12 Days of Christmas Activity Ideas

The day after Christmas, every year, I find myself so sad that the holiday season is over. 

It feels like all the magic and cheer are just ripped out of the universe. (Could I be any more dramatic 😂?)

All the stores start promoting Valentine’s Day (some even St. Patrick’s Day), and it seems like everyone immediately puts all their decorations back into storage. 

Well, this might be an unpopular opinion, but I say NAY!

The holidays are not over!

Why can’t we keep the magic alive until New Year’s?

Well, if you agree with me, then join me on this journey to kick the holiday blues and fill our days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve with festive activities by celebrating the 12 days of Christmas. 

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The 12 Days of Christmas: An Introduction

Now, when I say “12 days of Christmas,” I’m not talking about gifting your partner two turtle doves and eleven pipers piping. 

Instead, I’m talking about extending the Christmas holiday into a 12 day celebration. 

There is a lot of buildup for just one day of celebration. Why not extend the magic into 12 full days of fun? 

But, you can make it whatever you want! Five days, 10 days, 30… you make the rules!

Personally, I love to celebrate 12 days, beginning on December 25th and ending on January 5th. 

How to Create Your Own 12 Days of Christmas

Creating your own 12 days of Christmas celebration is an easy and fun process. 

Here are the steps I recommend following:

1. Decide how many days you wish to celebrate (I prefer 12, but you might feel differently!)
2. Determine when to start and end
3. Read through the celebration ideas below and choose your favorites
4. Incorporate your scheduled plans and priorities (such as work, school, and family obligations)
5. Schedule your activities to your calendar

Pretty simple!

12 Days of Christmas Activity Ideas 

Ready to check out the festive activity ideas to add to your own 12 days of Christmas plan? Great! Let’s dive right in.

Celebrate Christmas Day with Loved Ones

Let’s start with the most obvious celebration idea: celebrating Christmas Day with loved ones. Some families celebrate this on December 25th, others on a different day. Whenever your family chooses to celebrate, consider adding this as a part of your 12 days of Christmas celebration. 

Shopping Day

The days after Christmas are a great time to find some amazing deals on Christmas decorations and other festive items. You can even make this a full day activity! Shop at your favorite stores, go out for lunch with your family, and maybe even end the day at a show. 

Pajama Party Day

Dress up in matching pajamas and lounge around all day with your favorite people. You can bake, read, watch movies, play games, or even put together a puzzle.

Volunteer

Gather your family and spend the day together volunteering with an organization close to your heart. 

Attend a Local Event

Tourist attractions often host holiday events such as local zoos, museums, botanical gardens, and aquariums. Unfortunately, they usually sell out fast so get your tickets early! 

Go on a Long Winter Hike

Bundle up and spend a day outdoors on an exciting hike. Don’t forget to come prepared with the 10 hiking essentials and snow shoes, if needed! 

Related: 10 Hiking Essentials to Bring on Your Next Hike

Snowy Winter Adventure

Head to the mountains for a snow-filled adventure with your loved ones. Fill your day with sledding, snow tubing, skiing, snowboarding, or simply creating snowmen. 

Day on the Town

Head into town for a fun-filled day of adventure. You could catch a movie at the theater, go bowling, or even try ice skating.

Entertainment in the City

Looking for a bigger adventure? Head to the city to catch a show or sporting event, such as the Nutcracker Ballet or a hockey game.

Visit a New Destination

Go on a quick weekend getaway or a long vacation to somewhere new. If you’re on a budget and short on time, head to a nearby town and try to visit the top tourist attractions. Or, if you’re looking for a spluge, you can go on a relaxing long vacation.

Related: The Ultimate Pre-Travel Checklist

New Year’s Eve

Celebrate New Year’s Eve at a fun party or at home with family. You could cook a nice meal, turn your tree into a New Year’s tree, and even create a New Year countdown.

New Year’s Day Celebration

Celebrate New Year’s Day with your loved ones and enjoy your favorite traditions. You could also attend a local parade or community event.

Goal Planning Day

Set aside some time to reflect on the previous year and set your New Year’s resolutions. Need a little guidance? Check out this step-by-step guide to creating realistic goals. It includes reflection questions, how to create an action plan, and so much more. 

Related: An Ultimate Guide to Goal Setting and Achieving

New Year Prep Day

Another great planning day idea is to complete a full new year prep checklist, such as: 

1. Plan the Entire Year in Advance (trust me, this is a game-changer!)
2. Create a new book list
3. Reset your budget
4. Sketch out a new cleaning routine
5. Create a winter bucket list

Related: New Year Planning – How to Plan the Entire Year in Advance

Self Care Day

Let’s face it. The holidays may be magical, but they can also be stressful, too! Consider incorporating a full day of self care into your 12 days of Christmas plan to recharge your batteries. 

