The document provides 10 new Christmas traditions and twists on existing traditions to try, including a unique board game exchange, White Elephant Bingo, Christmas present consequences, making time for cozy moments, personalized Elf on the Shelf, creative caroling, DIY Hallmark cards, and more. The goal is to create new memories and traditions with friends and family beyond just exchanging gifts.

1. YOU’VE BEEN MISSING OUT ON THESE
10 CHRISTMAS
TRADITIONS
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2. DON'T MISS OUT ON THESE FESTIVE NEW IDEAS AND TWISTS ON CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES
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Are you a Scrooge? Do you actually dress like him? If so, I guess you're honestly kind of a hipster. But
remember he was basically a jerk. Do your expectations of Christmas really come down to opening the
presents you were hoping for on Christmas morning? Is there really not much more than that going on
at Christmas time for you? Would you like some new ideas or a new twist on the ones you already have?
Let's face it, not only is just making sure presents happen shallow, but good memories and traditions
don't begin because you get a physical item you desired. It comes from whether or not we're able to
have meaningful interaction with those we love to hang out with.
I love Christmas. I guess I wouldn't be very good at killing boredom if I didn't. But the reason I love it
so much is because of my ever growing list of traditions with friends and family (and obviously because I
own the Grinch movie). The people who really love the sights and sounds and smells of Christmas don't
love those things because those things exist. They love them because they created memories with
people they appreciate while seeing and hearing and smelling those things. So whether you don't care
much about Christmas because you've never really had any traditions or you do have traditions, but
want more, here's some new ideas and twists that will help us actually conjure up the Christmas spirit:

3. UNIQUE BOARD GAME EXCHANGE
Have a game night each Christmas with a group of friends or family members where
each has to bring a new card or board game with a unique concept to play. Make a
big deal out of it. Vote for the best one and have a sweet prize or trophy you get to
keep at your house all year. Encourage everyone to be on the lookout all year long.
It's amazing to me how many insanely unique board games are out there that people
have never heard of. Find something awesome and be the adored family member or
friend that saved Christmas. This is another one of my little obsessions, but I'm
constantly looking for the next unique gem to add to the collection. There are a lot
of games that tend to repeat each other, but there are also a lot that don't.
Variations: You can take this same concept and use it with things like Christmas
dessert recipes or original Christmas t-shirt designs.

4. WHITE ELEPHANT BINGO
Instead of each person getting just one white elephant gift to share,
have each person or family buy 10 worthless or hilarious or nice objects
that cost only $1. Wrap these up in little gift bags or something and
then play a game of Bingo. Each time someone wins they get one of the
prizes. It's a Christmas miracle that you created together. Nice work.
This activity has ended up being more fun than opening presents
Christmas morning for my family.
Variations: Mix it up however you want to. Choose any other game that
has short rounds. Make the prizes whatever you want them to be.

5. CHRISTMAS PRESENT CONSEQUENCES
Create a list of 'consequences' that consist of anything from embarrassing actions to
meaningful thoughts to hilarious interactions. Whenever it's someone's turn to open a
present, they have to draw from a bowl with said consequences in it and fulfill whatever
the task before they can open their present. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
1. Put some headphones on, turn up the volume, and sing along to a Christmas carol at
the top of your lungs.
2. Have someone share 3 things they're most thankful for from the past year.
3. Have someone choose someone else as Santa, sit on their lap, and share 3 things they
hope they'll get for Christmas when they're 90 years old.
Hey you are the Christmas present everyone wants. This idea might not be traditional
enough for you, but it will prolong and make your opening of the Christmas presents
more memorable by adding a higher level of interaction.

6. CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
Pick some type of collectible item each year that becomes
more interesting the more of it you have. For example, we
started collecting Christmas Lego sets each year. At this
point we've got a decent sized Lego Christmas village that
takes us 4-5 hours to set up every year, but we have a blast
hanging out while we do it.
Variations: A classic idea would be a traditional porcelain
Christmas village or trains. Maybe you could freak people
out by starting an Elf On The Shelf collection.

