Christmas Traditions for Adults: 33 Festive Activities

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Last Updated on October 11, 2022

Looking for fun festive Christmas traditions for adults?! This list is sure to give you the inspiration you’re looking for to make this holiday the very best!

You’re probably drowning in ideas for family-oriented Christmas activities everywhere you turn. But what about Christmas traditions for adults that we can enjoy on our own?! 

Especially if you don’t have kids or you’re a young adult that’s living away from your own family, sometimes you can feel stuck on what exactly to do! 

While some of these ideas are fun for all ages, I made sure to include some activities that adults are specifically sure to love to give a different spin on the holiday season.

So let’s see what fun, festive things there are to do on Christmas day for adults!

This post is all about Christmas traditions for adults + holiday activities.

1. Make festive holiday cocktails

Going ALL OUT to start off this list of Christmas traditions for adults is holiday cocktails! There are SO many crazy Christmas themed cocktail ideas out there, so you can get super creative with this! Forget boring beer when there are so many fun festive drinks (like peppermintinis!).

2. Play Christmas Cards Against Humanity

I just knew there had to be a Christmas themed Cards Against Humanity out there, and to my pleasant surprise, there totally is! (Keep in mind: this is an expansion pack, so you still need to buy the original Cards Against Humanity first, which you can get here).

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3. Tour the Christmas lights

Make it a point to tour your illuminated neighborhood or one nearby! Touring Christmas lights is a great way to brighten your spirits after the pretty fall leaves have left the trees. Some cities have neighborhoods that are known for elaborate Christmas displays, so check on that in your area!

4. Host an ugly Christmas sweater party for adults

This is the perfect opportunity to show off and share your holiday cocktails as well! Hosting something a little more laid back and casual like an ugly sweater party is also a nice break from the typical holiday stress.

5. Make eggnog

Have you ever thought of making eggnog from scratch? This is also a great addition to a holiday party!

6. Host a Christmas day game night for adults

This is a good opportunity to whip out the Christmas Cards Against Humanity, as well as any other board games you love!

7. Make a Christmas quilt

If you know how to sew or own a sewing machine, you can make your own Christmas quilt! There are great Christmas quilt patterns on Etsy.

8. Cook a Christmas meal from another country

If you’re tired of cooking the same old Christmas ham meal (I know I’m not a big fan of Christmas ham myself, I’d rather have tamales), you might want to give Christmas cooking from another culture a try. It’s a great way to try something new and learn about another culture!

9. Make a DIY Christmas wreath

A DIY Christmas wreath is a super fun piece of decor to make on Christmas day. You can decorate with ornaments, glitter, ribbon, or anything festive! A convenient way to decorate a wreath is to look for a decoration kit.

10. Go on a Christmas hike

Depending on the weather, it can be nice to bundle up and go for a hike on Christmas day. Before I lived in a snowy climate, I loooved visiting cold places and walking through the snow. Check out the trails in your area!

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11. Go to a Christmas parade

Another fun way to get out of the house a little is to find a Christmas parade. See if your town is putting one on! Some Christmas parades are super elaborate and a great time no matter your age! It’s also nice to switch things up with an outdoor activity for Christmas traditions for adults.

12. Organize a white elephant gift exchange

Organizing a white elephant can be a fun gift exchange idea for Christmas parties. Each participant brings a gift that goes into a community pool, and gifts are chosen from it. Everyone gets to walk away with something new, and it can be interesting to see what you end up with!

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13. Have a Christmas themed slumber party with friends

Who says you’re ever too old for a slumber party? Make the most of a fun night in with friends by putting together a slumber party with fun activities, treats, and Christmas movies!

14. Start a Christmas scrapbook

Record your favorite Christmas memories from this year and previous years by starting a Christmas scrapbook! The best part is that it can even be used as a special gift for your family.

