Christmas Activities for Aunts, Uncles & Kids

Fun Christmas activities for aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, including holiday baking, Christmas crafts, ornament making, decorating, holiday light adventures, movie nights, handmade gifts and memorable Christmas traditions.

Christmas is about more than presents.

For aunts and uncles, the holiday season is an opportunity to create traditions, experiences and memories that your niece or nephew may carry with them for years.

Maybe it's baking the same cookies together every December. Maybe it's driving around looking at Christmas lights, making handmade ornaments, watching a favorite holiday movie or spending an afternoon creating gifts for the people you love.

The activity itself doesn't have to be elaborate.

The tradition is what makes it special.

At Funcles & Faunties™, we're all about helping aunts, uncles and chosen family find meaningful ways to spend time with the kids they love.

So grab some hot chocolate, put on the holiday music and find your next Christmas adventure.

What Are Fun Christmas Activities for Kids?

The best Christmas activities depend on the child's age and interests, but there are plenty of ways to make the holiday season fun for toddlers, elementary-age kids, tweens and teens.

Try:

  • Christmas baking

  • Decorating cookies

  • Making Christmas ornaments

  • Decorating the Christmas tree

  • Making handmade gifts

  • Creating Christmas cards

  • Holiday crafts

  • Looking at Christmas lights

  • Christmas movie nights

  • Holiday scavenger hunts

  • Visiting a Christmas market

  • Building a gingerbread house

  • Making hot chocolate

  • Reading Christmas books

  • Christmas music and dance parties

  • Holiday volunteering

  • Christmas day trips

  • Wrapping presents together

  • Creating new family traditions

You don't need to do all of them.

Pick one and make it yours.

Christmas Baking With Your Niece or Nephew

Few things create holiday memories quite like baking together.

Choose a favorite family recipe or try something completely new.

Make:

  • Christmas cookies

  • Gingerbread cookies

  • Cupcakes

  • Brownies

  • Homemade bread

  • Cinnamon rolls

  • Holiday popcorn

  • Chocolate-covered treats

  • Gingerbread houses

For younger kids, let them decorate.

For older kids and teens, let them take over more of the recipe.

You could even create an annual Funcle or Fauntie Christmas baking day.

Same recipe.

Same music.

Same silly traditions.

New memories every year.

Make Christmas Ornaments Together

Homemade ornaments can become some of the most meaningful decorations on the tree.

Try:

  • Painted ornaments

  • Salt dough ornaments

  • Photo ornaments

  • Personalized name ornaments

  • Clay ornaments

  • Paper ornaments

  • Nature-inspired ornaments

  • Handprint ornaments

  • Painted wooden ornaments

  • Recycled-material ornaments

Write the year on each ornament.

Then, every Christmas, you'll have a growing collection that documents their childhood.

Create Handmade Christmas Gifts

Help your niece or nephew make gifts for the people they love.

Ideas include:

  • Homemade cards

  • Painted picture frames

  • Friendship bracelets

  • Personalized mugs

  • Decorated cookies

  • Homemade ornaments

  • Painted rocks

  • Drawings

  • Photo collages

  • Coupon books

  • DIY decorations

Handmade gifts don't have to be perfect.

That's part of the charm.

Go See Christmas Lights

Pile into the car, make some hot chocolate and go looking for the best Christmas lights in your area.

Turn it into a tradition by choosing:

  • A favorite neighborhood

  • A local light display

  • A holiday lights event

  • A decorated downtown area

  • A Christmas tree lighting

  • A drive-through light show

Create a Christmas playlist and let your niece or nephew choose the songs.

You could even make a Christmas Lights Bingo card with things to find:

  • Santa

  • Reindeer

  • Snowman

  • Candy cane

  • Giant Christmas tree

  • Inflatable character

  • Nativity scene

  • House covered in lights

Have a Christmas Movie Night

Pick a favorite holiday movie and make the night feel special.

Add:

  • Pajamas

  • Blankets

  • Popcorn

  • Hot chocolate

  • Christmas cookies

  • Christmas lights

  • Favorite candy

For an annual tradition, let your niece or nephew choose the movie each year.

As they get older, you may discover that the movie becomes less important than the tradition of watching it together.

Build a Gingerbread House

Building a gingerbread house is part craft, part construction project and part dessert.

