1. Give the gift of time to your family. The best holiday memories are the laughs and hugs so pick up the kids and go caroling or looking at the lights. Bonus- make some popcorn and hot chocolate to take with you.
  2. Movie night. Have a holiday movie night at home with popcorn (and make popcorn garlands).
  3. Make a new family tradition. Ask your kids what they like about the holidays (besides the gifts!) and make a new annual event around that theme.
  4. Stay local. Support your community while enjoying the traditions by looking to high school and college productions of holiday favorites.
  5. Make ornaments and crafts. Make them, share the stories of ones that you have, and ask about holiday stories from the older family members. Keep the memories alive and share time with people you love. Here is recipe for Salt Dough to bake your own ornaments in any shape that you want:  Mix 4 cups flour, 1 cup salt, and 1 1/2 cups hot water. Bake for 1 hour. Remember when you made paper snowflakes in school? Grab your scissors and white or silver paper and then hang up your glorious constructions for delightful low-cost décor.
  6. Volunteer. Look for volunteer opportunities around your community to help children and seniors. Brighten someone’s day and feel the joy of the holidays in your own heart.
  7. Grab your camera. Take your camera/phone and head up to a local winter wonderland to take family photos. Get some action shots of the everyone sledding or building a snowman. Bonus- use the pictures for your holiday cards, or social media holiday posts.
  8. Recipe swap. Have friends get together to make their favorite holiday recipe. You’ll have a great time with your friends and possibly find a new favorite dish.
  9. Organize a neighborhood toy exchange. Everyone brings a few things that their child isn’t using anymore and parents get a chance to swap gently or barely used toys for something new to their child.
  10. Write letters. Send notes to the military or even family members who live out of your city/state/country. Decorate your cards with anything that you have laying around the house.