Related: 27 Relaxing Self Care Ideas to Recharge Your Batteries

Host a Party

Host an exciting party for your friends or family, such as an ugly sweater party or New Year’s bash.

Decorate for Winter

End the holiday season by taking down your decorations and refreshing your space with some elegant winter wonderland decorations. Some fun ideas might include winter twinkle lights, winter trees or cozy pillows.

Related: The Ultimate Holiday Bucket List (50 festive activity ideas!)

12 Days of Christmas Ideas for Work Days

Don’t let work get in the way of your 12 days of Christmas celebration! 

During work days, try a small and easy celebration instead. Some ideas include: 

1. Watch a holiday film (here is a list of our favorites)
2. Put together a festive puzzle
3. Eat dinner by the fire or candle light
4. Dance to Christmas music
5. Drive around and look at Christmas lights
6. Do one thing nice for a loved one
7. Build a gingerbread house
8. Play a holiday board game (this one is our favorite)
9. Send holiday thank you notes

Small 12 Days of Christmas Ideas

Another great idea to add to your 12 days of Christmas plan is to enjoy a small special moment each day, such as:

1. Open one small gift
2. Work on a puzzle together
3. Watch one festive movie
4. Try an advent calendar from a popular brand
5. Try one new holiday treat (candy cane, chocolate, hot cocoa, etc.)
6. Read one chapter of a holiday book

Popular Holiday Books to Add to Your List:

• Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini
• Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber
• A Mrs. Miracle Christmas by Debbie Macomber
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
• The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
• One Day in December by Josie Silver
• Christmas in London by Anita Hughes
• Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies

Seasonal Bucket List Freebie

Elevate your weekends with this fun and FREE seasonal bucket list. It includes fun activity ideas to enjoy all year round, including winter! Snag yours now to kickstart your 12 days of Christmas plan.

12 Days of Christmas Examples

Let’s put it all together, shall we? 

Below, I’ve created a 12 days of Christmas example to help you visualize what a fun plan might look like. 

• Day -1, December 23, Christmas Prep Day: Prepare for your Christmas family get-togethers by cleaning your home, wrapping gifts, baking, and preparing any meals you can in advance.
• Day 0, Christmas Eve: Celebrate Christmas Eve with your family and enjoy your favorite traditions.
• Day 1, Christmas Day: Celebrate by opening 1 gift, hosting a large family dinner, and playing board games together. 
• Day 2, December 26, Shopping Day: Snag some amazing deals on Christmas decorations during after-Christmas sales and end the day at the movie theater. 
• Day 3, December 27, Pajama Party Day: Spend the entire day in pajamas, enjoying leftovers and putting together a puzzle with a holiday film in the background. 
• Day 4, December 28, Volunteer Day: Spend the day volunteering to support a cause that is meaningful to you.
• Day 5, December 29, Event Day: Visit a local zoo or botanical garden for a holiday event or light show. 
• Day 6, December 30, Travel Day: Spend the day at a new destination and enjoy the top tourist attractions.
• Day 7, New Year’s Eve: Turn your Christmas Tree into a New Year’s Tree, cook a nice meal, and count down to New Year!
• Day 8, New Year’s Day: Celebrate New Year’s Day with your loved ones. Head outdoors for a nice winter hike.
• Day 9, January 2, Goal Planning Day: Reflect on the previous year and set your new year resolutions. 
• Day 10, January 3, Winter Adventure Day: Head to the mountains for a snow-filled adventure.
• Day 11, January 4, New Year Prep Day: Prep for the upcoming year by completing a new year planning checklist. 
• Day 12, January 5, Self Care and Decorations Day: Enjoy a day filled with self care and decorating. Turn your Christmas home into a winter wonderland. 

And… that’s a wrap! 🎁

I hope you enjoyed these Christmas activity ideas to help you create your very own 12 days of Christmas celebration plan. We have been enjoying this tradition for several years now and absolutely love it! I hope you find it just as fun and magical. Happy holidays! 

More Holiday Resources

Looking for more great holiday-related content? Check out these great resources:

• Game-Changing Holiday Money-Saving Tips
• The Ultimate Holiday Bucket List – 50 Festive Activity Ideas
• How to Create and Stick to a Realistic Holiday Budget
• 99 Budget-Friendly Gift Ideas
• The Ultimate Holiday Movie Bucket List
• The Ultimate College Student Holiday Gift Guide