Let kids:

  • Design the house

  • Choose the candy

  • Decorate the roof

  • Build a gingerbread village

  • Create a candy landscape

For older kids, turn it into a friendly competition.

Who can build the most creative gingerbread house?

Decorate the Christmas Tree Together

Make decorating the tree an event.

Put on holiday music.

Make hot chocolate.

Bring out the ornaments.

Tell stories about where different ornaments came from.

If you have a special ornament from each year you've spent together, let your niece or nephew put it on the tree.

This is a simple activity that can become an annual tradition.

Read Christmas Books Together

For toddlers and younger children, Christmas storytime can become a favorite holiday tradition.

Choose a few books and read them together each year.

You can:

  • Visit the library

  • Build a reading fort

  • Make hot chocolate

  • Wear pajamas

  • Read by the Christmas tree

  • Let your niece or nephew choose the books

For older kids, try reading a chapter book together and discussing it as you go.

Have a Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Create a holiday-themed scavenger hunt around the house, backyard or neighborhood.

Look for:

  • Christmas lights

  • A candy cane

  • A wreath

  • A Christmas tree

  • A snowman

  • A Santa decoration

  • A red bow

  • A reindeer

  • A star

For older kids, use clues and riddles instead of simple lists.

The final clue could lead to a small gift, special treat or surprise Christmas adventure.

Make a Christmas Countdown

Build anticipation with a countdown tradition.

Create:

  • A paper chain

  • A Christmas calendar

  • A kindness countdown

  • A daily activity list

  • A Christmas bucket list

Instead of giving a gift every day, add an activity.

For example:

Day 1: Make hot chocolate.
Day 2: Watch a Christmas movie.
Day 3: Make an ornament.
Day 4: Look at Christmas lights.
Day 5: Bake cookies.

This keeps the focus on experiences rather than presents.

Christmas Activities by Age

The best Christmas activities change as children grow.

Ages 2–4

Keep things simple, sensory and playful.

Try:

  • Decorating cookies

  • Making simple ornaments

  • Christmas storytime

  • Holiday music and dancing

  • Looking at Christmas lights

  • Decorating the tree

  • Building a simple gingerbread house

  • Christmas crafts

  • Making cards

  • Hot chocolate dates

[Explore Activities for Ages 2–4 →]

Ages 4–6

Kids this age are ready to participate in more hands-on holiday activities.

Try:

  • Christmas baking

  • Ornament making

  • Gingerbread houses

  • Christmas scavenger hunts

  • Holiday crafts

  • Christmas movies

  • Decorating

  • Making handmade gifts

  • Christmas light tours

  • Holiday adventures

[Explore Activities for Ages 4–6 →]

Ages 6–8

Introduce activities that let them make choices and take on more responsibility.

Try:

  • Baking challenges

  • Christmas crafts

  • Gift making

  • Holiday scavenger hunts

  • Christmas markets

  • Light tours

  • Gingerbread competitions

  • Holiday volunteering

  • Christmas day trips

  • Photography

[Explore Activities for Ages 6–8 →]

Ages 8–10

Older kids may enjoy activities that feel more like experiences than traditional children's crafts.

Try:

  • Christmas escape rooms

  • Holiday markets

  • Photography adventures

  • Baking competitions

  • Christmas shopping

  • Gift-making projects

  • Volunteering

  • Day trips

  • Christmas light tours

  • Planning a holiday meal

[Explore Activities for Ages 8–10 →]

Tweens

Give your tween more control over the experience.

Try:

  • Christmas shopping adventures

  • Holiday markets

  • Baking challenges

  • Christmas movie marathons

  • Concerts

  • Photography

  • Volunteering

  • Day trips

  • Restaurant outings

  • Gift-making projects

  • Christmas light adventures

Ask them:

"What's one Christmas thing you really want to do this year?"

Then make it happen together.

[Explore Activities for Tweens →]

Teens

Christmas traditions can help you stay connected as teenagers become more independent.

Try:

  • Christmas shopping

  • Coffee dates

  • Holiday concerts

  • Christmas markets

  • Road trips

  • Restaurant outings

  • Volunteering

  • Baking

  • Photography

  • Holiday light tours

  • Travel

  • Movie nights

And remember that teenagers may appreciate being treated less like children and more like the young adults they're becoming.

[Explore Activities for Teens →]

Free Christmas Activities

You don't need a big holiday budget to make Christmas memorable.

