Holiday Traditions and Screen-Free Family Activities Everyone Will Enjoy 

Swap screen time for together time! From baking to crafts to snowy adventures, these holiday traditions bring families closer than ever.

By Tracey Winikoff

The holidays are a magical time—but between screens, busy schedules, and last-minute gingerbread emergencies, it’s easy for precious moments to slip by. 

It’s all about presence, not presents.

Whether you’re baking together, crafting, playing games, or enjoying cozy nights in, these simple, screen-free family activities can make the holidays truly unforgettable.

Why Screen-Free Family Fun Matters

Unplugging during the holidays is more than a break from technology—it’s an opportunity to:

• Encourage creativity and imagination, such as turning a sock into a snowman or a pipe cleaner into a jingle bell door hanger!
• Strengthen family bonds—the sillier, the better—like clearing away furniture and turning the floor into a skating rink with everyone gliding around in their favorite fuzzy socks.
• Teach kids the joy of hands-on activities like building a gingerbread house or decorating cookies.

It’s about shared experiences, treasured moments, and connection.

Create and Enjoy New Holiday Traditions with Your Family

Simple, meaningful activities can become beloved traditions:

• Baking Together: Pick one special treat each week—cookies, cake, festive snacks—and involve everyone in mixing, decorating, and of course, tasting! Flour fights optional, but encouraged!
• DIY Ornaments and Crafts: Gather pinecones, greenery, ribbon, paper, or recycled materials to craft homemade garland, snowflakes, and ornaments that double as both home and tree décor. Glitter mandatory—c’mon, it’s the holidays!
• Decorating Rituals: Turn decorating into a mini-event—play favorite tunes, sip hot cocoa, and assign fun roles so everyone gets to join in the fun.

Storage Tip: Corral craft supplies in a portable caddy or cart to make clean-up a breeze. Want more ways to keep the holiday chaos under control? Don’t miss Stress-Free Holiday Prep & Smart Storage Tips for a Merrier Season.

Fun Screen-Free Games and Activities

Keep the family engaged with a mix of indoor and outdoor fun:

• Board & Card Games: Classic favorites or holiday-themed versions spark laughter and possibly, a little friendly competition.
• Holiday-Themed Scavenger Hunt: Hide ornaments, treats, or clues around the house for kids to embark on a festive treasure hunt.
• Charades or Pictionary: Put a holiday twist on these classics for extra giggles, such as “Santa’s stuck in a chimney.”
• Puzzles: Pick a festive design to complete together over cocoa.
• Craft Challenges: Who can decorate the funniest gingerbread cookie in five minutes?
• Winter Picnic: Bundle up for an outdoor meal under twinkling lights or feast on an indoor picnic by the fire or Christmas tree!
• Neighborhood Lights Walk: Take an evening stroll, hot chocolate in hand, admiring the sparkle of nearby holiday displays. Bring plates of homemade cookies to deliver to neighbors, spreading good cheer along the way!

Cozy Holiday Moments

Sometimes the simplest moments turn into the sweetest memories:

• Storytime or Storytelling Games: Take turns reading or creating your own holiday tales. Goofy is good—how about the candy cane that escaped or the cookie family that lived in a gingerbread house?
• Hot Chocolate & Popcorn Bar: Whisk up a steaming pot of cocoa alongside a giant container of popcorn for a DIY treat station with bowls of your favorite mix-ins, including mini-marshmallows, candy canes, and M&Ms.
• Family Journaling: Write or draw highlights from each day to create a family holiday memory book. Funny mishaps make for the best stories!
• Snowy Fun: Everyone gets to be a kid! Build a snowman, have a snowball fight, make snow angels, or go sledding—pure winter joy for all!

Let everyone vote on their favorite activities to repeat the following year. Here’s to unplugging, bonding, and building family holiday traditions that your family will cherish for years. 

This season, connect, create, and celebrate—no screens required.