10 Sibling Christmas Traditions You’ll Want To Try
Looking for creative and meaningful Christmas traditions for siblings? Our guide covers everything from Sibling Secret Santa to festive baking – ensuring your holiday season is filled with love and laughter.
Ah, the magic of Christmas! The holiday season is a time of joy, love, and togetherness, and what better way to celebrate than with your beloved siblings?
Growing up with siblings means sharing countless memories, secrets, and of course, special traditions that make the holiday season even more meaningful.
Christmas with siblings is like adding extra sprinkles to a holiday cookie – messy, colorful, and absolutely delightful! Whether you’re huddled around the tree or giggling over secret Santa gifts, these moments with your brothers and sisters are what make the season truly magical.
These unique family rituals not only strengthen the bond between brothers and sisters but also create cherished moments that will be remembered for years to come.
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Why you Want Siblings To Have Special Traditions Together
Siblings are more than just family; they are lifelong companions and confidants. Having special traditions together adds depth and meaning to their relationship.
These traditions create a unique bond, fostering a sense of belonging and shared experiences.
Christmas Traditions For Siblings
Decorating the Christmas Tree Together
We love to decorate the Christmas tree as a family. Actually I usually just let the kids decorate and i sit back and watch the magic happen.
Last year, my 10-year-old insisted on picking the biggest, most extravagant ornament for the tree. PS. I suggest grabbing some shatter proof ornaments, there are so many styles!
As it turned out, it was too heavy and kept toppling over, but the kids couldn’t stop laughing each time we tried to fix it.
It’s these imperfect moments that make our Christmas tree decorating tradition so special
Make it an Event
While letting the kids take the lead on decorating the tree is a wonderful way to encourage creativity, you can turn this tradition into a full-blown family event.
Start the evening with a special dinner where everyone gets to contribute a dish, then kick off the decorating with holiday music playing in the background.
Consider giving each child a specific role, such as “chief ornament placer” or “tinsel manager,” to make them feel even more involved.
DIY Ornaments
Add an extra layer of fun by making DIY ornaments each year (this is a good kit to get you started). Whether it’s crafting snowflakes from popsicle sticks or painting plain glass baubles, these homemade decorations will make your tree uniquely yours.
Over the years, these ornaments will tell the story of your family’s Christmases.
Ornament Unwrapping
To build excitement, wrap each ornament in tissue paper and let the kids take turns unwrapping them. This simple act turns the decorating into a mini gift-opening ceremony, adding more joy to the process.
Sibling Secret Santa
I’m sure you’ve heard of secret santa, but have you considered doing it among the siblings?
Sibling Secret Santa is a delightful tradition that adds an element of surprise and joy to the holiday season.
This tradition typically involves siblings drawing names from a hat or using a random name generator to determine who they will be buying a gift for.
Holiday shopping becomes an adventure as each sibling carefully selects a thoughtful present for their designated recipient. Whether it’s a cherished item from their wish list or something that reflects their shared memories and inside jokes, the goal is to make the gift meaningful and special.
One-on-one time spent shopping for and wrapping presents for their sibling creates cherished memories and strengthens the bond between them. Siblings often make homemade cards to accompany their gifts, adding a personal touch that is sure to warm the recipient’s heart.
On Christmas morning, the anticipation builds as each sibling eagerly waits to see the reactions of their brothers or sisters as they unwrap their carefully chosen presents. The joy and excitement of exchanging gifts with siblings adds to the magic of the holiday season.
Make your Sibling Secret Santa even more fun by using our free printable wish list template where siblings can jot down hints or wishlist items. Download it here!
Simple bags like these make a great secret santa gift for siblings.
Make it a Week-Long Celebration
Instead of just one gift exchange, stretch the fun by having a week-long Secret Santa. Each day, siblings can do something special for their “secret” sibling, such as leaving a sweet note or doing their chores. This builds anticipation and keeps the holiday spirit alive throughout the week.
Create a Wish List
Help younger kids by creating a wish list for each sibling. This can be as simple as a handwritten list or a digital one. The wish lists give each sibling a guide, ensuring the gifts are thoughtful and desired. You could even encourage them to think about “experience gifts” like a coupon for a sibling movie night or a promise to help with a favorite project.