Try:

  • Looking at Christmas lights

  • Christmas walks

  • Holiday movie nights at home

  • Reading Christmas books

  • Making paper ornaments

  • Decorating with things you already have

  • Christmas music and dancing

  • Baking together

  • Making Christmas cards

  • Neighborhood scavenger hunts

  • Stargazing

  • Visiting free community events

Sometimes the simplest traditions become the ones kids remember most.

Budget-Friendly Christmas Activities

Want to have fun without spending a lot?

Try:

  • Homemade Christmas decorations

  • DIY ornaments

  • Homemade gifts

  • Baking

  • Christmas movie nights

  • Library visits

  • Free holiday events

  • Christmas light tours

  • Hot chocolate walks

  • Thrift-store gift challenges

  • Homemade cards

  • Christmas scavenger hunts

The goal isn't to spend more.

It's to spend time together.

Christmas Activities for Aunts & Nieces

Create a special tradition that's just for you and your niece.

Try:

  • Annual Christmas shopping

  • Holiday baking

  • Matching pajamas

  • Christmas crafts

  • Ornament making

  • Christmas movie night

  • Holiday light tour

  • Christmas brunch

  • Handmade gift exchange

  • Annual Christmas photo

As she grows up, these traditions can become part of your unique relationship.

Christmas Activities for Uncles & Nephews

Create an annual adventure that's just for you and your nephew.

Try:

  • Building something

  • Christmas light tours

  • Holiday sports

  • Camping

  • Baking

  • Gaming nights

  • Christmas movie marathon

  • Gift shopping

  • Cooking a holiday meal

  • Christmas day trips

  • Holiday volunteering

The activity can change as he gets older.

The tradition is what stays.

Start a Christmas Tradition That's Just Yours

You don't need to copy someone else's family tradition.

Create your own.

Maybe every Christmas you:

Make the same cookies.

Go see the same Christmas lights.

Exchange handmade ornaments.

Take a photo together.

Have a Christmas breakfast.

Watch the same movie.

Go on a Christmas adventure.

Volunteer together.

Choose one new activity every year.

These small rituals can become an important part of your relationship.

Make a Christmas Bucket List

Sit down together and create a list of things you want to do before Christmas.

Your bucket list might include:

  • Bake cookies

  • Make an ornament

  • See Christmas lights

  • Watch a holiday movie

  • Drink hot chocolate

  • Build a gingerbread house

  • Make a handmade gift

  • Visit a Christmas market

  • Go ice skating

  • Volunteer

  • Send Christmas cards

  • Have a pajama day

  • Take a Christmas photo

  • Try a new holiday recipe

Then check them off together.

The Best Christmas Memories Aren't Always Under the Tree

Years from now, your niece or nephew may not remember every present they received.

They may remember:

The cookies you made together.

The Christmas lights you drove around looking for.

The ornament they made with you.

The movie you watched every year.

The ridiculous gingerbread house.

The Christmas morning breakfast.

The tradition that belonged to the two of you.

That's the magic of spending intentional time together.

Ready to Make a Christmas Memory?

Whether you're a Funcle, Fauntie, aunt, uncle, godparent or another special adult in a child's life, Christmas gives you countless opportunities to create traditions and meaningful memories.

You don't need the perfect gift.

You don't need a perfect plan.

You just need a little time together.

Pick a tradition. Make some time. Go have fun.

Never Forget to Play.

More Ways to Find Your Next Activity

By Age

[Activities for Ages 2–4 →]
[Activities for Ages 4–6 →]
[Activities for Ages 6–8 →]
[Activities for Ages 8–10 →]
[Activities for Tweens →]
[Activities for Teens →]

By Type

[Indoor Activities →]
[Outdoor Activities →]
[Educational Activities →]
[Creative Activities →]
[Adventure Activities →]
[Free Activities →]
[Budget-Friendly Activities →]
[Travel Activities →]
[Food & Cooking Activities →]
[Arts & Crafts Activities →]

By Season

[Spring Activities →]
[Summer Activities →]
[Fall Activities →]
[Winter Activities →]

By Occasion

[Birthday Activities →]
[Christmas Activities →]
[Halloween Activities →]
[First Day of School Activities →]
[Summer Vacation Activities →]
[Rainy Day Activities →]