26 fun and ingenious festive traditions to borrow for your own family Christmas, this year and beyond

Family Christmas traditions

Credit: Getty

Family and Friends


26 fun and ingenious festive traditions to borrow for your own family Christmas, this year and beyond

By Stylist Team

2 months ago

11 min read

Every Christmas, many of us will repeat the same traditions that we’ve had since childhood. Here, the Team Stylist shares some of the unique festive rituals that have become part of the celebrations over the years. 


Family traditions are special things. They’re the bits of life that loveably accentuate the funny idiosyncrasies and unique foibles of each family unit – no matter if they’re our biological or chosen family. They’re also the parts of our childhood we remember nostalgically for the rest of our lives, and it’s at Christmas that these rituals really come into their own. Whether it’s watching the same film after the roast dinner or heading out on a Boxing Day walk, most of us have ‘a thing’ we do every year, and Christmas simply wouldn’t be the same without it.

Repeating annual traditions also has psychological benefits. By reconnecting us to our past they can reaffirm our sense of identity, help us feel safe and secure and can soothe us during times of stress. Even if our childhood Christmases weren’t quite as magical as we might have liked, starting new traditions can be just as effective at giving us positive associations and helping us reaffirm our values.

With this in mind, why not try to introduce a new tradition into your household this Christmas? For some inspiration, the Stylist team, alongside some additional contributors, has shared the Christmas traditions that have made their way into their annual festive celebrations, from Christmas Eve outings to mass singalongs. 


“I love Christmas. LOVE it. Growing up as one of four children, with a lovely mum who invited every family member and non-family member she could fit into our house, Christmas was noisy, funny, chaotic, full of chatter and naff Christmas plays. We had lots of traditions – jingling bells outside on Christmas Eve while we looked at the sky for the sleigh, Bacon Muffins with tomato chutney for Christmas breakfast, and my favourite… we all walked down the stairs to see ‘if he’s been’ in age order. I’ve stolen all of these traditions for my own four children, even if my oldest thinks it’s ‘cringe’.” 
Alix Walker, editor 

“We always have a couple of surprise presents in the garden ‘that must have fallen out’ of Santa’s sleigh. They‘re always wrapped in totally different paper from anything else, sometimes with an unintelligible label to add to the drama (for the kids who find them). Usually, they’re something shareable like a game for everyone to play – either thrown up into a tree or sticking out of a bush for someone to find. Unless, of course, this is not actually a tradition and they really did fall out of Santa’s sack!”
Matt Phare, creative director

“When my kids were toddlers they’d be exploding with excitement on Christmas Eve so I decided to borrow from the Nordics and give them a Christmas Eve gift – a book and a set of pyjamas so they would be excited about snuggling down into bed and wake up wearing something new and fun on Christmas day. A decade later and this tradition is still going strong and even the adults are included in this Christmas Eve PJ and book gift giving too.”
Lisa Smosarski, editorial director 

“This is very greedy, but when I was younger, my brother and I used to line up our presents in size order and then open them in that order. My brother went from smallest to largest, whereas I liked to go from biggest to smallest. These days we have a Christmas Eve book tradition. Everyone gets a wrapped-up book to open so they have something to read on the night before Christmas.”
Ellen Scott, acting digital content director

“We have a very extra tradition: every year a different family member gets to choose our Christmas ‘theme’ for that year. We alternate, so if it’s your year you’ll get to choose the colour scheme, what wrapping paper is used, decorations and the general vibe of the day. This year is my year, and I’ve picked ‘festive lodge’, ie lots of red, green, wood and natural accents – the sort of vibe you’d get on a ski slope in Austria.”
Amy Beecham, senior features writer 

“We do matching pyjamas on Christmas Eve, it gives Von Trapp vibes, but I’ll be the first to admit it’s lovely on Christmas Day morning. We leave the classic Santa board out with a carrot, mince pie and a shot of Amaretto, (it’s the only shot I can stomach). Then flour at the fireplace for evidence that ‘he’s been’. We also have glitter strewn across the lawn to prove the reindeer landed there.” 
James Delves, account director 

“My mum was a very conscientious cook, so she always made the Christmas cake in advance, wrapping it in greaseproof paper and then ‘feeding’ it by pouring brandy over the surface once a week until it was ready for Christmas Day. Our annual tradition was baking the Christmas cake together a few weeks before Christmas – usually on 5 November, so we could watch the fireworks while it baked in the oven. My mum died 12 years ago, but I’ve kept our Christmas baking ritual, and I can still be found beating eggs and pouring out batter ahead of the fireworks displays. Despite years of eating it annually, I’m not a massive fan of Christmas cake, so nowadays I find it’s a really good gift to give to friends and neighbours.”
Alex Sims, acting email editor 

“My dad is Swedish so Christmas Eve is just as important as Christmas Day in my house. It’s always a big celebration of food. We have all our extended family over for dinner, and everyone is tasked with bringing one dish to add to the buffet. Everyone really makes an effort and we always have a huge smörgåsbord. We all try to make different dishes every year, so there’s always something new to try.” 
Ella Curle, London 

Every year, someone picks a Christmas ‘theme’

“When we put up the Christmas tree I give my daughter a Christmas box. It’s full of cute festive pyjamas, Christmas crafts, new decorations and an advent candle. It helps us make the most of Christmas and enjoy this lovely cosy feeling all month long.” 
Lucy Reber, fashion director

