It’s difficult keeping kids entertained at Christmas, especially if you’re on a tight budget!!

This year, I wanted to share some of my low-cost family traditions to inspire you and keep your kids entertained over the school holidays.

I’ve even included a FREE downloadable Christmas planner (at the bottom of the page) to help you plan your Christmas activities and reduce stress.

I believe Christmas should be about family time and creating happy memories, not what you spend on fancy gifts. 

So with that in mind, let’s dig deep into Christmas activities everyone can enjoy!

Family games night

I try not to spend the whole Christmas in front of the TV!

Instead, I like to spend a few evenings digging out old family board games and having fun without technology.

Just watch out for the inevitable loser tantrum. 

It’s about having fun together, not winning!

Crafting a tree decoration

Every year we add something new to our Christmas tree decorations as a reminder of the year we’ve celebrated. 

For example, this might commemorate the year we got married, the baby’s first Christmas or for the lockdown year, I created a bauble with emergency toilet paper!

Get crafty and see what ideas the kids come up with. 

I love to make it personal and treasure the memories each year when we decorate our tree.

Fancy hot chocolates on Christmas Eve

My Xmas eve box is simple, instead of lots of gifts (they’ll have plenty the day after), I gift cosy socks, a mug each with hot chocolate sachets, marshmallows, whipped cream and a flake to go on top. 

I make “posh” hot chocolates and then snuggle up to Christmas movies with my loved ones on Xmas eve night. Bliss!

Home-baked Christmas treats

Since I was a little girl, my mum and I would bake sweet treats for the holidays in the run-up to Christmas.

Even to this day, they are still my favourite nibbles over the holidays.

Are you looking for some simple recipes to try? 

Check out these links below for inspiration

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/christmas-kids-recipes

https://www.cookingwithmykids.co.uk/top-festive-bakes-christmas/

https://realfood.tesco.com/christmas/christmas-baking-for-kids.html

Twixmas Fort building

This is a very silly tradition that I absolutely love. 

After the craziness of Christmas day and family running around, we build a cosy blanket fort in the living room to hide in. My son plays with his new toys in it while we pig out on leftovers and watch even more Christmas movies. 

Give it a try. I highly recommend it!

A little gift for you this Christmas. 

Download our FREE Christmas Planner, which includes a daily schedule and a calendar for when all the days start blurring together. Perfect for planning all your holiday activities with the kids. 

I would love to hear if you tried any of my holiday traditions and what your kids thought. It always makes my day to hear from my Noodles Friends.

Happy Holidays from The Party Noodles.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful time together, creating many happy memories.