7. MAKE TIME FOR COZY CHRISTMAS MOMENTS
There are lots of ways to create the cozy, memorable moments:
1. Make decorating the tree a family affair with some type of Christmas snack that can be enjoyed during the
process.
2. Have a family sleepover where you all fall asleep in the living room staring at the Christmas tree and
listening to some very chill Christmas music.
3. Get everyone together on the couch each night in their pajamas and read a Christmas story.
4. Watch the snow fall out the window while every sips hot cocoa.
If you haven't noticed already, basically every single one of these paint you as a super attractive romantic, so if
that's the motivation you need...be that thing. We all love to watch old Christmas movies where people from a
simpler time sit around and just relax and enjoy certain aspects of Christmas. They sit in front of the fire, read
books, listen to Christmas music. We hardly ever slow down enough to truly enjoy things like this at
Christmas time. I can't tell you how much fun and how memorable it is to slow down and create moments like
this.

8. CREATIVE CAROLS
Bring back Christmas caroling, but make it better! Make a list of people's houses to carol
at that you know or, if you're brave, just visit everyone in your neighborhood. Then make
a list of unique things to do at each house you sing at. Perhaps use the daily challenges as a
resource. You're sure to make a night full of hilarious memories and will create some
entertaining moments for those you sing for as well. Here are some ideas to get you
started:
1. Perform a rap version of a classic Christmas carol.
2. Build a snow man/woman in their yard and have him/her sing with you, but make sure
they're people who would be okay with it.
3. Have Rudolph recite a poem of the difficult days before Santa's sleigh.
And don't worry you who are reputation obsessed. A capella is popular again. Pentatonix.

9. LET THERE BE LIGHTS
This one probably isn't that unique to many, but I just need to make sure everyone is doing it, one way or
another:
1. Just plain go look at some Christmas lights!
2. Do an internet search for where there are great light displays.
3. See if there's a local zoo that puts up Christmas lights.
4. Find a Christmas light scavenger hunt list online where you have to find certain things while you're looking.
5. Buy some seasonal hot drinks from somewhere to bring with you (make sure you get cooler temperature
drinks for the little ones and start as early as you can because they're going to fall asleep).
6. Make your own award certificates (Frosty's Favorite, The Most Wonderful Lights Of The Year, Santastic)
and put them on people's doors.
I'm never disappointed with these adventures. It will never be hipster to not look at lights!

10. PERSONALIZED ELF ON THE SHELF
Just in case you've been living under a rock that doesn't allow any
sunlight ever and don't know what the Elf On The Shelf is, after the kids
are in bed you create different scenarios or messes and blame them on
the Elf. Don't feel like you have to use that guy. Buy any kind of creature
you want and have it do all kinds of things. There are plenty of
suggestions online for scenarios to create.
Variations: How about T-Rex In The Tree? Salamander In The Stocking?
Narwhal In The Nativity? I'm just thinking of creatures that would make
me laugh if I saw them in your house at Christmas with one of these titles,
but pick something that would be personal to your family.

11. DECORATION POLL
First of all, try to buy something new to add to your outdoor decorations each Christmas.
Secondly, put that and all your previous decorations up outside. Before you do that
though, make things interesting by polling your friends and family. Take pictures of 10
random new decoration items when you're shopping and poll your friends and family
which one you should get this year. After that's decided, poll your friends and family by
asking them what object you should put those decorations on in your yard. Find a way to
get those decorations on that thing and be satisfied that, when people drive by your
house, they'll have trouble understanding your vision. And if they're anything like me,
they will be very amused. You might even get an award certificate.
If you enjoy classic decorating styles at Christmas, keep it up, I love what you do. But
maybe you'll never really be able to get into the whole decorating thing unless you have a
unique approach. You could be the next home decor TV host that makes us all feel like we
have lame homes.

12. DIY HALLMARK CARDS
I love watching cheesy Christmas Hallmark movies with my family. We get a
kick out of making fun of all the cheesy stuff, but they still seem to do a good
job of promoting the Christmas spirit. You know your heart's desire is to kiss
the mouth of a beautiful person while it's snowing on Christmas Eve (a
statement only for those who watch these movies). Here's a way to make that
experience even more interesting.
Buy some Christmas cards that are blank on the inside. While watching a
Hallmark movie, write down any cheesy lines about Christmas you hear from
the movie and then mail out the cards as usual to your family and friends. It's
entertaining while at the same time spreading Hallmark's familiar, bright,
upbeat, commercialized idea of Christmas to all your loved ones.

13. What new Christmas tradition will you be starting? Comment on Facebook
and Twitter whichever traditions you attempt this year!
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