7 New Christmas Eve Dinner Traditions to Start This Year

Whether you always host – or it’s your “turn” again – there are a few things you can do to shake things up and perhaps start some new Christmas Eve dinner traditions this year. You probably already have your go-to, have-to-happen-or-it’s-not-Christmas things. But maybe you’re looking for inspiration on new ideas to incorporate with the old traditions – to keep your gathering from feeling stale? If you answered yes, then this post is for you.

In this post, I’ll share with you 7 ideas for new Christmas Eve dinner traditions to try this year. Some are more complicated than others. Pick and choose. Don’t feel like you have to do all!

Also, to clarify for the sake of this post, I’m assuming that “dinner” is more than the meal itself. There’s the pre-dinner mingling and the post-dinner gifts and hanging out. Or at least that’s how it usually flows in our family! Maybe yours is the same?

Okay – let’s get this party started.

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This post is about hosting Christmas Eve dinner traditions.

Christmas Eve Dinner Traditions Ideas

1. Make Recipes from Your Christmas Past

One of my favorite ways to honor those who have gone before us is to use their recipes. Admittedly, I’m a terrible cook and baker. But at Christmas, I like to break out my grandma’s favorites and make them with my daughters. (They never turn out as good as when she made them …)

The same could be done in your family for your Christmas Eve celebration. The entire meal doesn’t need to be vintage, so to speak. But maybe pop in one or two blasts from the past. And then let the reminiscing commence!

2. Use Dishes from Your Christmas Past

As with recipes, Christmas Eve dinner is a perfect time to dust off the dishes you inherited. Maybe you don’t use the entire set from soup bowl to gravy ladle. But you could consider using the small plates and mugs for dessert? Or maybe just the dinner plates mixed in with your dishes for an eclectic look?

Having that connection to the past through dishes is strangely powerful. Sharing them with the current generation on a special holiday gives them new life – and a Christmas future, so to speak.

3. Incorporate Christmas Around the World

While you’re connecting to our own past with family recipes of yore, you could also consider incorporating a Christmas tradition from another culture.

A quick Google search will give you lots of ideas.

For me, it’s important that my daughters recognize that not everyone does things the same way we do. And that’s okay – and, in fact, should be celebrated. Giving them an insight into Christmas Eve dinner traditions that kids around the world enjoy is one way to instill this in them.

4. Secret Santa Exchange with a Twist

Have a secret Santa exchange. But make it extra spicy.

One way my family has done this is to dictate a series of themed gifts. For example: 1) something from the person’s hometown, 2) something inspired by the person’s favorite movie, and 3) donation to a charity in the person’s name.

The organizer of the exchange needs to collect any “favorites” information to pass along to their secret Santa.

It might seem complicated, but I think it actually makes gift giving a little easier because you have a focus. And it definitely makes it feel more personal and special.

Plus, it sparks all kinds of fun conversations during gift opening!

To help you with your gift wrap, check out the free printable gift tags at the end of this post!

5. Organize a Tournament

Pre and post meal, have an ongoing game of pingpong, pool, or some another activity that’s easy for most to play. This works best if only two people per game are needed. That way players can rotate in an out of the game throughout the evening.

We did this with pool at Thanksgiving this year – complete with a bracket – and it was so much fun! Everyone gathered to watch the last “championship” match. But otherwise, it was something happening in the background. As a bonus, the match ups also gave the players a chance to catch up during their games.

6. Rally Around a Cause

Obviously, giving is a focus this time of year. But maybe there’s a cause near and dear to your family that everyone could bring a donation for.

St. Vincent de Paul is a great option. For a few years now, our extended family brings high-need items (socks, warm clothes, hats, sheets, etc.) to our Christmas celebration. Everyone adds their donations to a basket, which is then dropped off after the holiday at our area St. Vincent de Paul location.

You could do the same as a new Christmas Eve dinner tradition with your family!

7. Read the Christmas Story

Last but most certainly not least is to read the Christmas story. I can’t think of a better way to center ourselves around the true meaning of the season.