Activities on Christmas Day: 14 Things to Do After the Presents
The best activities on Christmas Day fill the long stretch after the presents: a family walk, cooking one dish together, watching a group video from the relatives who aren't there, a puzzle station for the new gifts and a porch photo in the new gear. Most cost nothing, work at home or close to it, and keep kids and adults together until dinner.
A note before the list: we make Tribute, the group video maker, and it's one of the 14 ideas.
| Activity | Best for | Time needed | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| The after-presents walk | Everyone | 30 minutes | Your street |
| Cook one dish together | Kids who want a job | 1 hour | Kitchen |
| The greeting video from far away | Families with people missing | 15 minutes | Living room TV |
| The new-gift puzzle station | All ages | All afternoon | Dining table |
| Porch photo in the new gear | Families who never get a group shot | 10 minutes | Front door |
| Movie marathon with a ballot | Couch lovers | 3 to 4 hours | Living room |
| Thank-you note station | Kids ages 5 and up | 30 minutes | Kitchen table |
| The quiet hour | Tired parents | 1 hour | Anywhere soft |
| Letters to next Christmas | Families who like rituals | 20 minutes | Kitchen table |
| The leftover sandwich bar | The evening crowd | 30 minutes | Kitchen |
| Plates for the neighbors | Families who like to give | 45 minutes | Your block |
| A city lights outing | City and suburb families | 2 hours | Downtown |
| Outdoor play | Kids with new gear | 1 hour | Park or yard |
| A Christmas movie at the cinema | Teens and grandparents | 2 to 3 hours | Local theater |
What are the best activities on Christmas Day?
Most homes hit the same wall around 11 a.m.: the gifts are open, dinner is hours away and the kids are already bored with the box their toy came in. Pew Research Center found that 90% of U.S. adults celebrate Christmas in some way (Pew, 2017), and most of them know that afternoon gap.
Good Christmas activities for families fill it without a plan that stresses the host. Pick one thing to do outside, one at the table and one on the couch.
1. The after-presents walk
Bundle up and walk the block before anyone opens a screen. Kids can bring one new toy, and everyone counts inflatable snowmen on the way. Fresh air resets the mood after a morning of sugar and wrapping paper.
- Time needed: 30 minutes
- Cost: Nothing
Best for: Everyone, including the dog.
Why it works: It burns off the morning's energy and puts the whole family side by side.
2. Cook one dish together
Hand each kid one dish for dinner: the rolls, the salad, the dessert. Give them a recipe card and an adult helper, and let them serve it at the table with an announcement. Unlike helping in general, owning a dish means they'll stay in the kitchen until it's done.
- Time needed: About an hour
- Cost: Ingredients you were buying anyway
Best for: Kids who want a real job.
Why it works: Dinner becomes something they made, not something they waited for.
3. The greeting video from far away (a Tribute group video)
Two to three weeks before Christmas, start a Tribute and invite the people who won't be in your living room: the grandparents across the country, the cousin deployed overseas, the college friend spending the holiday at work. Tribute is a group video maker that turns messages from friends and family into one surprise video. It works by inviting everyone to record a short clip from their phone; Tribute compiles the clips, music and photos into a finished video you share or play together.
Play it on the TV once the presents are open, when the room is calm enough to listen. Picture Grandpa watching 30 faces he loves wish him a merry Christmas, one after another, from his spot on the couch. Compared to a video call, nobody has to be online at the same time, and you can play it again after dinner. Over 8 million videos have been sent on Tribute, and it holds 4.9 stars from 7,000+ reviews.
- Time needed: 15 minutes on the day; open it 2 to 3 weeks ahead so people have time to record
- Cost: Free to start a draft; you pay from $35 when you publish and start collecting videos
Best for: Families with people missing from the room.
Why it works: The people far away become part of the day instead of a quick call at noon.
4. The new-gift puzzle station
Clear the dining table and set up whatever needs building: a puzzle, a model, a block set. Anyone passing by adds a piece. By dinner, you have to move it to the side, and by New Year's it's done.
- Time needed: All afternoon, on and off
- Cost: Nothing if it was a gift
Best for: All ages, together or in shifts.
Why it works: It gives quiet relatives a reason to sit with the kids.
5. Porch photo in the new gear
Everyone puts on one new gift, whether that's a hat, a sweater or a toy sword. Set the phone on a timer on the porch railing and take five shots. One of them will have everyone looking, and none will be the one you frame.
- Time needed: 10 minutes
- Cost: Nothing
Best for: Families who never get a group shot.
Why it works: The outtakes become next year's card.
What are fun Christmas activities to do at home?
Some years it's too cold, too wet or too late to go anywhere. These indoor Christmas activities need nothing more than the house you're in.
6. Movie marathon with a ballot
Write six holiday movies on a ballot and let everyone vote. The top three play back to back, with a snack break between each. The kid who loses the vote picks dessert.
- Time needed: 3 to 4 hours
- Cost: Nothing with a streaming service you already have
Best for: Couch lovers and grandparents.
Why it works: The vote ends the argument before it starts.
