In our younger years, staying inside and making crafts was something we all enjoyed doing. Paper chains, red and green pasta necklaces, foam picture frames, the list goes on. Some of my best memories involve doing arts and crafts with my parents, especially during the holiday season. With that being said, here are the top four indoor Christmas activities:

Do you remember sitting down at the table with your younger siblings cutting up pieces of paper? These were not just any design, paper snowflakes were all the rage for kids under seven. Often made in school during the holiday season, paper snowflakes bring lots of holiday cheer to your home, especially if you live in a warmer area. 

Remember when Magic Snow was made? The mysterious water-activated white powder hit the shelves back in the early 2000s. Kids bought a tube, poured it into a bowl, and watched the magic come to life! It was one of the best stay-at-home activities on a snow day or a day with no school. The snow is soft to the touch, and was able to be shaped into anything you dreamed of!

It’s December 1st! Do you remember those advent calendars? Every morning a new toy or chocolate awaited and took you by surprise. Missing a day was the best feeling, extra toys and cheer coming your way! This was a very fun and festive way to celebrate, and kept a routine of joy each day of the month. 

Grab a funnel! Grab some fake snow and paint! Do you remember making those little clear snowman ornaments? This was a great craft to make on a snow/hurricane day. These ornaments were created using puffy paint and Sharpies in any design your heart desired, with a fun snowy surprise inside! Don’t unscrew the top though, because all that snow will go everywhere!

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a hilarious misadventure. This movie came out in 1989 and is a Christmas movie staple. This movie highlights the stress and absurdity of a giant family Christmas, while proving to be one of the most hilarious holiday movies. I remember how we all used to laugh at this movie and relate to all its holiday pandemonium.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, is a classic movie we have all watched at some point growing up. This movie came out in 1964 and has become one of the most memorable Christmas movies, for me at least. I remember  loving all of the adventures Rudolph goes on, and how all of us kids were scared of Bumble, the abominable snowman. This movie conveyed an important message while growing up, showing us that we should never leave anyone out like Rudolph had been.

Elf came out in 2003, starring Will Ferell as Buddy the Elf. This movie depicts the magical journey of an accidental Elf, who is actually human, looking for his father in New York. Buddy the Elf has become one of the most iconic Christmas characters, and is still relevant today. I remember when this movie was so enchanting to me. We all loved the narwhal’s quote “Bye buddy I hope you find your dad”, and I remember the laughter during the raccoon scene.

The Grinch is a movie that we all remember from our childhood. This live-action movie was made in 2000 and would become an annual tradition for many. Then in 2018, the movie was remade into a more cartoonish variant, for a new generation to grow up on. I remember seeing this movie every year, hoping the Grinch wouldn’t steal my Christmas. We all loved how grand Whooville was decorated for Christmas, and the scenery of snow and presents got all of us in the Christmas spirit.

Home Alone – the Christmas movie of our generation – has made over $500 million over the years, and has been the most loved Christmas movie since its release. Macaulay Culkin plays Kevin McCallister, the bratty 8-year-old who finds himself in a unique Christmas situation. He is forgotten at home while his family flies to Paris. He must protect his house from two notorious thieves, “The Wet Bandits”. I remember watching this every year during the holidays with my mom and then pretending to set booby-traps, similar to Kevin’s, around my house. This movie was truly a childhood classic.

Remember on the last day of school before winter break you and your friends would sit around the lunch tables and make gingerbread houses? We would use old milkcartons saved up from the week and icing to stick the gingerbread to the carton as a base. Using various small candies like gumdrops, sprinkles, M&M’s, candy canes, marshmallows, and more, we’d decorate our houses in unique styles. 

Remember having a Christmas party with your class and eating the festive christmas colored Lofthouse cookies with the tree, star, and snowflake sprinkles? They had a white sugar cookie base which was soft and pillowy, but always had little to no flavor. The icing held all the punch. It was a thick, sugary paste slapped on top of the cookie, but tasted so good. Everyone would fight for the last one.

Remember watching the Polar Express movie, cuddled up with your friends on the classroom carpet or in the library with a cup of hot chocolate that was handed out when the hot chocolate song came on in the movie? The Polar Express is a movie based on a boy who doesn’t believe in Christmas but goes on the train to the North Pole on Christmas Eve and becomes a believer. I remember we all wanted to be him and receive a sleigh bell from Santa himself.