Secret Santa Reveal
On Christmas Eve, before the big reveal, have each sibling write a note about what they love about the sibling they had for Secret Santa. Reading these notes aloud before unwrapping gifts can be a heartwarming way to wrap up the tradition.
Christmas Movie Marathon
We love our Christmas movies around here. Some of our favorites include the Santa Clause, the grinch (the one with Jim Carey) and Santa Buddies.
Make watching family movies a Christmas sibling tradition at your house too! We don’t do it as a one day of movies, we actually like to watch one movie a day during the Christmas season, about 14 days before Christmas.
While we love classic movies like The Grinch and The Santa Clause, we also make a game out of it by voting on which movie to watch each night. The kids love creating a little competition to see whose pick gets the most votes. You can even make it a pajama party, complete with popcorn and hot cocoa!
You can also dress up in matching pj’s like these – I mean COME ON. How cute!
Check out these 70 family movies for the Christmas season.
Vote and Compete
Create a family voting system where everyone gets to nominate their favorite Christmas movies. Then, over hot cocoa, cast votes to decide the lineup. Turn it into a competition by assigning points for each correct guess of which movie will be watched next.
Theme Nights
Mix up the marathon with themed nights, like “Animated Classics,” “Holiday Comedies,” or “Vintage Christmas.” Encourage everyone to dress according to the theme or bring a snack that matches the movie.
Family Movie Theater
Transform your living room into a mini theater. Set up blankets and pillows on the floor, dim the lights, and hand out homemade tickets and popcorn. This adds an extra layer of excitement, making the marathon feel like a special event.
Festive Baking Extravaganza
Christmas baking is my favorite. Having the kids bake in the kitchen together is so much fun.
My kids are still smaller (oldest is 10) and so I do have to be in the kitchen for this activity to make sure everyone is safe and things are going alright in general.
Family Bake-Off
Turn your kitchen into a competition arena with a family bake-off! Divide into teams and see who can make the most festive cookies or the most creative gingerbread house. Let everyone be the judge and vote on categories like “most delicious” or “most creative.”
Recipe Book
Start a family holiday recipe book where each year, you add the recipes you’ve baked together. As the years go by, this book will become a treasured keepsake, filled with memories and delicious treats.
Night Before Christmas Box
The Night Before Christmas Box is a charming tradition where siblings receive a special box filled with goodies on the evening of December 24th.
Inside, I usually put in cozy pajamas, a favorite holiday book, hot chocolate mix, and even a small treat.
This thoughtful tradition adds excitement and anticipation to the night before Christmas, creating a magical experience for siblings to enjoy together.
We started these when my first born was just 1 years old. Here is a guide on how to make a christmas eve box for babies.
Add a Scavenger Hunt
Instead of just handing out the Night Before Christmas Box, turn it into a scavenger hunt. Leave clues around the house, leading siblings to find the box together. The excitement of searching adds an extra layer of fun to the tradition.
Personalized Boxes
Make the tradition even more special by personalizing each box with the sibling’s name and a small note from “Santa” praising something they did well that year. The personalized touch makes each child feel valued and appreciated.
Christmas Eve Storytime
After opening the boxes and changing into their cozy pajamas, gather around for a special Christmas Eve storytime. Each year, choose a new holiday book to add to the collection. This quiet time together helps calm the excitement before bedtime.
Sprinkle Some Magic: The Joy of Setting Out Reindeer Food
Another favorite sibling tradition is sprinkling reindeer food on the snow covered front lawn. You can read a magical reindeer book while you prepare your reindeer food mixture (oats and glitter).
You can also make sure to set out carrots for the reindeer along with your Santa cookies!
Make Your Own Recipe
Involve the kids in making their own special reindeer food recipe. Mix oats, glitter, and perhaps some birdseed, then let them decorate small bags or jars to store the mixture. The act of creating the food themselves makes the tradition even more magical.
Reindeer Tracker
Pair this tradition with a “reindeer tracker” app or website that shows where Santa and his reindeer are in real-time. It builds the anticipation and makes the sprinkling of reindeer food feel even more urgent and exciting.
