10 Festive Christmas Morning Traditions for Your Family

What can a family do on Christmas morning?

So, Christmas is just around the corner, but what can you do to make it just a little more special? Be sure you have some Christmas morning traditions ready to go for your little ones to look forward to each year.

Yes, Christmas is all about presents when the kids are younger. But as they grow, it will be the time spent with family and the memories they made that they will look back on fondly.

As a kid, my Christmas was split between time at home and time visiting each of my grandparents’ homes. Looking back, I don’t how we fit everything into one day. But as a kid, it was absolute magic. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

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What to do on Christmas morning?

Christmas morning traditions look different for each family. And there are so many ways to make it special for your little ones.

Here’s a few of my favorite things to do together on Christmas morning. Choose your favorite and adjust them to suit you.

mom and two kids having breakfast together — Photo by **Ron Lach** from **Pexels**

1. Have breakfast together

It’s a great Christmas morning tradition to take a minute for yourselves as a family and have breakfast together.

You’ve spent the last month or two searching for the perfect gifts and doing all the holiday activities. And you may have other houses to visit on Christmas Day, so take this time to just relax and enjoy each other’s company. (For as long as those little ones can hold out opening their gifts.)

Make breakfast extra special by making tree shaped waffles or Santa pancakes. Use strawberries and powdered sugar to make it extra festive.

golden music note trimmed with Christmas decorations — Photo by **Laura James** from **Pexels**

2. Turn on some Christmas music

To get you in the Christmas mood right from the start, crank up those Christmas tunes.

If you’re in a super festive mood, you could even go caroling through your neighborhood once the presents are open.

family of four in matching pajamas — Photo by **Any Lane** from **Pexels**

3. Wear matching pajamas

There’s a good chance you gifted your kiddos some matching Christmas pajamas in their Christmas Eve box. So this is the moment you’ve been waiting for: everyone together on Christmas morning in those new matching pajamas.

Spend all day in those pajamas if you have nowhere else to be.

mom and dad kissing baby's cheeks in front of tree — Photo by **William Fortunato** from **Pexels**

4. Take a family photo

Take a photo in front of your tree before the presents are opened and there is wrapping paper EVERYWHERE.

This is also why you want to make sure everyone has those matching pajamas on (or at least clean pajamas). One day you can go back through photos and make a collage of all the sweet memories. So be sure to take some fun photos as well.

Christmas morning traditions: family sitting at kitchen table with tree in foreground

three stockings hanging on a fireplace — Photo by **Any Lane** from **Pexels**

5. Open stockings first

Before the kiddos tear into all those gifts under the tree, let the anticipation build a little and open your stockings first.

Just be sure not to put anything in there that goes along with a bigger present. Like a game controller for a new video game console. (OOPS!)

little girl in red plaid dress looking at Christmas tree — Photo by **Josh Willink** from **Pexels**

6. Search for the Christmas pickle

Have you heard of the Christmas pickle?

So, it’s an old German tradition that the last ornament hung on the tree was the Christmas pickle. (You could wait and hang it on the tree on Christmas Eve.)

As the tradition goes, the first person who finds the pickle gets an additional gift. But you could alter this any way to accommodate your family.

Maybe the first person to find the pickle gets to open the first gift. Or they get to pick the game or movie for the next family fun night. Or they get a special breakfast in bed.

It’s just another way to make Christmas a little more special in your family.

family of six opening gifts — Photo by **Nicole Michalou** from **Pexels**

7. Open one present at a time

You’ve spent a lot of time (possibly in the wee morning hours) wrapping all those gifts. Allow time for the tape to fully stick by going around the room and opening gifts one at a time.

It will make Christmas last just a little longer, and it make save your home from looking like a tornado hit your Christmas tree.

yorkie in Santa hat with Merry Christmas sign — Photo by **Sam Lion** from **Pexels**

8. Scavenger hunt for a special gift

I love a good scavenger hunt. And when there’s something as important as Christmas gifts on the line, it’s even more fun.

Maybe you got a gift that’s too big to bring in the house: a new bike. Make a scavenger hunt to find the present in the garage.

Or maybe you’re getting a new puppy this year! Make a scavenger hunt saying the gift is waiting at the local pet shelter.

Or maybe you’re just having a normal Christmas. Have Santa leave a note that he’s hidden gifts throughout the house.

family of four on sofa watching a movie — Photo by **August de Richelieu** from **Pexels**

9. Watch a Christmas movie

Once all the gifts are open, put on your favorite Christmas movie while you enjoy this special time with your family.

If you have somewhere to be later on, save this special moment for a Christmas evening activity.

decorated Christmas cookies — Photo by **Jonathan Meyer** from **Pexels**

10. Deliver goodies to neighbors

Want a way to let your neighbors know you’re thinking of them? Make some homemade cookies or a gift basket and drop them off on Christmas morning.

This Christmas morning tradition is a great way to show the importance of giving to your kiddos.

And if you’re the parents of a new baby, it’s a great way to get in your neighbors’ good graces after all those not so silent nights.

Conclusion

There you have it: my favorite Christmas morning traditions for your family. Don’t go overboard. Choose a few traditions your family would be most interested in and ones that are easy for you. Christmas is already a busy time. So don’t forget to slow down and enjoy these special times together. Merry Christmas!

Are there any special traditions that your family does on Christmas morning? Let us know in the comments.