10 Holiday Traditions & Activities To Do With Teens

This month's 10 on the 10th with Leslie is all about 10 holiday traditions and activities.  When my boys were young we had so many more Christmas traditions but one by one they've outgrown most of them. I'm not sure how many I can list that we still do but I'm going to try to hit 10!




In no particular order here are traditions and activities that my teens still participate in:

1.  Decorating Christmas Cookies & Holiday Baking-- With a son majoring in culinary arts at our local high school baking is one thing that we don't shirk on during the holiday season.  There is always something sweet and sugary coming out of the kitchen and we try to share them with lots of family and friends so we aren't eating them all.

Last year he wanted to try making his own egg nog


2. Driving/ Walking around to see Light Displays-- I have a few new places on my list of things to check out this year.  I try to make it a festive night with cookies and hot cocoa. 

3. Memory Ornament-- Each year since my boys were born we have bought them an ornament that signifies something memorable about that year-- a place we went, a new skill learned, a milestone in their lives, etc.  It's always fun to look back on them all as we decorate the tree each year. 



4. Watching Christmas movies together-- We have so many favorites that we try to watch all throughout the month.  You can check out our list of 25 Moves the Whole Family Can Enjoy.

5.  Decking the halls-- My boys are quite helpful in decorating for Christmas.  They set up my village this year and hang the majority of ornaments on our tree. 



6.  Christmas Crafting-- It's been getting harder and harder to get my boys to participate in craft projects but each year I try to find at least one thing we can craft together.  Check out this list of 20 Ornament Crafts we've made through the years. 

7. Touring a Christmas Mansion/ house-- This a relatively new tradition we just started a couple years ago and one I think we'll be forced to put on hold this year.  We like seeing the Newport mansions all decorated for Christmas and pick a different house to tour each year.  



8.  Decorating a gingerbread house-- I often buy gingerbread kits and the boys have fun decorating them.  This year Alec wants to try making one from scratch but we had the idea to use sugar cookies instead of gingerbread as a base since that's his favorite cookie.  Wish us luck! 

9. Going to the Yankee Candle Flagship Store-- I don't see us getting there this year but we do have favorite scents and I'm planning on ordering a few plug in's and candles for the boys.  It isn't nearly the same but we'll get back there one day. 



10.  Listening to Christmas music-- My boys aren't big fans of Christmas music but we have a few favorites we like to listen to during the season and December is the only month they'll listen with me while we're driving around in the car (especially on the night we drive around looking at lights).

Linking Up With:








 

Comments

  1. HollyDecember 9, 2020 at 5:49 AM

    Love all of these ideas and we partake in most- we visited the Newport Mansions a few years back with my parents- such a fun and beautiful experience!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 9, 2020 at 1:43 PM

      They really do an amazing job! I found a few items tucked into their trees and decor that I photo graphed so I could replicate on my tree and in my house.

      Delete
  2. Abby @ That’s Life For YaDecember 9, 2020 at 6:06 AM

    You can never get too old to decorate cookies! These are all great ideas, thank you for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. Joanne December 9, 2020 at 1:43 PM

      I only have one boy that still enjoys decorating cookies with me.

      Delete
  3. Danielle @ A Sprinkle of JoyDecember 9, 2020 at 7:24 AM

    We have many of the same traditions! I'd love to hear how the egg nog turned out! Also be careful with using sugar cookies as a base for a gingerbread house. They may not be able to stand the weight of the candy decorations.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 9, 2020 at 1:45 PM

      We're giving it a try since we did see another blogger that tried making them using sugar cookies for her daughter and friends. I'm just worried we might have rolled our dough out too thin. The two boys that drink eggnog thought it turned out great!

      Delete
  4. Dara @ Not In JerseyDecember 9, 2020 at 8:49 AM

    I'd love to see a mansion all decorated!

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    Replies
    1. Joanne December 9, 2020 at 1:46 PM

      They do such a beautiful job! They only decorate a few of them but they really go over the top. This year they're even supposed to have outdoor light displays at one of them!

      Delete
  5. Kari December 9, 2020 at 8:52 AM

    These are such great ideas to get in the spirit. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lindsay's Sweet WorldDecember 9, 2020 at 8:53 AM

    Oh, I love that you tour a Christmas mansion! That would be so much fun! We just a drive away from the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina and it's been on my bucket list forever to tour it at Christmas. Maybe next year!

    ReplyDelete
  7. NatashaDecember 9, 2020 at 9:42 AM

    I love the idea of touring mansions decorated for the holidays. That would be so fun!

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    Replies
    1. Joanne December 9, 2020 at 1:48 PM

      It is a lot of fun and they really go all out with the decorations.

      Delete
  8. Rebecca JoDecember 9, 2020 at 2:49 PM

    Christmas crafting is the best... but oh the pressure to get it all done :)

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    Replies
    1. Joanne December 9, 2020 at 4:20 PM

      I usually start early enough that I don't feel any pressure to get it done.

      Delete
  9. Tanya December 9, 2020 at 7:14 PM

    I would love to visit the candle factory store...fun! Our Christmas activities are similar with my teens!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 10, 2020 at 5:10 PM

      It is so fun and it smells so good in there too!

      Delete
  10. onceuponatimehappilyeverafter.comDecember 10, 2020 at 8:51 AM

    You all do such wonderful family activities on regular days. What amazing memories you have created for the boys on holidays and the whole year through. Will be anxious to see how the sugar cookie house turns out. I have never made a gingerbread house but bought a kit to do so this year. I had forgotten about getting ornaments to represent each year. Something I do but forgot to include on my list. Trying to find the perfect symbol for this year...a mask?? Thank you for the smiles.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 10, 2020 at 5:15 PM

      We put his sugar cookie house together today and it looks amazing!

      Delete
  11. KirstinDecember 10, 2020 at 10:39 AM

    These were great. I joined in as well and it was fun thinking of the things we enjoy. I've thought of some others after I posted. Lol. We visited a Christmas victorian house years ago and it was so pretty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 10, 2020 at 5:16 PM

      I polled everyone in the family for ideas; it was the only way I could make it to 10!

      Delete
  12. Shea LennonDecember 10, 2020 at 5:55 PM

    It's good that there are still lots of traditions you can enjoy together. And how nice to have a baker in the house too! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 10, 2020 at 6:24 PM

      He is so handy and just loves to take over; I am perfectly happy to let him

      Delete
  13. JenniferDecember 11, 2020 at 5:12 PM

    Oh my - I love the Yankee Candle Flagship store! I've almost forgotten about it...and what fun we have had there! And how nice to have a baker apprentice in your kitchen!!:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 14, 2020 at 7:00 PM

      I hadn't been in years-- like 14 or so of them before someone reminded me of the store. I took my boys that very month and they LOVED it so much they started asking to go back each December.

      Delete
  14. All About That Mommy LifeDecember 14, 2020 at 6:08 PM

    I have such fond memories from playing with our Christmas village growing up!! And I have been to Newport in the summer, but never at Christmas. I bet the houses are incredible. We've been to Biltmore (it's about 2 hours away) at Christmas twice and I LOVE it!! Devin says it looked the same both times so we don't need to go back :) He might be right, but I could still go back and look at the decorations without being sick of it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 14, 2020 at 7:02 PM

      They only decorate (and open) 3 of the mansions at Christmas and I'm pretty sure my family feels the same way about seeing them ever again but I could easily go and see them decorated again.

      Delete
  15. Sarita @ it's my girls' worldDecember 14, 2020 at 7:34 PM

    Those are awesome traditions. Love that you have bakers in the house!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Adrienne PatenaudeDecember 14, 2020 at 7:58 PM

    Love all these traditions. Bakers in the house would be wonderful. I would want to taste test everything. Thanks for linking up with Not Just A Mom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 15, 2020 at 5:44 AM

      It's so hard not to gobble it all up; but I try like crazy to only eat sweets in moderation.

      Delete

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