Fun Activities to Count Down the Days Until Christmas

Counting down the days until Christmas is almost as magical as Christmas Day itself. Instead of just crossing off dates on a calendar, you can turn the wait into a daily tradition full of small moments, surprises, and quality time as a family. These activity ideas are flexible, easy to set up, and perfect for kids of different ages.

1. Activity Countdown Chain 🎄

Create a paper chain with one link for each day until Christmas. On the inside of every loop, write a simple activity: reading a Christmas story, drinking hot chocolate, listening to a carol, or calling a grandparent. Each day, kids cut one link and discover what the activity is.

This option is great for younger children because they can see the chain getting shorter and understand how close Christmas is.

2. Christmas Activity Jar 🎁

Fill a jar with folded slips of paper, each with a different Christmas-themed activity. Every day, a child draws one paper and the family completes that activity together. You can mix quick ideas for busy weekdays with slightly longer ones for weekends.

Some examples include “decorate a window with paper snowflakes”, “draw a picture of Santa and the reindeer”, or “choose a toy in good condition to donate”.

3. Story-a-Day Christmas Countdown 📚

Choose 24 Christmas or winter stories and wrap each book individually or place them in a special basket. Every night, kids pick one book to read together. This turns reading into a daily ritual and helps them calm down before bedtime.

If you do not have that many books at home, you can combine physical books with printed stories or short tales from trusted websites.

4. Acts of Kindness Countdown 💌

Instead of focusing only on treats, you can create a kindness countdown. Each day includes a small good deed: helping with a chore, sharing toys, writing a thank-you note, or saying something kind to someone at school. This helps children connect Christmas with generosity and empathy.

You can keep track of the actions on a poster or board and celebrate them together on Christmas Eve.

5. Creative Christmas Countdown Board ✨

Use a chalkboard, whiteboard, or poster to display a daily prompt: “Today we...” followed by an activity, question, or reflection. Some days can be creative, like “draw your dream Christmas tree”, and others more reflective, such as “say one thing you are grateful for this year”.

Place the board in a visible spot so everyone in the family remembers to check it and participate.

Free Christmas Resources

Find printable prompts, story ideas, and more Christmas countdown inspiration at Call to Santa.

Extra Tips for Parents

• Plan the activities in advance so you can adapt them to your family’s schedule
• Combine fun, calm, and meaningful activities throughout the month
• Keep everything flexible—if one day is too busy, move the activity to another day
• Take photos or notes of your favorite countdown moments to remember them next year

Ready to make the wait for Christmas more magical? Visit Call to Santa now!