Remember on the last day of school you would bring in a gift for Secret Santa or White Elephant? Usually, the gift would be in the $10-15 range and would be used in either one of these games. Secret Santa is a gift-giving game, usually consisting of a name being picked or pulled at random. It is necessary to keep your pick to make it a surprise the day gifts are exchanged. White Elephant is when everyone brings in a gift and takes turns picking or swapping items. Classmates always ended up fighting over the best gift. Most people either chose their gift to keep it, or took the opportunity to steal someone else’s. I remember specifically one year winning a hot chocolate kit after someone swapped mine for a gift card. 

Do you remember the toys that everyone wanted as a kid? These toys were the most popular in the early 2000s and hold a special memory in our lives. We all hoped to find at least one of these toys under the Christmas tree on December 25th, wondering if Santa would bring it. 

#1 Fingerling Monkeys: 

Fingerlings were released in 2017 by the WowWee company. They were initially released only for the holiday season and became the #1 Christmas toy in 2017.  They were robotic toys that wrapped around the finger and reacted to touch and sound with blowing kisses and blinking. We would spend hours interacting with the Fingerlings trying to find out each motion they made. I remember trying to get the rarest one to show off to my friends. The glitter ones were always hard to find. 

#2 Bratz Dolls:

Bratz Dolls were released in 2001 and had a huge impact on the company, with it selling over 125 million dolls around the world. Doll sales skyrocketed around Christmas time, selling two billion. The four most popular dolls as we all remember were: Yasmin, Cloe, Jade, and Sasha. We all wanted the newest doll and wanted to style them in different clothes. We all remember begging our parents for a Bratz Doll and waking up on Christmas morning overfilled with joy after opening one up. 

# 3 Zhu Zhu Pets:

Super expensive Christmas gifts took a bit of a break in 2009 thanks to the rise in popularity of Zhu Zhu Pets. These tiny, robotic hamsters were marketed to kids as “pets” and gained popularity supposedly because of how adorable they were all around. On Christmas morning, I remember opening other presents while the Zhu Zhu Pets would run around. The ones with the hair were the most legendary and were hard to find in stores, making them a prized item for most of us kids. 

#4 Beyblades:

When Beyblades first entered the market in 2002, they quickly became the most well-liked Christmas toy of that year. Their popularity increased as a result of marketing that corresponded with the debut of an anime series by the same name. We all remember those days where we would versus each other and try to win and get the coolest looking Beyblade. We would all trade Beyblades like Pokemon cards, only better. 

#5 Razor Scooters: 

Almost all of the street kids in the 2000s who weren’t cruising around on these scooters wanted one. Because of its low cost and simplicity of use, the Razor Scooter gained popularity the year it was released. I remember racing down the street with my friends at night, watching the wheels’ flashing colors in amusement. However, on a more negative note, we all remember the immense pain caused by walking and hitting your ankle with your scooter.

Christmas Decorations: Remember going shopping for Christmas decorations when you were super little? No matter what happened throughout the year, it always seemed like come Christmas time, your family needed some new decorations. Whether it was new lights for the tree, ornaments, stockings, or even little decorations to place around the house, shopping for decorations was always a crucial part of the Christmas experience.

Christmas Trees: Remember shopping for a new Christmas tree? Running around the lot, the air was filled with the smell of fresh pine, and the ground was absolutely covered in needles. Remember trying to pick up one of the trees and your parents having to tell you it was a little too heavy for you and to not get hurt? The cool air and being surrounded by nature made this a really pleasant day out. 

Siblings Presents: Remember shopping for presents for your siblings and cousins? It really was kind of a bittersweet experience. On the one hand you got to pick out some really cool gifts that you knew they would like, but at the same time it stirred up a little bit of jealousy since you knew they got some cool stuff and had no idea what you were getting. 

Black Friday: Remember shopping for Christmas on Black Friday? The whole concept was always so confusing. You knew there was some history associated with the holiday but you never really understood why everything was so cheap on that one day. And then there were the insanely long lines you had to sit through, bored out of your mind and just wishing you could go home. It was a true trial of patience for any little ones out there.

