Christmas Bucket List Ideas + Free Printable Checklist
Make the season feel special with a Christmas bucket list you can actually enjoy. Pick a few favorite traditions, add something new, and use our free printable checklist to keep track of your plans.
Below you’ll find ideas for cozy days at home, crafts with kids, outings, and ways to give back. Choose what fits your time and budget; you don’t have to do everything on the list.
The printable includes a list with ideas already filled in and blank versions for your own Christmas plans. You can request the PDF through the email form near the end of this post.
Free Christmas Bucket List Printable
Use the printable to choose a few Christmas activities your family will look forward to and check them off as you go.
One page is filled with Christmas ideas, and the blank colored versions let you write your own list.
There’s also a black-and-white version that’s easy to print and color.
Kids can write an activity in each star on the blank sheet, then color or check off the stars as they complete their plans.
Things to Add to Your Christmas Bucket List
Start with the activities that sound fun for your family and fit your schedule. A short list of things you can actually do is more satisfying than an overfull one.
When you make your own list, choose activities that are:
- Something you want to do
- Something that’s feasible for your time, location, and budget
Mix indoor activities with an outing or two if that works for you. You can also adapt many of the ideas below for a small group, a classroom, or a quiet night at home.
Browse the ideas below, choose your favorites, and write them on the blank Christmas bucket list printable.
Have a north pole breakfast: Make a cute north pole breakfast one morning. Decorate the table with Christmas decor and serve cute Christmas-themed breakfast items. Pancakes are always an easy go to, and making fun shapes is easy with a squeeze bottle like this.
Host a holiday party for friends and family
Wrap presents
Plan your dream vacation to a winter wonderland destination
Learn how to make a traditional holiday dish from another culture
Make a snow angel
Make paper snowflakes: Whip out the paper and make some snowflakes! Or grab some of our snowflake templates and use them for some snowflake crafts.
Make homemade Christmas cookies
Decorate the Christmas tree: Decorating the Christmas tree as a family is a great activity with lasting memories.
Send out Christmas cards
Host or Attend an Ugly Christmas sweater party
Watch a holiday movie marathon
Make a Christmas wreath: Why not make a homemade Christmas wreath? They’re a classic Christmas decoration and lots of fun! We have a cute and easy felt leaf Christmas wreath with a free printable template.
Pick out toys to donate: This is great for helping kids to learn empathy and compassion
Build a blanket fort
Pass out Candy Canes to classmates, coworkers or neighbors
Collect pinecones
Send a letter to Santa: We have a printable Santa letter template you can grab to make writing him a letter super easy.
Attend a holiday concert or play
Visit a holiday light display
Play a Board Game: Board games are a fantastic way to spend time together with family and friends. So grab a few and cozy up for a board game night! You can find a bunch of fun Christmas board games here.
Shop for presents at a local holiday market
Make a donation to a toy drive or food bank
Make Reindeer Food: Reindeer food is special food make just for reindeer! Although there are some great recipes that are fun for humans to munch on too. Make a big batch, some for you and some to leave out for Santa’s reindeer. Here’s a fun Reindeer Chow Chex mix.
Write a Letter to a Friend
Give a Gift to Someone in Need
Give a Random Act of Kindness: We have a bunch of great Christmas acts of kindness listed here with a free printable!
Go Ice Skating
Build a Gingerbread House: And if building an edible one seems too complicated, you can grab our printable gingerbread house here. Print it out, color it in and fold it into your gingerbread house.
Make a Snowman: And if there’s no snow in your area you can always make some homemade snow. Or make a snowman craft instead.
Snuggle by a Fire: What’s more cozy then snuggling up by a warm fire. It makes for a wonderful and lasting Christmas memory.
Make Bird Feeders: You can make some winter bird feeders to make sure the local birds eat a good meal! Kids love making these and it’s even more fun to watch the birds come eat them! It’s a fun preschool bird activity!
Go skiing or snowboarding
Decorate for Christmas: Decorate the house with Christmas decorations! We have some fun DIY Christmas ornaments to get you started.
Listen to Christmas music
Be a part of or organize a secret santa
Do a Christmas Scavenger hunt: We have a free printable Christmas scavenger hunt that’s perfect for the whole family.
Play Christmas Bingo: We have a super cute printable Christmas bingo game that kids absolutely love!
Visit Santa Claus
Have a Christmas Music Dance Party: Put on your favorite Christmas music and have a dance party in the living room!
Have a Snowball Fight
Go to a Christmas Tree Farm
Drink Hot Chocolate by the Fireplace: We like this Polar express hot chocolate recipe.
Make a Paper Chain Countdown: Making a paper chain Christmas countdown is tons of fun and great for getting excited for Christmas Day.
Go Christmas caroling
Catch the nutcracker ballet
Catch a Christmas parade
Hang up your Stockings: Hang up stockings over the fire place or on a wall! Label them with the your names!
Have a big Christmas dinner
Have a Christmas Pajama Day: Spend all day wearing matching Christmas PJs! There are lots of fun matching family ones available.
Have an Indoor Winter Picnic
Eat a Candy Cane
Get or make an advent calendar
Camp Out by the Christmas Tree
Go Sledding
Read the Nativity Story: Or make a fun nativity craft. Of course you could always do both.
Make a Nativity Scene: There are lots of fun ways to make a homemade nativity scene. We have a printable nativity scene you can grab to create your own easily!
Take holiday family photos
Volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
Make Christmas Themed Popcorn: There are lots of fun ways to make popcorn. You can keep it simple and pop a bag of buttered popcorn to snack on and watch your favorite Christmas movies, or whip up a batch of delicious Christmas themed popcorn.
Drive around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights
Go on a Christmas train ride
Make DIY Christmas stockings
Attend a winter festival
Host or attend a gift swap: Why not host a white elephant gift exchange. Or we have a fun gift exchange printable game that’s a fun alternative.
Make homemade soup
Write thank you notes
Make salt dough ornaments
Leave Santa milk and cookies on Christmas eve: Grab our printable Santa placemat which is perfect for setting out milk and cookies on.
Grab the Christmas Bucket List Printable
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There are so many fun things that you can do as a family during the Christmas season!
From baking cookies and decorating gingerbread houses to watching holiday movies and going on a sleigh ride, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
So get started on your Christmas bucket list today and make some memories that will last a lifetime!
