This blog post is all about fun & romantic Christmas traditions for couples.
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With Christmas right around the corner, you’re probably wondering, “how can I make Christmas in 2024 memorable?” Starting a new Christmas tradition with your partner is the perfect answer to your question! The holiday season is full of wonderful things; gift-giving, gatherings, decorations, movies, music and of course, romance. Beginning a tradition with your partner this season is a great way for you to embrace that romance! Having an activity set that is personal and unique, and that you can look forward to each year, will bring an extra sense of excitement to Christmas time for you and your other half. Let’s explore some ideas which you can try out this December!
14 Christmas Traditions for Couples
1. Have a Set-up Sleepover
The lead up to Christmas is so exciting! It’s fun to enjoy the anticipation with your loved one by spending a night early in December setting up your living space and preparing for the holiday festivities to come!
Picture an evening like this: you and your partner sip on a hot drink, and listen to your playlist of classic Christmas tunes while unpacking the Xmas decorations. Hanging up the bright lights and covering the tree in tinsel is going to create a cozy and comforting atmosphere for you to enjoy with family and friends in the weeks to come. After the set-up, don’t head back to the bedroom, stay in the living room and have a sleepover with you S.O. It will be the perfect end to your evening! Don’t let this be a one-and-done either. This Christmas set-up sleepover can be one of many!
2. Collect or Create New Ornaments
Buying or making an ornament to add to your collection each year is another great Christmas tradition for you to try!
Starting this tradition will mean that ornaments on your tree will hold a lot of sentimental value in future. The first option is to acquire a new one each year by shopping for an ornament together. You could stroll the shops and pick out the one that symbolises a significant milestone of your year with your partner. Maybe it’ll be a house for purchasing a home, or the face of a puppy for adopting a pet. Another option is to make a small ornament every year. This could be done by hand, or by getting creative on apps like Canva! This tradition can be fantastic because it’s that extra bit more personal and unique!
Lastly, you could fill an ornament with memories ! Yep, that’s right. This year and for the years to come, you can celebrate Christmas with your S.O. by collating your favourite memories in a clear case ball! So, it’s time for you to go and get crazy creative with your ornaments!
3. Decorate in Depth
So, this is the usual procedure: clean the dust off of your decorations sometime in December, throw them up in the living room and maybe some lights outside. This year, that’s going to look a little different!
Decorating the interior of your house in a bit more depth is one of the great Christmas traditions for couples. It’ll bring an even brighter atmosphere to your abode which will help you and S.O. get into the festive spirit! After you display your stockings above the fire place, dress the tree and hang lights outside, show the bedrooms some love. Grab new bedding from the store to bring in the Christmas colours, pick up some table-top trees to plop around the room, give the surfaces some greenery, and of course, add twinkling lights! Living room ✔️ Exterior ✔️ Bedrooms ✔️. Next is to fill the small spaces with finishing touches. Candles in the hallway entrance will provide that seasonal scent, and small decorations dotted all over the place will ensure no space is left out of the Christmas transformation!
4. Bake Themed Goodies
This Christmas tradition is for all the couples who share a sweet tooth! Baking is wonderful way to get in the Christmas spirit! This year, in the early weeks of December (or during November for those who can’t wait), pull out your Xmas aprons and cookie cutters for a day of kitchen creativity. There are sooo many yummy Christmas treats you could make, so the toughest part of this tradition is going to be deciding what to bake. From ginger bread houses, to Christmas tree cupcakes, to a batch of winter themed cookies, there are heaps of possibilities (A Table Full of Joy).
As this’ll be your yearly tradition going forward, you could do the same delicious recipe each year or try something new each time! Make a day out of it. Play Christmas songs loud on the speakers, enjoy taste tests throughout the process, and dance around the kitchen in your breaks! Every year you will love the lead up to this day. Not only are you getting into the Christmas spirit together, but this baking is great quality time with your S.O.
5. Christmas Cocktail Night
A night of making crazy Christmas themed concoctions is a fun Christmas tradition for you and your partner to start this year. Spend an evening learning how to make candy cane cocktails, gingerbread martinis and so much more together. Then sip away at your creations in front of the fire while you curl up to enjoy a Christmas movie or sneak a little moment together under the mistletoe.
If you and your partner love hosting events and gathering your friends round for a fun night, why not make it a tradition to host an annual Christmas cocktail party? Bring the festivity by decorating your home and laying out a gorgeous spread of Christmas Charcuterie boards for people to snack on. Ooh and let’s not forget the main event: cocktails! Here is a long list of Christmas cocktail ideas to get you inspired for your event. There are enough Christmas cocktail ideas to have you sorted for years to come! It’s the perfect way to celebrate the Christmas season with your S.O. and your friend group!