7. Thank-you note station
Set out cards, stickers and pens, and ask kids to write one note before screens come back on. Younger kids can draw the gift and sign their name. It's easier on December 25 than on January 10.
- Time needed: 30 minutes
- Cost: A pack of cards
Best for: Kids ages 5 and up.
Why it works: The memory of each gift is still fresh.
8. The quiet hour
Call one hour of quiet after lunch. Kids read new books or play alone, adults nap or sit with coffee. Christmas is long, and an hour of calm saves the evening.
- Time needed: 1 hour
- Cost: Nothing
Best for: Tired parents and overstimulated kids.
Why it works: Everyone comes back to the table in a better mood.
9. Letters to next Christmas
Each person writes a short letter to their future self: what they got, who was here, what they hope next year brings. Seal them in an envelope marked "Open next Christmas" and tuck it in the ornament box.
- Time needed: 20 minutes
- Cost: Paper and an envelope
Best for: Families who like rituals.
Why it works: Opening last year's letters becomes a tradition of its own.
10. The leftover sandwich bar
Around 8 p.m., someone always gets hungry again. Set out rolls, leftover meat, cranberry sauce and cheese, and let people build. Award the best name for a sandwich.
- Time needed: 30 minutes
- Cost: Nothing; it's all leftovers
Best for: The evening crowd.
Why it works: Nobody has to cook a second meal.
What are Christmas things to do outside the house?
If the house feels small by afternoon, these things to do on Christmas get everyone out the door. Check opening hours ahead, since many places close or run short days on December 25.
11. Plates for the neighbors
Fill paper plates with cookies or leftovers and deliver them to neighbors who live alone, or join a local group serving a holiday meal. In a 2023 American Psychological Association poll, 15% of adults said they volunteer or help others in need to cope with holiday stress (APA Holiday Stress Survey). Kids remember who answered the door.
- Time needed: 45 minutes
- Cost: A few dollars in paper plates
Best for: Families who want the day to include giving.
Why it works: It moves the focus from what you got to what you can share.
12. A city lights outing
Christmas activities in the city often keep running on the day: light displays, outdoor ice rinks and window displays downtown. Go after dark, bring cocoa in a thermos and walk the main street. Look up hours the week before, since many attractions close for the holiday.
- Time needed: About 2 hours
- Cost: Parking, plus rink fees if you skate
Best for: City and suburb families.
Why it works: Quiet streets make the lights feel like your own show.
13. Outdoor play
New sled, new bike, new ball: take it to the park. If there's snow, build a snow family with one figure for every person in the house. If there isn't, a frisbee works just as well.
- Time needed: About an hour
- Cost: Nothing
Best for: Kids with new gear and adults who need to move after lunch.
Why it works: New gifts get used the same day, which kids love.
14. A Christmas movie at the cinema
Many cinemas run holiday schedules, so check local showtimes and book seats before the day. Take the teens and grandparents while the youngest nap at home with a parent.
- Time needed: 2 to 3 hours
- Cost: Ticket prices
Best for: Teens and grandparents.
Why it works: Two hours in the dark with popcorn is a break for everyone.
How do you plan Christmas things to do so the day doesn't drag?
Sketch a loose timeline the night before: presents, breakfast, a walk, lunch, the quiet hour, one outing or a movie, dinner, the sandwich bar. Leave gaps; the best moments tend to happen in them. Our guide to Christmas Eve traditions covers the night before, and our Christmas bucket list spreads the fun across December.
Say you have a toddler, a teen and two grandparents. Do the walk and the puzzle in the morning, play the greeting video after lunch, and save the movie for the evening when the toddler is asleep.
What if your family is spending Christmas apart?
Distance is one of the hardest parts of the season. In the same APA poll, 25% of adults said not being able to be with family or loved ones causes them stress during the holidays. Fun Christmas activities can still include the people who aren't there: record a greeting together in the morning, collect videos from everyone ahead of time, or start the same movie at the same hour in two homes.
The ideas carry past the 25th, too. See our New Year's Day activities and the full holiday season guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good activities on Christmas Day for families?
A family walk, cooking one dish together, a puzzle station and a group video from far-away relatives work for every age. Mix one outdoor activity, one at the table and one on the couch to keep the afternoon moving.
What can you do on Christmas Day when everything is closed?
Walk your neighborhood, deliver plates to neighbors, run a movie marathon or write letters to next Christmas. Some light displays, rinks and cinemas stay open, so check hours ahead.
What are indoor Christmas activities for kids?
A puzzle station, a thank-you note table, a movie ballot and a cooking job all work inside. Each one gives kids a task and keeps them near the adults.
How do you keep kids busy after opening presents?
Give them a job: one dish for dinner, a new-gift puzzle, or a walk with their favorite new toy. Plan a quiet hour after lunch so the energy lasts until evening.
How can family who are far away be part of Christmas Day?
Collect short video messages from them ahead of time and play the group video once the presents are open. They join the day on their own schedule, and nobody needs to schedule a call across time zones.
👉 Start your holiday Tribute and bring everyone into the living room on Christmas Day.
