Christmas Eve at home, calm, cosy and a little magic.

Morning: use up the excitement

• Take a holiday walk together

  You made it to day 25! Take everyone out for a walk and talk about your favourite door of the whole calendar.

  45 minFreeUp to 12

  You need: Outdoor clothes

• Play tag games in the park

  Freeze tag, snowman tag (when tagged, freeze like a snowman until someone hugs you), stuck in the mud.

  45 minFreeAges 3 to 12

  You need: A park

• Build an indoor obstacle course

  Crawl under chairs, hop between cushions, balance on a line of tape. Time each other and try to beat your record.

  45 minFreeAges 2 to 12

  You need: Cushions, chairs, tape

• Follow a treasure hunt

  A grown-up hides clues around the house, each leading to the next. The treasure can be a small treat or a hot chocolate.

  45 minFreeAges 3 to 12

  You need: Paper clues, a small treat

• Hold the Silly Olympics

  Events: egg-and-spoon race, sock throwing, longest balance on one leg, sack race in pillowcases. Make paper medals.

  45 minFreeAges 3 to 12

  You need: Spoons, socks, pillowcases

Afternoon: get ready together

• Wrap presents together

  Put on music and wrap the presents you made or bought for others. Kids are in charge of the tape.

  45 minFreeAges 4 to 12

  You need: Paper, tape, presents

• Make a festive snack board

  Arrange crackers, cheese, fruit and veg into a wreath or a tree on a big board and eat it for dinner on the floor.

  30 minCosts a littleAges 3 to 12

  You need: Snacks from the fridge

• Plan a family winter feast

  Everyone chooses one dish, kids make place cards and a menu, and you eat a special dinner together.

  About an hourCosts a littleAges 3 to 12

  You need: Food each person chose

• Ice and decorate biscuits

  Ice plain shop-bought biscuits with coloured icing and sprinkles. Make a plate for the neighbours too.

  40 minCosts a littleAges 2 to 12

  You need: Plain biscuits, icing sugar, sprinkles

• Invent a festive drink

  Mix juices, sparkling water, fruit and mint to invent the family’s signature drink. Give it a name and a fancy glass.

  20 minCosts a littleAges 4 to 12

  You need: Juice, fizzy water, fruit

Evening: wind down

• Mix magic reindeer food

  Mix oats with a pinch of coloured sugar in a little bag and sprinkle it on the lawn to guide the reindeer. (Skip glitter — the birds eat it too.)

  15 minFreeAges 2 to 8

  You need: Oats, a little sugar, a paper bag

• Track Santa’s sleigh

  Follow Santa’s journey on the NORAD Santa Tracker website, then put out a treat for him and a carrot for the reindeer.

  20 minFreeAges 3 to 10

  You need: A screen, a carrot, a treat

• Open new pyjamas and read together

  A cosy tradition: everyone gets new (or freshly washed) pyjamas, a hot drink and one last story before the big day.

  30 minCosts a littleUp to 12

  You need: Pyjamas, a story

• Light candles and share wishes

  Light a candle for each person in the family and say one wish for them for the coming year.

  20 minFreeUp to 12

  You need: Candles or battery lights

• Write letters to each other

  Everyone writes or draws a short letter to each family member about what they love about them. Read them aloud.

  30 minFreeAges 4 to 12

  You need: Paper, envelopes

• Read “The Night Before Christmas”

  Read the classic poem by candlelight (or torchlight). Let the kids act out the reindeer names.

  20 minFreeUp to 12

  You need: The poem (it is free online)

• Listen to carols in the twinkle light

  Christmas Eve: put on soft carols, turn off the big lights and cuddle by the tree before bed.

  20 minFreeUp to 4

  You need: Music, some lights

Tips for a calmer Christmas Eve

• Get outside in daylight. A walk or a run in the park helps everyone sleep.
• Keep the screen time early in the day.
• Start the bedtime routine a little earlier than usual. It will take longer tonight.
• Choose one tradition and do it every year. Children love knowing what comes next.

Questions