When is Christmas again?: Remember getting confused about when Christmas was? When you would go shopping with family and Christmas decorations were already on sale in stores it made it kind of confusing to tell how long it really was until Christmas. Your parents had to explain to you pretty much every day how much longer until December 25th rolled around. And Christmas decorations in October definitely didn’t help to clear things up.

Christmas Cookies

Everyone has a memory of baking cookies with their grandmother or mother during the holidays. There are all kinds of Christmas cookies, whether it is sugar, ones with a hershey kiss on top, or ones with a thick coating of icing on top, there is an endless selection of cookies for the holiday season. Many, myself included, have childhood Christmas traditions connected to snacks, let’s get into them!

Eggnog:

This is a very debatable topic; you either love it or completely hate it. No matter what side of the debate you are on, it is hard to disagree with the fact that eggnog is a true Christmas tradition for many families. I personally have memories of the terrible taste of eggnog when I was a kid, and I think many others can concur.

Candy Cane:

Candy canes are a classic for the holiday season. Their iconic curved shape makes them easy to hang on a Christmas tree for a fun, edible decoration. Many families have stuffed childrens’ stockings with candy canes for a long time, and it is a cherished tradition that will probably outlive all of us. I remember struggling to unwrap candy canes as a kid and they always left us kids’ hands feeling really sticky.

Reese’s:

Another classic for Christmas stockings are the Reese’s Trees. Reese’s are an absolute fan favorite no matter how they come. Whether it be a cup, bar, egg, or tree, Reese’s are beloved by traditional candy lovers and even those who don’t love chocolate too much. I remember the excitement of receiving Reese’s on Christmas day in my stocking, and even today I still love the feeling. 

Peppermint:

Peppermint flavored anything screams Christmastime, so much so that it has adopted the colors of Christmas, whether it be the classic red and white combination or red, green, and white. Peppermint also comes in ice cream form that is specially made for the holiday season. This is one of my favorite traditions for Christmas Day dinner. Peppermint has great relief for a stuffy nose as well, which is really good for common wintertime sicknesses that seem to spread this time of year.

Personally, many of these traditions are very near and dear to my heart. The Christmas season  is a time full of many traditions for many people, and Christmas time snacks are just one of them. Whatever you munch on, have a Happy Holiday season!

Remember that doll that looked like an elf and always found its way around your home? This doll goes by the nickname, “The Elf on the Shelf.”

During the month of December, the Elf on the Shelf hides around your home each day for you to find, like a game of hide and seek. Supposedly a private eye for Santa Claus, the Elf on the Shelf sneaks around in order to know which kids are naughty or nice. The only catch is that you cannot touch the elf because the elf will lose its power to move. 

When we had an Elf on the Shelf, we thought that it was strange how it snuck into our homes, but we didn’t really mind it. Our parents all told us the rules: not to touch the elf but to search the house each day of the month to find it. They also told us that it was okay to give the elf a name. Now, our elves not only moved a lot, but hid in the craziest spots of our houses. They hid in our cabinets, shelves, and on top of other pieces of furniture. 

Remember the time that some of us poked our elves, calling our parent’s bluff on the whole “losing magic” myth? Some lost their magic, and some didn’t. We still had a lot of fun trying to find the elf. It was a cool activity and an amazing memory for us to remember.

Remember going to church on Christmas Eve when we were children? It was one of our favorite traditions during the holiday season. Our families would dress in their best clothes and head to the church, always decorated beautifully.

The church service on Christmas Eve was unique. It was so beautiful; fantastic music filled the room with joy and happiness. People sang and hugged other people, even those they didn’t know. It was joy across the room. The priest tells the story of the birth of Jesus. We all loved the feeling of community during the service, with everyone coming together to celebrate this special day. It provided a warm sense of love and reminded us to appreciate everything we have been blessed with. That’s the best part of attending church, especially around the holidays. 

After the service on Christmas Eve, many people can remember spending quality time with their families and loved ones. It’s a time to reflect on the holiday’s true meaning and be grateful for what we have, including the love and support from those around us. I know many of us kids looked forward to continuing the celebration by exchanging gifts, enjoying a special meal, or simply relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. Regardless of how you decide to spend the night, the memories of attending church on Christmas Eve will always be cherished and remembered.