If the pressure of organising a cocktail party yourself feels a little to much… Try this…
As a little twist, to less your hosting pressure and share the fun and creativity with your friends, you could always host an annual Christmas themed cocktail potluck party. This is where each person that comes to your party has to bring their own Christmas cocktail creation to share with everyone. I’ve done a themed cocktail pot luck party with my friends before and it was honestly so much fun seeing what everyone came up with! Plus, you then have a whole range of different cocktails to try, which is a win!
6. Go Light Hunting
Light hunting is another delightful Christmas tradition that offers you and your partner the chance to slow down and reconnect by taking a breather from the holiday hustle.
This is how it’s going to look; you’ll drive through the neighbourhoods with a cup of cocoa in one hand and pointing out your favourite displays with the other. Your fun search for decorated front lawns and twinkling lights will create a magical atmosphere that’s perfect for cozy conversation and connection. It’s an opportunity to appreciate the creativity and effort other people have put into their presentation while also making lasting memories together! Plus, light hunting is low-cost (yay for savings!) and it frees you from any major stress. This activity allows you to escape the pressures of planning and it gives you some much needed couple time during the lead up to the holiday period. Starting this tradition will change the significance of lighting displays for you and your S.O. In the future, you’ll look at pretty lights and think of the time spent on these light hunts!
7. Gift Exchanging
Many other Christmas traditions for couples we’re exploring in this post focus on quality time with your partner that revolves around Christmas themes, but this one focuses on the gift-giving aspect of the holiday season. Sometimes it can be stressful searching for presents for all your loved ones, and this tradition is going to alleviate some of that stress. Giving each other gifts should be joyful and exciting, not a headache! So, what you’re going to start this year is a gift exchange!
You and your S.O. will have a list of “somethings” to pick out for one another, and on Christmas day you can reveal these simultaneously so you get the best reactions! For example, you could get each other something that reminds you of your partner, something that’s their favourite colour, something useful, something yummy and something completely random! This list of gifts shouldn’t blow the budget either – it can be your cute, easy Christmas tradition that brings you both a big laugh on Christmas day!
8. Capture the Holiday Magic
Capture the magic this holiday season with your other half by doing a Christmas photoshoot! We’re talking ugly sweaters, a background of snow or Christmas lights, and you two enjoying being in the Christmas spirit on camera.
The set up is most important for this tradition. You can have fun in preparing the backdrop, whether that is searching for snow-dusted mountains to stand in front of, or picking out a Christmas tree to take home and dress up. There’ll be props, decorations and outfits for you to hunt for too. Once that is sorted, setting up the tripod and capturing moments of love and romance will be so much fun. For future years you could try re-create this moment with different poses or you could change it up completely. If you want to get even more creative, why not film quick videos that show off a dance move or a cute kiss! Your gallery of pics and vids will be so special to share with others and look back on later in life.
9. Make an Advent Calendar for Each Other
An advent calendar for the month of December is absolutely essential. We can all agree on that, right? Well, this year you can move away from generic chocolate filled advent calendars from the store around the corner and exchange handmade ones with your partner instead! This is a gorgeous Christmas tradition for you and your S.O. to start.
You’re going to spend a day together where you sit down at the table and form this Christmas creation for one another (with a wee wall between you to hide your calendars of course). Beforehand, you will have shopped around to collect 24 small gifts or goodies to slot into each day of the calendar. Unveiling these each morning will excite you and your S.O. during the lead up for Christmas day! Now, I must admit, this does take a lot of effort and time. Your Christmas traditions shouldn’t overwhelm you though, so if you recognise that making a calendar is too much, then as a tradition, search for unique advent calendars for each other online each year. If you’re up to it, put your planning hat on and get ready to make an amazing advent calendar for you partner!
10. A Night of Gift Wrapping
A quiet night of gift wrapping with your S.O. is an easy and sweet tradition to start this Christmas. Usually shopping and wrapping for gifts is a mad rush that you leave till the very last minute. This year will be different – the gifts will be acquired with days to spare, and you’re going to ensure that you enjoy the process of wrapping them (instead of just being stressed!). It’s more than just wrapping presents too – it’s about creating a cozy, intimate space that you can both enjoy. There’ll be holiday music playing in the background, maybe a fire crackling, and the two of you surrounded by pretty wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows. As the teamwork makes the dream work, you’ll share laughs, stories, and a glass of eggnog of course. It’s a simple tradition, but it’s very meaningful one. Your gift wrapping date night turns a holiday chore into a special moment of connection, teamwork, and it puts you in the Christmas spirit!
