10 Fun Christmas Eve Traditions

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T'was The Night Before Christmas...

There's a certain magic that comes with those moments of anticipation right before Christmas Day. Treasure those moments with these fun and festive Christmas Eve traditions.

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Christmas Jammies

A new pair of pajamas is a welcome gift during the chilly winter months-and the silly combinations are endless! Suit up the whole family in some festive attire for a very merry Christmas morning.

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Family Gift-giving

So often, kids can get so excited with Santa's presents that they forget about ones from friends and family. Christmas Eve is a great time to exchange and open gifts from family and friends. You could even do a "Secret Santa" gift exchange within your family!

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Neighborhood Tour

The night before Christmas, pile into the family van and take a neighborhood tour of all the Christmas lights. You can even make a game out of it-count the number of light-up Santas you see, or take a vote on the best-decked house. (Make it even more fun by taking the tour in your new pajamas; just take along some hot chocolate in travel mugs to stay warm!)

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Toy Donation

As your kids welcome new gifts for Christmas, why not clean out things they're no longer using? Gently used toys would be a welcome donation to a variety of different charities.

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Getting Ready For Santa

Decorating Christmas cookies and laying them out for Santa is always a fun activity. Don't forget about the reindeer's food-carrots or apples are a fun treat to add to the plate as well.

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Finger Food Fun

With so much preparation for Christmas dinner the next day, keep Christmas Eve fare simple with some of your favorite finger foods. The kids will love them, too!

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Game Time

Bring a little fun to the mix with some family-favorite games. Charades, hide and seek, or a kid-friendly board game are perfect choices.

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Caroling

Nothing's better than spreading Christmas cheer through caroling! Gather a group of family and friends and visit neighbors with some happy tunes.

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Christmas Movies

There's dozens of them out there for a reason: Christmas movies are a great way to spend time with family. Try a classic like White Christmas or a new favorite, like Frozen!

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Annual Ornament

Each year, hang an ornament on the tree that reflects a special moment in your year. It could be a framed picture of a family vacation, or a handmade ornament. Either way, you'll have a great collection to look back on over the years.

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