Fun family activities for a COVID-safe Christmas

For families across the UK, many will be wondering what Christmas will look like this year and how they will be able to celebrate with loved ones during such a strange time. However, just because we might not be able to venture far from home or even mingle with other households, doesn’t mean that families can’t have a wonderful festive time together. For multi-generational households or grandparents hosting relatives, this guide highlights some fun home activities that can be enjoyed by all this Christmas, despite the current health crisis.

Family games

One of the joys of Christmas for many is the time spent together with loved ones, sharing some happy memories and a few laughs. Something we could all do with right now. Getting your household together for a few family games is, therefore, a terrific idea this Christmas. Pick some games that everyone can get involved with, games that allow the grandparents to enjoy some light-hearted fun with their grandchildren, and that parents can also get a hoot out of.

There is no shortage of options; you can opt for traditional board games like Monopoly or Scrabble, you could play a game of charades, put together a trivia quiz, or how about something like Christmas song Pictionary? Where you attempt to describe a Christmas song name by drawing a picture for your teammate to guess.

Laura, from the lifestyle blog MissLJBeauty, is a big fan of board games herself and recommended this option when speaking to us:

“One of my favourite things to do at Christmas time is to play board games. I find this is a fun way to connect with the whole family. Every family has their go-to boardgame, ours is a Monopoly. I find sitting down and turning off your phone and playing Monopoly with each other a great way to be present and enjoy each other's company. This year might be a bit different but if we are all apart, we all plan on having a virtual game over facetime. We can't let the tradition lapse just because we are at the opposite ends of the country.”

Laura also shared with us her thoughts on enjoying Christmas this year despite the gloomy circumstances we find ourselves in: “This year has been hard for all of us. We are all aware of the struggles we face with the current situation. I think even if it is just for one day, we all need to count our blessings and make time for our family. Even if this is not in person, we are in a great position to be able to call or facetime each other. I know that we plan to have a virtual Christmas dinner if our family is not allowed to see each other. Yes, we may all be on facetime but that is no excuse to not share the festivities with the ones we love.”

Festive baking

Is there anything better than the smell of something tasty being baked in the kitchen? Perhaps only the sound of a happy family cooking together, having fun creating festive treats during Christmas time. Baking is a wonderful activity to enjoy this Christmas and by getting the whole household involved, from grandparents to young children, a truly merry time can be had. Put some Xmas music on and work together to make some traditional Christmas baked goods, from gingerbread in the shape of Santa and yummy mince pies to chocolatey yule logs, there’s no end to the options.

The internet is home to a whole host of ideas if you are looking for some baking inspiration and recipes. Take this amazing yule log (complete with meringue mushrooms) by Heather of Sprinkle Bakes, for example. The full recipe can be found on the site and Heather says that “I love this cake because it is so woodsy and heart-warming.”

Christmas arts and crafts

The act of creativity is a great way to bring people together and Christmas is the perfect opportunity to get those creative juices flowing. If you and your family are looking for fun things to do together, why not give some Christmas arts and crafts a go? All you need is artsy materials like paper, card, glue, paint and perhaps a bit of glitter. Anything you can get your hands on. The great thing about crafts is that you can utilise everyday household items like shoe boxes to create all sorts of wonderful items.

Michelle, from The Purple Pumpkin Blog, a wonderful resource for crafting inspiration, spoke to us about why this hobby is so perfect for Christmas: "Crafts are a great family activity - not only for Christmas but the year-round too! With so many different types of crafts out there, there is sure to be something that everyone in the family will enjoy doing. Tackling larger craft projects as a whole family is an awesome way to bond - especially during a lockdown. Why not invest in some basic craft supplies so that you can start creating something no matter when inspiration strikes?"

The kids will have a great time getting messy with an activity like this and better still there will be a finished product at the end, perhaps a homemade Christmas card, a painting, Christmas crackers, or how about some decorations for the tree or house?

Michelle has a post listing a huge variety of Christmas crafts for adults but also several that are family-friendly. She has also put together a blog post of some easy Christmas craft ideas.

Putting up decorations

For those looking for family activities to enjoy this Christmas, why not get the whole house in on decorating this year? If you’ve made your own decorations or have some traditional favourites stored away, have a good time making your house feel as festive as possible. Perhaps you normally keep things minimal, well why not go above and beyond this year and really go all out with your decorations. With some tasty snacks available, favourite Christmas songs playing, families can have a great time putting together the perfect tree or kitting out each room of the house. If you have curved stairlifts at home, it might be nice to decorate the bannister opposite for even more festive cheer. While those with limited mobility can certainly get involved with decorating, do make sure to leave the trickier spots for someone else.

Christmas movie marathons

Would it even be a family Christmas without sitting down for a selection of classic festive movies? We all have memories of watching particular favourite movies at Christmas time and it can be a great way to enjoy each other’s company while being totally relaxed. After you’ve played some games, done some crafts, and decorated the house, get the family together, light a fire, and enjoy a bit of escapism on the TV. You will likely already have your favourites, or someone in your family will have a suggestion. If the decision proves difficult, why not let each member of the family pick a film so everyone gets their turn over the festive season? Or you can put some names into a hat and draw one at random.

The truth is, however, what you watch is secondary, it’s the company that matters. So, with the cold weather outside and so much uncertainty in the world, getting all cosy together on the sofa with a few snacks, a well-deserved beverage, and some light entertainment will certainly do the trick.

Virtual Christmas suggestions

While multi-generational families, with grandparents, parents, and children all under one roof might have it easier than some, Christmas can still be enjoyed with loved ones even when apart. Claire, from the family blog Life, Love and Dirty Dishes, has shared with us some great suggestions for those families who are not able to be with grandparents in person:

“It's undeniable that Christmas will be different this year. But I think it's better to embrace that it will be different rather than try and make it the same and everyone be sad because it's not really the same. We normally have a big Christmas with the grandparents. This year we will be staying home and contact will be via Zoom calls. But games can still be played across Zoom. Gifts can still be opened whilst the grandparents watch. The whole family can wear matching PJs. I am adamant that Christmas day will not be a sad day. It will be different, but it will still be happy and full of excitement. After such a difficult year, we need to embrace happiness wherever we find it.”

Kathy, from the helpful website resource When They Get Older, has shared the following suggestions with us: “If the family can’t get together for Christmas this year, it could be a great opportunity to create alternative traditions. If everyone’s comfortable online, why not play some games over Zoom, or let the children use apps to challenge their grandparents to some fun?

“Or how about a cook-a-long? You could use video conferencing apps to share sprout peeling and chat in your respective homes. It might work out so well that in future years you don’t feel the same pressure to get everyone together under the same roof.

“Whether or not the whole family gets together, it would be good to shut out what’s happening in the world for a few hours. Personally, I would avoid watching any television where people are wearing masks (and yes, I know that means Eastenders!) and look for programmes instead that are relentlessly cheerful.”

Family activities to enjoy at home this Christmas

• Festive baking
• Family games
• Christmas arts and crafts
• Putting up decorations
• Christmas movie marathons

We hope this article has proved that even with the world as it is, a lovely family Christmas can still be enjoyed. Even if we can’t go out or meet up with other households, grandparents, adults, and children of multi-generational homes can enjoy a magical Christmas, some great laughs, and precious memories, while keeping safe during this difficult time.

For more tips and advice, make sure to visit our news page.

This news article is from Companion Stairlifts. Articles that appear on this website are for information purposes only.