11. Play in the Snow
Whether it’s building a snowman, having a playful snowball fight, or taking a peaceful walk through a winter wonderland, spending time in the snow is going to be such a fun Christmas couple tradition for you to start. The snow has this incredible way of bringing out our childlike joy. Both of you will have these big smiles plastered on your faces! Bundle up in your warmest clothes to brave the cold, head outside, and let that crisp air and fresh powder set the stage for an unforgettable day. This tradition offers the perfect opportunity to disconnect from your daily stresses, enjoy each other’s company, and create lasting memories. Afterward, you can cherish the process of warming up with a tasty hot chocolate by the fire and reflect on the fun you had.
Wait, what about everyone in the Southern Hemisphere?
Enjoy the sunshine! Unlike our friends far North, you get the hot sun beaming down over the Christmas period! Instead of lighting fires and building snowmen, you’re going to have BBQs and head to the beach. In fact, we spend most of our time down here, and we love it. We’d recommend swapping this tradition for playing in the sand! You could build a snowman out of sand (hmm… we need a better name for that than a ‘sandman’…), read your book while tanning under the sun, or dive into the water to splash around.
12. Recap the Year Together
It’s December, New Year’s Eve is just a stone throw away and that means a new year is fast approaching. So right now is the perfect time to take a moment to wrap up the year together and reflect on everything it has gifted you with (some puns intended 🎁).
There are many cute ways in which you can do this together. One of my favourites is making it a Christmas tradition by recapping your year in the form of a Christmas card to yourselves. Go all in, have yourselves a DIY photoshoot and capture a Christmassy themed photo of the two of you that really highlights the vibe of your year. Here’s 32 photo ideas to get you started! Really try have fun together with it and make it your own.
Once you have the outside of your card sorted, it’s time for the oh so good Christmas card content! Turn the card writing part into a Christmas date night by throwing on your Christmas sweaters on, parking up on the couch with your favourite Christmas drink and bringing the ambience by turning on your Christmas lights and your favourite Christmas tunes. In terms of what you include in your recap, that’s totally up to you. However, here are some ideas of how a card can be structured to help you get started.
Here’s one way to write your Christmas card:
- Start with a little greeting to yourselves and maybe a quick statement to summarise the year – For example: This year was jam packed and exciting. This year was a rollercoaster. This year was the best year we’ve ever had.
- Highlight some of the big things that happened in your year this year – milestones, big events, travels, significant moments.
- Talk about some of your individual highlights from the year – Things that stood out to you individually, things that you’ve individually achieved or experienced etc.
- Include your most fun or sweet story from the year.
- Take a moment to write about what you have learned or what you are grateful for this year.
- Write about what you are looking forward to in the coming year.
- Sign off your card.
These cards that you make could be something that you share with your friends and your family to keep them updated on your lives. However, you could equally just make them for yourselves as a little memento from each year for you to look back on as life moves forward.
13. Plan a Trip… With a Twist
Alrighty, this Christmas tradition is for all our adventurous couples out there! If you’re into your travelling and love to visit new places, then this is certainly a fun tradition for you to start this year. Often we look into a new year and plan out when and where we’d like to take breaks, right? Well, this tradition takes away your exact planning of the where. Instead of Xmas gifts, you’ll be combining your money to put it towards an awesome trip. Give you and your partner a week to think of new places (towns, cities, states or countries) that you’d like to go see. At the end of that week, both of you will write down your top 5 destinations. These pieces of paper will be thrown into a hat for you to draw from. The suspense may even make your nervous, mixed with excitement of course. When you pull out a place, that’s it! That’s where you’ll be headed in the new year. This tradition is a fun way to spice up your travel plans and it guarantees you some holiday quality time!
14. The 12 Movies of Christmas
Planning and watching your “12 Movies of Christmas” is a fantastic tradition to start with your partner this holiday season that’s around the corner. The idea is straight forward: together, you’re going to choose 12 holiday movies to watch in the days/weeks leading up to Christmas. You could pick beloved classics, new releases, or quirky hidden gems, because this tradition really is just about spending quality time together, cozying up on the couch, and enjoying some snacks. Try not get into too many “is this really a Christmas movie?!” debates. Side note, Die Hard is definitely one! If you’re after a tradition that’s not too crazy or intense, just sweet and simple, then this is for you. The anticipation of each movie night will add some holiday excitement, and it gives you something to look forward to as you count down the days till the 25th. As you watch, you can create some commentary, chat about your favourite scenes, and even start inside jokes that will last beyond the holiday season. This tradition is a perfect blend of relaxation, holiday spirit, and togetherness, making it a cherished part of your Christmas celebration this year and for the years to come!
Which of these traditions sounds like your cup of tea? Of course, you could always pick a couple to begin with this year and change it up as you go! Christmas traditions for couples do not necessarily have to be grand or time consuming, they’re about spending time together and enjoying the little things about the holiday season.
Let us know which tradition you start this year down below in the comments, and share your fun memories that you make with us!
