Happy Holidays with Teens

Written by Patricia Chadwick

I love seeing the smiles on children’s faces as they see all the Christmas lights around town. Or the look of awe on their faces on Christmas morning when they wake up to presents under the tree. But as our children move into their teen years, the Christmas season loses some of its awe and wonder . . . if we let it.

It’s true that we can’t turn back the clock and stop our kids from outgrowing some of the holiday traditions. Let’s face it – it would be pretty funny to see a 16 year-old sitting on Santa’s lap at the mall. But with some planning and creative ideas, it’s still possible to make the holiday season special.

While some old traditions can be kept, you will find you need to give some up and add new ones that your teens will find enjoyable.

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Below are some ideas to help you get started.

Deck the halls

While your teens may not be as excited about getting the house decorated for the holidays as they used to, this family tradition can still be a time to make memories and share a common bond.

Turn on the Christmas music and decorate the house and tree together. Even though they might not seem interested, insist that they be there for this one. This will set the mood for the whole holiday season. Do your best to find a time that everyone can be there to help.

Use an advent wreath and/or an advent calendar. Behind the windows or in the pouches of the 24-day calendar you could place a Bible verse or a seasonal message or even chocolate. You’ll be surprised at how your teens can still enjoy it.

Have a decoration contest. Let each teen decorate their room for the holidays and then take a vote to see whose is the most creative.

Have them change the answering machine message to a holiday message of their choice.

Holiday events

Teens may not be very interested in attending holiday events with the family. But here are a couple of things that will likely strike their fancy. Always remember to include their friends.

Christmas shopping extravaganza. What teenager doesn’t like the mall? Take a carload of teens to the mall and be prepared for some silliness and letting them go off on their own for a while. Afterwards you can meet together in the food court for dinner before heading home.

Support local Christmas pageants/programs. You may find many things of interest. But remember, your time with teenagers is limited. Choose the events that will be most enjoyable to everyone.

Christmas gifts

Coming up with exciting gifts for teenagers that don’t break the bank can be a real problem. To avoid that you can:

Set a budget and stick with it. Let your teens know what you will be spending and ask for lists that stay within the budget. They might only want one item that uses the whole amount of money set aside for them.

Brainstorm gift ideas with them for their friends. This expense can eat up a lot of their own funds, so encourage them to be creative and shop for bargains.

Celebrating Christ

As we celebrate Jesus’ birth as God’s gift to us, let’s encourage our teens to remember the true meaning of Christmas. Here are some ways you can honor Him this holiday season: