21 Fun Christmas Bucket List Ideas

The holiday season is busy, here are 21 fun holiday activities to add to your Christmas bucket list to get the most out of the season and to enjoy time with family and friends. 

Every year I write a “bucket list” of things I want to do over the holidays. Most years I am successful in ticking all of the things off that I want to do, like visiting the tree farm, going to see the holiday lights, (if I am home with my family) going for snowy late night walks.

This year is no different, I made my list and we are ready to start ticking things off this month. Today I am sharing 21 Christmas bucket list ideas you might want to add to your own list this year.

21 Fun Christmas Bucket List Ideas

1.Christmas Cards

It seems like every year we receive less and less Christmas cards and more emails and texts wishing us a Merry Christmas. I admit,  I have been slacking on this the last few years because I ran out of time. But this year I already have the Christmas Cards out and addressed. This year make a point to write and send Christmas cards to family and friends. If you have the time you could even make your own.

2. Mail a letter to Santa!

Here are the instructions from the USPS on how to do it properly. I can remember doing this as a child and anxiously awaiting Christmas morning to see if the gifts under the tree were on my list that I sent to him.

3. Make Ornaments, Decorations and Wrapping paper

Make your own ornaments and decorate your tree. Dried oranges, cinnamon ornaments or even go back to your childhood and make paper snowflakes and paper chains for the tree. I made marbleized ornaments for my tree this year and I love them!

Use brown craft paper or old newspapers stamped with festive rubber stamps or even a potato to wrap your gifts. Add some natural elements like a juniper or rosemary sprig, holly or some of the dried oranges you made for your tree.

4.Donate Clothing

Donate mittens, hats, winter coats to the local coat drive.These are hard times for many and with the cold winter almost here many can use warm clothing.

5. Donate Toys, Food, Stamps, etc.

Donate toys to Toys for Tots( here is a list of the Most popular kids toys). Give food to your local food bank, cards and stamps to your local nursing home so that they can send them to their loved ones, make Christmas cookies for a local shelter. There are so many easy ways to give.

My church has a giving tree and instead of ornaments there are letters from people and what they need. Many of the letters are from elderly people who want boxes of cards and stamps to write to loved ones. There are also families that could use a little help. And kids who want gifts as simple as a socks and sweatshirts.

6. Relax 

The holidays are a busy time, parties, gatherings, Christmas concerts, cookie exchanges and more. Take a minute or two to yourself, and relax. Sip a steaming cup or two of hot chocolate while snuggled up in your favorite throw, reading by the lights of the Christmas tree. Or take a long hot bath at the end of a cold day.

Find some time to destress so that you can enjoy the fun times this holiday season.

7. Make Homemade Gifts in Your Kitchen

Make homemade gifts for family and friends. Fleur de sel truffles, Lavender Bath Salts, Cranberry Liqueur , Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce, Homemade Hot Fudge , Marshmallows, cookies or whatever you like.

You could also make ornaments or gift baskets filled with things the recipient loves.

8. Mulled Wine

Make a pot of mulled wine or cider, and celebrate the season with family and friends.

Country Living has 35 Mulled Wine Recipes that you might want to try.

9. Watch Holiday Movies

Spend the day in your pajamas watching all of your favorite holiday movies, like Home Alone, The Holiday, White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer , Frosty the Snowman, A Christmas Carol to name just a few.

10. Christmas Music

Play Christmas music in the car or in the house and make your favorite playlist to share with friends and family.

What is your favorite Christmas music? I am partial to the oldies like White Christmas.

11. Virtual Cooking Classes

Take an online cookie making class or do a Zoom call with your grandkids and make cookies with them.

You can take virtual classes with Brian Hoffman at Williams Sonoma! Or learn how to make holiday sweets with Molly Wilk from her kitchen in Versailles, France.

12. Bake Cookies

Bake your favorite holiday cookies. Keep some for yourself and send some in a care package to family who will not be able to spend the holidays with you. Or deliver them to your neighbors and local friends they will love them.

13. Read the Christmas Classics.

We have been collecting Christmas books for years and each year we pull them out and read them over the month of December.

You can do the same with your kids or grandkids or enjoy them yourself. This year I am starting with The Christmas Carol and also have on my list Little Women, The Nutcracker and of course Twas the Night Before Christmas.

14. Attend a live Nativity. 

Check your local area for information on a life nativity. Several of the churches in our area host them one weekend a month and there are even live camels.

15. Get outside for long walks or to ice skate. 

Make a thermos full of cocoa and a winter picnic to take on a walk, a hike or when you go ice skating. If you are lucky enough to have snow go out snowshoeing! That is my favorite winter activity.

16. See or Watch The Nutcracker or The Christmas Carol

Watch the Nutcracker! Our family loves to see the Nutcracker. If you were not able to get tickets for the live version watch it on tv or your computer. We have tickets for both this year, in fact The Christmas Carol is a one man show so that should be interesting.

17. Start a new tradition

We have lots of family traditions, we open one gift Christmas Eve, we celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas on December 6th(we leave our stockings out December 5th), we celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings, we have Christmas pajamas, and holiday sweaters, and the list go on. This year we are adding a Yule log to the list of traditions. Wish me luck.

18. Game Night

Over the school break we get together with my niece and nephew for family game or puzzle night. Typically we play dominos or Left Right and Center.

At my house we have a puzzle on the table all winter long and as we pass through the room we add a piece or two. When we finish one we start another. It is a nice way way to while away a bit of time and relax too.

19. Make a Gingerbread House

Make a gingerbread house, you can start from scratch or purchase a kit. Invite your friends and family to make one too.

There are a ton of great ideas on Pinterest.

20. Christmas Lights

Load up the car and go look at the Christmas lights around your neighborhood or town. When I am home visiting my mom we do this every single night. We each make a hot drink and then we pick a new area and just drive around and ooh and ahh at the lights.

Why don’t you visit “Candy Cane” lane or a Christmas light shows in your area? Here are the 25 Best Places in America. 

21. Random acts of kindness.

Kindness is free to give but priceless to receive. Every day is a good day to be kind but the month of giving seems particularly appropriate. Pay someone a compliment, leave a tray of cookies on a friends doorstep, make dinner for a neighbor, these are just a few things you can do to spread kindness this Christmas.

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Do you have a winter or Christmas bucket list?

If so what is on your list of things to do? Share in the comments and we can add them to the list.

UNTIL TOMORROW

I hope that you enjoyed my Christmas Bucket list ideas. Take care and thank you for spending part of your day with me. I will see you tomorrow.

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Don’t forget to check out my Holiday Shop! You can find decorations, gifts, advent calendars and more. For gifts for everyone on your list check out the Gift Guides on the blog and in my Amazon store.

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