker down and watch a fun holiday movie, play a few holiday games, or dive into a 1000-piece festive puzzle
11. Plan a Holiday Movie Binge-Night
Not just ANY holiday binge-night, I’m talking a full holiday movie marathon.
Pick three holiday movies and plan a night of festive snacks or appetizers and, of course, hot cocoa. Each family member is responsible for choosing and making one festive appetizer for all to share. Sounds a little basic, but these are the simple nights your teen might remember the most. Here’s a great hot cocoa recipe! And here are fun holiday movies your teen might like!
12. Plan a Holiday Road Trip Getaway
Whether you pack up and head to the mountains or you enjoy a weekend at a hotel in your own town or city, getting your teen away from the house, chores, their part-time job, and hopefully, their cell phone (at least for a while) will do mounds of good for them and your relationship.
Even if finances don’t allow you to spend a lot, you can still have tons of fun at a nearby hotel or an Airbnb for a couple of days. Spend the days exploring, looking at Christmas lights, shopping, and mostly, just being together.
13. Plan a “Do Something for Someone Else” Day
One of my favorite traditions to start with your teen is setting aside a day during the holidays to do something nice for someone else.
It doesn’t have to be anything big or fancy. Maybe you bake cookies for an elderly neighbor, drop off a little gift for someone who could use a pick-me-up, bring dinner to a family going through a hard time, or surprise someone with a thoughtful gift just because. Let your teen come up with a few ideas and take the lead. It’s a simple way to spend time together, spread a little Christmas cheer, and remind our kids that while receiving gifts is fun, there’s something pretty special about being the reason someone else smiles.
14. Start a Holiday Bookstore Tradition
Choose one afternoon or evening during the holidays and visit a bookstore together. Grab a coffee or your teen’s favorite drink along the way and stroll through the store looking for the perfect book.
Maybe your teen picks up a novel they heard about, a cookbook, a self-help book, or something completely unexpected. What I love about this tradition is that it’s quieter and much slower-paced- something we all need during the hectic holiday season.
15. Let Your Teen Go Ham on the Outside Christmas Decorations
Stuck in a rut with your outdoor holiday decor? Why not have a little fun and let your teen do the decorating this year?
If possible, give them a budget to buy a few new things or extra lights and let them go to town! Whether it’s classic, silly, or totally over-the-top, let them do their thing!
16. The Great Christmas Cookie Fail
Everyone decorates a cookie, but the goal isn’t to make it pretty. It’s to create the most hilariously awful cookie ever!
Stock up on sprinkles, frostings, and anything else you can find in the holiday/baking aisle and just have fun! Give out awards for things like “Most Likely to Cause Concern” or “What Even Is That?”
17. Toss in a Few Saturday Morning Holiday Coffee Runs
When your teen finally wakes up on Saturday (don’t hold your breath), hop in the car and hit your favorite coffee shop.
Whether it’s just once over the holiday season or a weekly thing, it’s a fun way to grab a few unhurried, no-pressure minutes with your teen. Let them choose a holiday favorite coffee – maybe it’s Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulee Latte, or Tiramisu Velvet Latte. If you have multiple teens, consider making it a rotating tradition so everyone gets their own special outing with you.
18. Family Snowman Challenge (Let Your Teen Be a Kid Again!)
If you have snow in your area, create a family challenge – who can build the most classic, craziest, off-the-wall, or funniest snowman of all.
Ramp up the energy of the challenge by letting neighbors or other family members vote and give an enticing award to the winner – maybe it’s one week of no chores, a gift card to their favorite fast food restaurant, or something else you know they’ll love!
Here’s the thing, parents: Don’t worry about starting all 18 traditions, and don’t be disappointed if an idea doesn’t immediately take off. Choose one or two that sound fun or invite your teen to come up with their own, and let them evolve.
Because someday, when your teen has a home and family of their own, they may find themselves recreating that annual family photo, making the same holiday road trip, or planning a holiday appetizer just like you did. And you’ll realize that what seemed like a simple little tradition became something so much bigger.
It became part of what makes your family your family.
If you enjoyed reading “18 Easy & Memorable Holiday Traditions to Start With Your Teen (Before These Years Slip Away),” here are a few other posts you might like!
Why You Should Plan a Girls’ Night Out with Your Daughter This Holiday (15 Fun Ideas!)
Dads, Why You Should Plan a Guys’ Night Out with Your Son This Holiday (15 Fun Ideas)
