Getting into the Christmas spirit with teens

[merrygoround51]

Reading all the lovely threads about Christmas traditions and excitement I am struck that they are almost all by parents of young children. I adore Christmas and am wondering how to make it more special and magical with young teens now that trips to Santa etc are off the table

We try to do at least one Christmas activity as a family it might be an evening at a Christmas market now rather than visiting Santa but you still get the festive atmosphere.

My DP has slightly younger DC which helps, last year we went to feed reindeer, teenagers and adults loved that.

We have a tradition of going out for brunch on Christmas Eve (I'm usually lucky enough to get the day off). I find teen DC tend to be quite interested in food, so the cooking of the Christmas ham gets attention now, rather than deciding what to put out for Santa.

Ice skating is nice .Christmas markets with a sneaky mulled wine as they get older

Go out for a Xmas pub meal. Christmas market trip is fun I did this often as a teenager. Carol singing is a popular activity.

We watch cheesy Christmas movies every weekend ( from November!!)with bingo cards - a sweet for every item crossed off. They love it!

We do a food bank shop each year - they get £20 each and they like comparing the prices/value of stuff and then donating it. After that I usually give them money to buy some treats for themselves too.

They also like ice skating, light shows ( for the gram), we do a family secret Santa from charity shops, and an annual Christmas hot chocolate tasting completion from all the different coffee shops. On Christmas Eve morning we go to a buffet breakfast at a premier inn or similar and then sit in a coffee shop in town watching people panic buy. They love this!! They often get their friends along. One year we saw a celebrity in John Lewis and got selfies!

This year we are planning our own version of Squid Game with prizes and forfeits ( not death though). It’s made them a lot more enthusiastic about playing Jenga.
On Boxing Day we always build a model - Lego or similar. Last year we built a fairy castle out of sugar cubes.

DD is 14.

She loves baking with me or on her own, decorating the house early December and then the tree on the 23rd. She has her own little tree and is in charge of decorating her room.

We go for a more formal carol concert one evening with a nice meal beforehand.

Christmas Market and we started going to these illuminated forests a while ago.

She is part of a musical production school so will have a performance and sometimes a carol singing with them.

We go ice skating with a group of friends and then have food at one of the houses and the children watch christmas movies.

The only thing really missing is the visit to Santa.

I have young children but when we were teenagers we always loved things like going to garden centres to see all the decorations, displays and having a hot chocolate or something in the cafe.

Watching Christmas films together with tin of Roses/quality street etc, sometimes in our pjs 😁

Decorating the tree, going to Christmas markets/ice skating, visiting family to deliver cards or presents while playing Christmas music in the car.

I have 3 teens and they still love doing all the Christmas stuff, markets, posh garden centre for decs, trip to London lights, ice skating etc.

My 14 year old asked me yesterday if the special envelop that we send to the North Pole is ready for her Christmas list. Obv she doesn’t believe in Father Christmas anymore but she still wants to participate in all that stuff

I used to love helping my mum, we did Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, fudge, creme de menthe , marzipan fruits, dates stuffed with marzipan, Turkish delight and coconut ice. That seems an awful lot so I don't think we made everything every year.

Give them fun jobs to do. Don't be surprised if they whinge about being bored etc a lot of teenagers to through this.

Thanks for all the feedback. Lots of nice ideas here

We usually go out for a 'Christmas dinner' either with Christmas shopping the first weekend of December or when school (now college!) breaks up.

Christmas Eve is our day as we spend the day itself with my elderly parents and she usually sees her dad on Boxing Day.

This year we're going for brunch and a beach walk then home for bath, face packs etc, Christmas jigsaw and TV/films and baked Camembert!

ZandraPlackett
I absolutely love all your ideas I really want to do some of these with my teens, thank you!

Loving the bingo cards for Christmas movies!

I take mine to see the Nutcracker ballet every year, he’s often the only teenage boy but he still likes it and so do I lol. We also still enjoy going to a pantomime and watching Christmas movies - I took him to a singalong Muppets Christmas Carol once which he loved. Also having Christmas bedding and jumper and PJs and a tree in his room helps! I do a secret Santa with my siblings and their partners and he picks the name out of a hat and texts us so he enjoys the power of knowing who is buying for who!

My 14yo DS still wants to visit FC this year! He does have a younger DS, though.

They both love doing a Christmas Quiz and Christmas Bingo - with prizes!

Mine are late teens now (both boys) but every year still enjoy certain traditions which they grew up with. We have a day in London to see the lights & Christmas windows (usually Liberty & then Carnaby Street which is great for teens), a general wander to get into the spirit of it & then a late lunch somewhere relaxed, where we usually end up losing around 2 hours plus because they’re so engaged with us by then.

We watch Christmas movies every Sunday afternoon from mid-November onwards. All the cheese fest ones!

They insist that we read “The Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve & put their stockings out etc. Also still enjoy Christmas Eve hampers with new pjs, sweets etc. Maybe encourage them to make one up for you & your DH?

Maybe try having your Christmas meal on Christmas Eve? We often do & somehow it feels more grown up to them. Also means that they’re more likely to be happy with joining in with food prep rather than on Christmas Day, so there’s a greater sense of family togetherness.

Also just making sure that there’s plenty of downtime together through December. An evening snuggled up watching tv with them by the Christmas tree can be just as cosy & festive as bigger activities. Making proper hot chocolate as an after school treat. And plenty of fresh air walks.

Reading this thread with great awe.

My teens are 13 and 15 and, due to their constant bickering, we can rarely enjoy an activity together as a family without it descending into chaos.
I'm hoping this phase will pass soon 🙁

My teen is 15. We still have to have "The Night Before Christmas" at bed time. When he was around 10 we also started listening to "A Child's Christmas in Wales" Dylan Thomas recording afterward. We both love it.