Reindeer Food Ceremony
Turn the act of sprinkling reindeer food into a small ceremony. Gather outside, and while sprinkling the food, have each sibling make a wish for the coming year. This simple act adds a sentimental touch to the tradition.
Sibling Holiday Photoshoot
We try to do a sibling holiday photoshoot when the kids get into the Christmas PJ’s on Christmas eve. I have a huge collection of these photos now and it’s just the best.
It’s nothing crazy, just the kids standing in front of the Christmas tree together in their new pj’s.
Theme the Photoshoot
To keep things fresh each year, add a theme to your sibling photoshoot. One year could be “Santa’s Workshop,” where everyone dresses as elves, and another year could be “Winter Wonderland” with white and blue outfits. The themed photos will be a fun collection to look back on. Here are some fun photoshoot props.
Candid Moments
In addition to posed photos, take candid shots of the siblings interacting, laughing, or even being silly. These natural moments often capture the essence of their relationship better than any posed shot.
Photo Album Tradition
Create a holiday photo album where you add the sibling photos each year. This tradition allows you to watch the kids grow up through the years, and it becomes a cherished keepsake.
Spread the Cheer: Sibling Acts of Kindness That Warm Hearts
Teach your kids what kindness is by asking them to do one act of kindness to each other and to others around them.
This is something the kids can come up with together.
It could be something as simple as coming up with a chore to do to help mom and dad, or donating a toy to charity, or to feed the birds!
Kindness Calendar
Create a “12 Days of Kindness” calendar where each day leading up to Christmas, the siblings complete a different act of kindness together. These could range from helping a neighbor to writing thank-you notes to their teachers. The daily acts build a habit of kindness and make the season more meaningful.
Family Kindness Jar
Set up a “Kindness Jar” where each time a sibling does something kind for another, they write it down and put it in the jar. On Christmas Eve, gather around to read all the acts of kindness that were done. This reinforces positive behavior and creates a sense of unity.
Community Kindness Project
Encourage the siblings to work on a community project together, like organizing a toy drive or baking cookies for local firefighters. Working together on a project that benefits others not only strengthens their bond but also teaches valuable lessons about giving back.
Sibling Game Night
A round of family games among the siblings is ALWAYS a fun time. And you can join in on the fun too of course!
But we like to play simple games like UNO, or pop the pig when it’s just the kids playing.
Here is a big list of family games your kids may like.
Holiday-Themed Games
Incorporate holiday-themed games into your sibling game night. Play Christmas trivia, holiday charades, or a festive version of Pictionary. These themed games add an extra layer of holiday spirit to the fun.
Create Your Own Game
Challenge the siblings to create their own holiday game. Whether it’s a Christmas scavenger hunt or a homemade board game, the process of creating and then playing the game together can be as fun as the game itself.
Game Night Snacks
Set up a snack bar with holiday treats like candy canes, gingerbread cookies, and hot cocoa. Let each sibling create their own snack mix to enjoy while playing. The snacks add to the festive atmosphere and make the night even more special.
Volunteering Together
Whether it’s dedicating a day to serving meals at a homeless shelter, participating in a community clean-up, or organizing a fundraising event, volunteering as a team creates a powerful impact.
Holiday Volunteering Ideas
Give your siblings a list of possible volunteering activities, like visiting a nursing home, helping at a local food bank, or organizing a neighborhood clean-up. Let them choose which project they want to do together, giving them a sense of ownership and pride.
Make it a Family Tradition
Turn volunteering into an annual family tradition where every year you dedicate a day to giving back. Document each year’s project with photos and stories to create a legacy of kindness that the siblings can carry on as they grow.
Reflection Time
After volunteering, set aside some time for the siblings to talk about their experience. Discuss what they learned, how it made them feel, and how they can continue to help others throughout the year. This reflection helps deepen the impact of the volunteering experience.
Siblings work side by side, collaborating, and supporting each other as they contribute to a greater cause.
Bottom Line
This tradition not only benefits those in need but also strengthens the sibling bond through shared values and a sense of purpose.
We’d love to hear about your favorite sibling traditions! Share your stories in the comments below or tag us in your holiday photos on social media. Let’s spread the joy and make this Christmas one to remember!
