31 Things To Do in December 2024 At Home

December is one of those tricky months that people absolutely love and thrive in, or feel completely overwhelmed. It brings cold, dark nights and occasional kid sickness, too. Since many of us tend to fall into both camps of wanting to go out and wanting to stay in, this list is focused just on those days we simply just want to be as a family at home and enjoy the magic of the season.

{If you want to get out, be sure to check out this post for the top local Christmas events!}

31 Things To Do in December 2024 At Home

December 1

Gather as a family and make a Christmas bucket list or decide what you’d like to do as a family.

December 2

Write letters to Santa and deliver it to a local mailbox. {If you’re local to Brighton, try delivering them to this really cool house.}

December 3

Make jingle bell hiking sticks and go for a walk around your neighborhood. {Or go on a wintertime night hike! See list here.}

December 4

Give back! Create blessing bags for the homeless. Include essentials such as warm socks, hand heaters, dry snacks, water and a gift card to an inexpensive place such as McDonald’s so they have an excuse to go inside, wash up, and eat some hot food.

December 5

Send cards or some happy snail mail to relatives you may not see over the holidays. {Decorated cards, cute kid drawings, etc.}

December 6

Make “fancy” French toast or a holiday charcuterie board and hot cocoa for dinner followed by a movie {we like this super simple recipe}.

December 7

Start a holiday-themed puzzle and work on it throughout the month.

December 8

Make salt dough ornaments {just salt, flour and warm water needed} or cinnamon ornaments {just cinnamon and applesauce}. Fun to paint and give away for easy gift giving too!

December 9

Rent Christmas books and movies from the library, or check out what holiday-inspired movies are streaming.

December 10

Make gingerbread houses {We had fun last year with pop tarts and hot glue. I love getting affordable supplies from Aldi!}

December 11

Paint festive rocks with holiday designs and hide them around your downtown area, or where people shop.

December 12

Find Christmas karaoke on YouTube to sing with.

December 13

Have the kids go through old toys to donate to others in need. If you have a surplus of books, go through your collection and donate them to Little Free Libraries near you while out looking at Christmas lights!

December 14

Watch a story time with Santa, or watch him feed his reindeer on the ReindeerCam website.

December 15

If you’re expecting a lot of deliveries, make a box of goodies for your delivery drivers who are putting in a lot of extra hours during this season.

December 16

Sick of answering “how many days until Christmas?” Make a paper chain countdown!

December 17

Take a walk around your neighborhood to admire Christmas lights in the evening. Try doing a scavenger hunt — this one is super fun!

December 18

Make Christmas art with Art Hub For Kids. Or try these cork Christmas tree paintings!

December 19

Bake cookies {or go the cheating route like I do and get the frozen sugar cookies from GFS and just decorate them}. Or, if you have younger children, try these Christmas tree treats with ice cream cones!

December 20

Pop your family’s faces into ElfYourself and let the laughs ensue!

December 21

Have the kids help wrap presents! If you’re feeling extra crafty, buy the plain brown package wrapping and have them decorate it with stickers or small drawings.

December 22

Make paper snowflakes like these from 5-Minute Crafts and it’s AMAZING!!!}

December 23

Make cookies and reindeer food {oatmeal, carrots and glitter so they can find it} for Santa.

December 24

Have a candlelight dinner {or floor picnic!} and talk about your favorite Christmas memories or read a special story such as The Polar Express or The Night Before Christmas.

December 25

Merry Christmas! Enjoy your day with those you love the most. Fun idea: Take a video or a photo of your child and the favorite gift they received.

Happy Hannukah at sundown to those who celebrate! Take some time to research the holiday and share about it with the kids. {This short video explains it in kid-friendly terms}

December 26

Happy Kwanzaa to those who celebrate! Take some time to learn about this holiday with the kids today. {Here’s a fun article on the different things to celebrate}

December 27

Make bird feeders using pinecones, peanut butter, and bird seed.

December 28

Turn off all the lights but your Christmas lights and play hide and seek in the dark with flashlights. This is a huge hit here!

December 29

Make snow ice cream — it’s actually delicious! {Obviously if the weather cooperates}.

December 30

Have snowman building contest with your family. Have people vote for a winner on social media.

December 31

Happy New Year’s Eve! Sit down as a family and create a list of goals for 2025. {I always set a reading goal for myself each year!}

What is on your radar for December?