“Everyone in our local area decorates their houses for Christmas. On Christmas Eve I walk through all the streets with my two children to look at the lights and the decorations people put in their windows. It’s also a good opportunity to chat with our neighbours and helps with that Christmassy community feel.” 
Jenny Tregoning, group production director 

“When we were younger, my parents used to wrap us up warm and take us to Brighton on Christmas Eve. There’s nothing quite like fish and chips on a chilly beach, no queues for the rides on the pier, and the chance to chat and play lots of Christmassy songs and car games. Plus, for whatever reason, it made everything at home feel so much more festive when we got back.”
Kayleigh Dray, contributing editor and writer

“This year I’m going to kickstart a new tradition which I saw on my friend’s Instagram last year and I’ve thought about ever since. Each Christmas she covers the open doorway to the room containing the presents in newspaper or thin wrapping paper and the kids have to jump through it to find their gifts.”
Lisa Smosarski, editorial director 

“My mum always saves the wrapping paper from the previous Christmas and we reuse it the following Christmas by cutting it up into paper chains to put around the house and on the tree.” 
Rose Saville, London

“On Christmas Eve my family always orders takeaway from our favourite Chinese restaurant. You usually need to wait for half an hour for your food (it’s very popular), so we’ll spend that time driving around the neighbourhood and looking at the Christmas lights.”
Lauren Geall, senior writer, Strong Women 

“Ever since we were young, the first present my sister and I would wake up to at the end of our beds on Christmas Day was a puzzle book. It would usually keep us occupied until our parents woke up and then we’d spend the rest of the holidays trying to solve them all.”
Meg Walters, contributing writer 

“Every year my mum and I would make Christmas biscuits together. We made them using salt dough, which doesn’t go off, and then we’d cut them out into Christmas shapes like stars, angels and fir trees. If you bake them in the oven at a really high temperature, they become hard, and you can paint them with different colours and designs. We always hang our creations on the tree and then we have new decorations each year.” 
Mika Nila, Manchester

“We always have a big family karaoke session on Christmas Day which usually turns into a mass singalong. Every member of the family has to sing at least one song of their choosing which means there’s a real mix, in recent years we’ve had The Beatles, followed by Taylor Swift and Let It Go from Frozen. And, trust me, there’s no family bonding experience quite like singing ACDC’s Back In Black together.”
Tara Mull, Leeds 

“Every Christmas morning, I’d find a bauble in my stocking from Santa (aka my mum). She had exquisite taste and a penchant for exploring antique markets, so they were often weird and wonderful blown glass creations in gleaming jewel colours. It was always our tradition to hang it on the tree together before opening the rest of the presents. We amassed quite a collection over the years. I still have them in a box now and bring them out every year.”
Alex Sims, acting email editor 

“Every Christmas Eve, my brother, sister and I always get to open one present before the big day, and it’s always the same thing: pyjamas. When we were little, they were usually covered in cartoon characters; now, they’re more elegant – unless our parents decide to gift us a weird novelty set. I still haven’t forgotten the green Grinch pair I got in 2016. We wear them to bed on Christmas Eve and spend Christmas morning in them. It’s nice to be able to wear them for the rest of the year and remember the day.”
Ellie Scott, Sheffield 

“Every year my family and I do a very specific Secret Santa. After we’ve drawn the name of the person we’re gifting for, we have to print out the best picture we’ve taken of them that year and put it in a nice frame. Our parents keep them all and we have a massive collection going back years.” 
Rose Saville, London

“We never open all our gifts in one go. We like to sit down at multiple times throughout the day and open one or two at a time, saving the last gift until around 8pm. It’s a nice way to spread the magic of Christmas throughout the day and lets everyone really soak up each gift. I love it.”
Lauren Geall, senior writer, Strong Women 

My parents ditched Christmas presents entirely

“My mum was the first person to take running seriously in our family, and one by one she’s managed to get me, my dad and my sister involved too. Now, every Christmas Day we wake up early and head to our local Parkrun for a 5k before the rest of the day kicks into action. We dress up with bits of tinsel wrapped around our running gear and everyone gets a mince pie and a glass of fizz after. It’s a great way to get out and embrace the day.”
Marnie Gayle, Norfolk

The Muppet Christmas Carol is the ultimate Christmas film in our house. We grew up watching it on VHS. The Prince Charles Cinema in London does sing-a-long screenings of it throughout December, and every year we’ll go as a family to sing our hearts out (we know all the lyrics). They have a prize for the best-dressed person, so we’ll put in a bit of effort. My brother has a Kermit onesie that gets dug out for the occasion. We won the year we dressed up as the muppet ghosts, Marley and Marley, with chains made out of old loo roll holders. You always see the same families there too that go every year, just like us.”
Sophie Wiles, London

“As long as I can remember, we’ve always bought our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. In the afternoon, before it gets dark, we head out down the road to our usual shop to pick one up and then we’ll spend the evening decorating it. It always feels really special and gets me in the most Christmassy mood ready for the next day.” 
Anna Ng, London

“To try and be more eco-friendly, we’ve stopped buying each other physical presents and it’s now a tradition in our household to give each other hand-made experiences instead. Over the years, this has included Christmas quizzes, original songs, personalised crosswords and hand-made board games where each counter is a member of the family. If anything, it’s made Christmas better and gives us something to do other than watch telly.” 
Donna Welsch, Bedford  

“Everyone in my immediate family always includes a poem along with their Christmas gifts to each other. Usually, these are copies of our favourite poems, but occasionally we make up our own too. I love it and I’ve discovered so much beautiful poetry since we started doing it.” 
Tilly Myers, York 


Image: Getty 

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