15. Take a Christmas day trip

There are several Christmas towns known for going all out and getting extra festive during the holiday season. Hunt one down, or even simply go somewhere you haven’t been in a while!

16. See a ballet performance of the Nutcracker

Check if your local theatre or ballet company is putting on a performance of the Nutcracker. It can be so enjoyable to watch talented dancers show you a story through their movement!

17. Hit the ice skating rink

The best thing ever is if your town offers an outdoor ice skating rink, but if not, indoor ice skating can still be plenty fun! Even if you’re like me and have to hold onto the railing at first, it’s still a blast to challenge yourself and try it out!

18. Build a gingerbread house

One of the cutest and most creative Christmas traditions for adults: buy a gingerbread house kit and see how elaborate you can decorate yours! Better yet, have a contest between your family or friends. 

19. Bake Christmas cookies

Can we really have Christmas without baking something delicious?! Christmas cookies are always a classic, and even better is using actual Christmas cookie cutters!

20. Make DIY Christmas Ornaments

Make a craft day out of it and DIY some Christmas ornaments yourself! You can start off with blank ornaments like these and go crazy from there.

21. Watch Christmas movies

Even just having Christmas movies going all day in the background can make the day feel extra festive and help you get into the Christmas spirit! Have a movie marathon with all your favorite Christmas movies.

22. Read Christmas books

A lesser known idea is to instead take some time to read Christmas books! Below are a couple classic ideas to get you started.

23. Dance around in the living room to Christmas music

Holiday tunes are always a must, so get that Christmas music going, stream it on your favorite device, and enjoy the holiday cheer!

24. Make a festive snowman

If it snows where you live (and hopefully you get the GOOD type of snow ideal for packing and making snowmen), definitely build a snowman with friends and family! Did you know they actually have snowman building kits that come with a scarf, buttons, and everything else you need to dress up your snowman? Go grab one!

25. Find someone to kiss under the mistletoe

This is also a super cute photo idea for Instagram! 

26. Create a Christmas village scene

What better way to spruce up your holiday decor than by making a cute little Christmas village scene? And of course, there’s kits for that! This is a super creative Christmas tradition for adults.

27. Cross-stitch some Christmas embroidery

A fun activity to do while watching Christmas movies is to do some cross-stitching! Check out these adorable Christmas cross stitch kits on Etsy!

28. Find a fun way to display your holiday cards

If you receive a lot of Christmas cards, you might be wondering where you should put them. A pretty way to display them is on a Christmas card holder!

29. Video chat with an out of town relative or friend

Connecting and catching up with friends and family you don’t normally see on the holidays can feel really good. They’ll surely appreciate you reaching out, and it will feel like you’re celebrating Christmas together. 

30. Roast marshmallows in the fireplace

If you’re stuck indoors on a snowy day, you can try roasting marshmallows in the fireplace (or, if you don’t have an open fireplace, I personally just roast mine over a lit candle).

31. Make a playlist of your favorite Christmas tunes

You can make a tradition out of this one, where each Christmas can represent something different to you with a different collection of songs each year!

32. Cut paper snowflakes to hang in windows

Crafts like this don’t have to just be for kids. It can be fun to bring back memories of the days where you did paper crafts during Christmas time! Paper snowflakes are always super fun and pretty easy to make!

33. Open one small gift on Christmas Eve

This was a tradition of mine growing up and it always added to the Christmas excitement! It’s so fun to get a little taste of the presents you’ll be opening the next day when it’s officially Christmas. I know I’ll definitely be continuing this as one of my Christmas traditions for adults!

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Final Thoughts on Christmas Traditions for Adults

There you have it, 33 festive Christmas traditions for adults! Many articles out there are super family-oriented or centered around kids, but it’s important that we have a good time as adults on Christmas too!

We all deserve the joy of Christmas, and it can be fun to incorporate new activities that you might not have otherwise thought of before–like creating festive Christmas cocktails and hosting parties for your adult friends!

Enjoy!

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