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Christmas Bucket List Ideas
Things to do before Christmas, from cards and letters to Santa to lights, cookies and kindness.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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Cards are the thing that slips: one Pinecones and Acorns writer admits she has been slacking on them the last few years because she ran out of time. SPetrichHome's 25-day plan says its order will likely change a little, so treat this list as a starting point and pick your own order. Anything that needs snow, like sledding, has to wait for a day it actually snows, so hold those ones loosely. This list assumes you're celebrating with family or friends nearby. It leaves out gift lists, budgets and menus.
Why these items are on the list
- Make paper chains. Make 25 loops, one for each day until Christmas, and rip one off daily, as SPetrichHome suggests.
- Mail a letter to Santa. Operation Santa letters may be answered by other people, though not every letter gets a reply.
- Send Christmas cards. Write and send them to family and friends, or make your own if time allows.
- Make homemade ornaments. Dried oranges, cinnamon ornaments or paper snowflakes are some ways to fill the tree with handmade decorations.
- Donate warm clothing. Mittens and hats go to a local coat drive before the cold really sets in.
- Give to a giving tree. Letters on the Pinecones and Acorns writer's church giving tree ask for cards and stamps, or socks and sweatshirts.
- Donate unused toys. Have your kids sort out toys they no longer play with and talk about why.
- Start a new tradition. The Pinecones and Acorns writer's family puts stockings out December 5th, and is adding a Yule log.
- Attend a local Christmas event. Check your area's December listings. Live nativities and light shows came up.
- Build a gingerbread house. Start from scratch or buy a kit. Hot glue on a premade house dries quickly, says SPetrichHome.
- Drive around to see lights. Make a hot drink each, then pick a new area every night, as the Pinecones and Acorns writer does.
- Make hot cocoa with toppings. Marshmallows, candy canes, whipped cream, caramel sauce and chocolate shavings all make good toppings.
- Watch holiday movies. Plan three movie nights, each with a themed dinner, as SPetrichHome does. Elf and Home Alone are on the lists.
- Go ice skating. Take a thermos and a winter picnic if you like, or just hit a local rink.
- Go sledding. It needs a snow day, so plan loosely and skip it if it doesn't snow where you are.
- Wear ugly sweaters all day. Pick an errand day or a school day and commit for the whole day.
- Hold a family game night. Dominoes work, or leave a puzzle on the table and add a piece when you pass.
- Make neighbour gifts. Keep them simple and inexpensive, and have the family help put them together and deliver them.
- Host a family Christmas party. Just your household: a special dinner, games, a white elephant exchange, maybe handmade invitations.
- Host a virtual Christmas party. Get friends on a video call for a gift exchange, games, music or a shared movie.
- See or stream The Nutcracker. No tickets for the live show? Watch it on TV or a computer instead.
- Bake and share cookies. Keep some, mail some to family who can't be with you, and leave some for neighbours.
- Read a Christmas classic. SPetrichHome's favourite is The Night Before Christmas, read over hot cocoa.
- Do random acts of kindness. Leave a tray of cookies on a friend's doorstep or make dinner for a neighbour.
Keep it on your phone and tick items off as you go. Share it with the family so anyone can claim the ones they like.
When to use it
Use it just before December starts, when you want to plan a month of Christmas activities with family or friends.