Spending time with my family during the Holiday season is so important. In previous years when my children were small, I would let the Christmas/Holiday season stress me out. I’d be frustrated trying to make sure my kids had the perfect gifts, making sure I bought gifts for family or feeling bad when I couldn’t. Therefore, when Christmas actually came, I was too tired to actually be present and enjoy my absolute favorite Holiday.
That all changed; I have stopped worrying about those things and realized that the memories and time that you cannot get back are most important. For moms with small children and babies; they’re going to remember how present you were; and the memories you created with them more than the gifts they got on Christmas. (That’s something I wished I realized years ago)
We cannot forget the Real Reason for the season, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
![Red and white mug with hot cocoa and christmas tree cookies](https://i0.wp.com/andreachanise.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/B963966E-39AD-48F6-9F89-AE3B2C94BE07.png?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1)
The importance of teen-parent bonding activities for parents and teens during the holiday season
The holiday season presents a unique opportunity for parents and teens to bond with fun activities. With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, these moments offer a chance to create lasting memories and deeper connections. Engaging in shared holiday activities fosters communication, understanding, and a sense of togetherness and closeness. It’s an opportunity to appreciate the joy of collective experiences, ultimately nurturing an even stronger family unit. I don’t know about you but, I love spending time with my family, especially during the Holiday season.
Spending time with and Bonding with your children as teens is just as important as when they are small children and babies. When doing fun holiday activities together we get to connect, laugh, eat and have so much fun. Doing Holiday activities together makes for great memories. You’re spending time together and while doing so… reducing stress, spending quality time and promoting emotional well-being.
10 Fun and Festive Holiday Activities to Do With Your Teen
Ultimate Festive Activities for the Holidays
![Christmas themed cookies including gingerbread, mittens and snowflakes](https://i0.wp.com/andreachanise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Image-11-2-23-at-9.19 AM.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
- Baking Holiday Cookies Together: There’s always the cutest ready to bake Holiday themed cookies in Walmart and Target. You could also just buy Christmas colored sprinkles, icing and you and your families favorite cookie dough (we normally buy chocolate chip and sugar cookie) and decorate your cookies; this is so much fun!
- Homemade Holiday Decorations such as: Crafting ornaments or personalized decorations together. Painting or designing stockings, wreaths, or DIY garlands. Creating a family holiday scrapbook or photo album. We usually decorate Christmas stockings, we just buy the stockings, some inexpensive Art supplies and let everyone personalize their own, this is so fun and great moment to connect and laugh! I have Christmas ornaments from when my kids were little, I would love to see what they come up with now, that they are older.
- Crafting Handmade Gifts by: Designing and making personalized gifts for family or friends, Customizing and wrapping presents together, and doing a secret santa gift exchange between yourself and the teens; this we do most years and, it is so much fun and exciting.
Creative Holiday Activities
- Build Gingerbread houses together: Building a gingerbread house is a fun and creative activity that is perfect for the whole family. It’s a great way to spend a winter afternoon and create a delicious and, festive decoration. This is a great bonding activity and, these are so fun to build and see everyone’s personality and creativity come out.
![Gingerbreacd house with box in the back](https://i0.wp.com/andreachanise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_8738.jpeg?resize=933%2C1024&ssl=1)
- Decorate the Christmas tree together: Decorating the Christmas tree is a classic holiday tradition that is sure to bring you and your teens closer together. It’s a great way to create lasting memories and get into the holiday spirit. Somehow, putting up the Christmas tree and other Holiday decorations just gets the whole family in an awesome mood!
Adventurous and Outside bonding activities
- Go to a Winter Amusement park: In NC we have Carowinds which is an amusement park that opens most of the year and during the Christmas season, they have an event called Winter Fest. Amusement parks are always a good time for teenagers, this will definitely put a smile on their faces!
- Visiting Festive light displays and Holiday Parades: Light displays sound so simple but, ever since my kids were little we loved riding and seeing the Gorgeous Christmas lights! Holiday Parades are so much fun. My daughter and her dance team usually dance in a local parade every year and it is such an amazing experience, seeing her dance team and all of the other acts in the parade. The Parade that we usually go watch has food trucks and an ice skating ring near by. Ice skating is also fun to watch or participate in if your teenagers can ice skate.
- Volunteer your time to a local cause: Volunteering your time to a local cause is a great way to give back to your community and bond with your teen. It’s also a great way to teach your teen the importance of compassion and service. You can search your area to see ways to give back during the Holidays or anytime. It can be as simple as going to feed the less fortunate or going into Dollar tree and making care bags to pass out to the less fortunate, volunteering at a group home or facility.
![Family of four bonding and toasting with Hot cocoa; sitting in from of Christmas tree](https://i0.wp.com/andreachanise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Image-11-1-23-at-11.52 PM.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&ssl=1)
Technology integrated fun holiday bonding activities
- Christmas/Holiday movie nights: We love a good movie night and Holiday movies are our favorite types of movies to watch as a family. Organize movie marathons with holiday classics or new releases. Get everyone’s favorite snacks and movie night meal. Let everyone pick one of their favorite holiday movies and watch them together; this can be divided up into a few days or nights during the holiday season. Family movie nights anytime, is a great way to bond with your teens. If your kids are anything like mine, they like any activity that involves snacks. You check out this Blog post of a list of Popular and Family friendly Holiday movies.
- Game nights during the Holiday season: Christmas Eve is a good time to bond with your teens while playing fun Christmas games. Holiday themed games like: Christmas Bingo, Scramble, Word search with a timer, Christmas Family Feud etc. Include a Hot Cocoa Bar and some small prizes and you and your teens are guaranteed to have the time of your lives. Here is an article I found with more ideas for family friendly Christmas/Holiday games.
![picture of a Christmas tree, fireplace with 4 stockings and christmas decorations.](https://i0.wp.com/andreachanise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Image-11-2-23-at-12.00 AM.jpg?resize=1024%2C680&ssl=1)
Let’s enjoy our Holiday Season together
No matter what activities you choose, spending time with your teens during the holidays is a great way to bond and create lasting memories. So put away your phones, turn off the TV, and enjoy some quality time together.
Tips for bonding with your teen during the holidays
- Choose activities that you both enjoy.
- Be present and engaged.
- Put away your phone and other distractions.
- Listen to your teen and let them know that you’re interested in what they have to say.
- Be supportive and understanding.
- Don’t be afraid to be silly and have fun!
- Remember Jesus is the Reason for the season!
Let me know in the comments or on social media which of these Holiday activities you will do with your family during the Holiday season? or comment any other ideas that I didn’t include.
Happy Holidays,
Andrea Chanise