christmas traditions and ideas for age 11 and 15

karren

what traditions are relavant age 11 and 15
gone are the santa vists
the mad dash to see santa messages etc
I want to make Christmas special as my very matter of a fact daughter now scoffs at my excitement but how do you do it??

tea_lover

Go to church.

lostinrates

Trip to the ballet ( I used to love the almost annual trip to the nutcracker as a tiny child, then later it swapped to other ballets or operas) or other bit of culture....


Making things like the cake and the pudding in advance together. ( indeed good opportunity to get kids involved in cooking things anyway, making gravy etc etc)

Boxing dAy dog Walk. A village local us go on an entire VILLAGE dog walk! Hilarious and great fun.

midnightraven3

do you do christmas eve hampers?

every year we have them (mine are older than yours now)
but we still enjoy

new PJs, socks, underwear (i buy christmassy ones in the Jan sales for the next year)
shower gel, deo, body spray
their fave sweets/crisps/can of pop
a silly christmassy novelty
a christmas DVD & popcorn

once everyone is home, and we have had dinner
everyone opens theirs, has a shower and changed into new PJs etc and we veg out and watch a DVD or 2

Idiophreak

Oh man, just so much stuff to be excited about!

Christmas tree shopping.
Decorating the Christmas tree.
Decorating the rest of the house - especially wreaths etc.
Mulled wine and roasted chestnuts.
I like the ballet idea.
Making cake / pudding / mince pies.
Is there a local mummers play or similar around Christmas?
Go carol singing.
Writing Christmas cards / wrapping presents.
Start a "traditional movie"...wonderful life, home alone, Elf, Die Hard
Throw a get-together for friends and family, or neighbours.
Go to a Christmas market.
Ice skating?
There are a couple of local arboretums etc that put lights up in the trees around Christmas, really pretty...anything similar by you?

Sure there's more....

fivetide

Xmas Eve Cinema seems remarkably popular!

Person_one

Cinema/theatre trip on Xmas eve?
Trip to a Christmas market?
Ice skating/indoor ski/snow activities?
Decorating the house?
Making and decorating a cake?
Going to a lights 'switch on' event?
Christmas jumpers?
Visiting family members?
Any activities at school?

mum2one

my dd is 12, for the last few yrs we have gone to a movie then to the pub for lunch, and a run round the supermarket, we usually get a cd, book, something extra as a gift x

oystercatcher

We had a family member who lived by the sea so I had my own tradition of a 'Christmas Paddle in the Sea' when we visited . Chilly but memorable

Spendless

My 2 are 14 and 11.

Theatre trip? Play, musical.

Outside ice rink?

Meal at a pub/restaurant?

Make holly wreaths?

Carol service? Midnight mass?

RAS

:DNow if you want the teen to engage, you need to scoff at everything to do with the event and she will start defending it:D

For me it is about anticipation:

Do the kids actually like Christmas pud/cake etc? If they do help them to make them ( have a stir and make a wish etc). If not what DO they like? Seasonal cupcakes or are those now so-so?

Making pressies for friends and rellies. Even if it is just making mints and using seasonal cutters. Then sourcing packaging and papers etc. Or knitting mitts etc.

What about winter picnics? Boxing day soup and rolls with a walk?

What do they like eating? We swapped the traditional gammon for brisket one year and everyone preferred it.