The Best Christmas Bucket List Ideas – 50 Festive Ideas

Last Updated on 4th January 2024

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The holidays always seem to come around super quickly and when it comes to putting together a list of the best festive things to do during the holiday season, it can be a little overwhelming! Thankfully, I’ve got you covered with this list of fun holiday activities and ultimate Christmas bucket list ideas to cover you over the festive season!

If you’re looking for some festive inspiration to start the holidays in the best way, I’ve got just the post for you! Here’s the ultimate bucket list for winter and Christmas!

1. Decorate the Christmas tree

Decorating the Christmas tree is one of the most exciting and important parts of the festive period as it’s sure to make you feel all Christmassy, joyful and happy!

2. Wrap up warm and go on a long winter walk

While some people despise the cold, wrapping up all warm and cosy and heading out for a frosty winter walk is something quite magical.

It’s even more magical if it’s been snowing and you can go and play in the beautiful winter wonderland!

3. Listen to Christmas songs

Christmas songs seem to be played on the radio earlier and earlier every single year and by the time Christmas actually rolls around, they can start to become a little irritating for some people, but I personally love them and could happily listen to a festive playlist for weeks on end!

4. Go ice skating – Christmas bucket list ideas

Ice skating is a Christmas tradition that my family and I have done for many years now and it’s always on my Christmas bucket list every single year. Even if you’re not very good at ice skating, it’s still such a fun festive activity to enjoy with family or your partner on a romantic winter date night!

5. Go Christmas shopping – Christmas bucket list ideas

Whether you decide to do all of your Christmas shopping online for ease and convenience or you still prefer to go out into the cold and buy gifts at physical shops, there’s nothing like buying presents for your loved ones to get you into the festive spirit.

6. Eat all the festive treats

Christmas is the best time of year for food and sweet treats. From yummy pigs in blankets to chocolate treats to Christmas dinner and Boxing Day leftovers, the food and drink during the holiday season are unparalleled and it’s the perfect time to treat yourself!

7. Have a Christmas movie marathon

Going outside for a winter walk or to do your Christmas shopping is lovely, but nothing beats a cosy afternoon inside watching Christmas films while wrapped up underneath a blanket, drinking a hot chocolate and eating all the festive chocolates!

Check out my list of the best Christmas films on Netflix UK here!

8. Go Christmas carolling – Christmas bucket list ideas

Christmas carolling isn’t really my cup of tea but it’s something to consider for your own winter bucket list if you’re in the mood to try something different during the holidays.

9. Build a snowman (if it snows!)

If you live in the UK, you won’t be surprised to discover that it’s probably more likely to snow in March than it is over the Christmas holidays, but if you do get lucky with snowfall wherever you live, it gives you the perfect opportunity to build a snowman, create a snow angel or even have a snowball fight!

10. Make a Christmas Eve box

I’m a firm believer that a Christmas Eve box isn’t just for people with kids; you can still make yourself one as an adult!

It’s a bit of a trivial Christmas tradition, but one that’s super sweet in my opinion and it can be a great additional gift to give a loved one on Christmas Eve.

11. Go to the pantomime – Christmas bucket list ideas

Watching the pantomime is another one of my family’s festive traditions every year and if you haven’t been to a show in a while, I’d seriously urge you to go this year with your family or friends as it’s so much fun!

12. Choose your Christmas Day outfit

It’s safe to say that I’m not a fashion fanatic and you’re not likely to find many fashion-forward posts on my blog, but one outfit I do enjoy shopping for is the one for Christmas Day.

Christmas is the perfect time of year to go all out with sparkly dresses, bright colours and glitter and sequins and if you can’t look like a shimmering disco ball on Christmas Day, when can you?!

13. Spend an afternoon wrapping gifts

Most of my family hates wrapping Christmas gifts so I’ll happily volunteer to wrap everyone’s presents every year and it’s become somewhat of my own tradition to watch a Christmas special episode of my favourite TV show (usually Gavin and Stacey) while wrapping all my gifts.

14. Make your own advent calendar

Buying (and eating) a chocolate advent calendar is one of the best things about December rolling around but if you want to make it even more special and magical, why not try making your own advent calendar, either for yourself or a loved one?

15. Buy a festive hot chocolate from your favourite coffee shop

As soon as autumn comes around, it’s officially hot chocolate season and whether you prefer Costa, Starbucks or an independent coffee shop for your festive drinks, enjoying a seasonal hot chocolate at least once during the holidays should definitely be on your Christmas bucket list.

16. Organise Secret Santa with friends or family

Secret Santa can be such a fun and exciting way to exchange gifts with your family, friends or colleagues and it also takes the pressure off spending lots of money on gifts for many different people.

If you’re trying to do Christmas on a budget, you could even set a spending limit to help keep the Secret Santa gift exchange fair for everyone.

17. Wear a tacky Christmas jumper – Christmas bucket list ideas

Christmas jumpers are supposed to be as tacky as possible, so bring out your most hideous seasonal sweater and enjoy the hilarity of looking utterly ridiculous but oh-so-festive!

18. Attend a Christmas market

If you’re lucky enough to have a Christmas market in your hometown or city, be sure to visit this holiday season to shop for gifts, trinkets, ornaments and yummy festive food!

Check out my post on the best Christmas markets in the UK!

19. Write Christmas cards

I’ve never really been one to send Christmas cards, but it is something I’d like to do in the future and I think it could even be super fun to make my own as well!

20. Take a family Christmas photo

This is a very Hallmark activity to add to your Christmas bucket list, but it’s a memory that you’re sure to remember forever and the pictures will be priceless! You could even add your family photo to your Christmas cards as an additional bonus festive activity.

21. Make mulled wine – Christmas bucket list ideas

Mulled wine isn’t to everyone’s taste and I’ve only just started tolerating it myself in the last couple of years, but making it from scratch at home is a wonderful seasonal activity to do as it’ll make your entire home smell of Christmas, even if you’re not the biggest fan of it yourself.

22. Buy and light lots of festive candles

Candles are a definitive part of the colder months as they make everything so much cosier, and as soon as it’s time to bring out the festive candles, you know you’re in for a good time!

23. Hang up your Christmas stocking – Christmas bucket list ideas

Another adorable activity to add to your Christmas bucket list is to hang your stocking up. My family have always put our stockings at the end of our beds, but most people place them over the fireplace; wherever you choose to put it, make sure you soak up all the festive goodness!

24. Decorate a gingerbread house

For the ultimate cosy night in, build (or buy) a gingerbread house and spend the evening decorating it with plenty of sugary treats such as chocolate, candy canes and festive-coloured frosting.

25. Buy a new pair of festive pyjamas

Christmas-themed pyjamas are a must during the holiday season and it’s the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a brand-new pair of the cosiest, fluffiest and perhaps tackiest pair!

26. Cosy up around the fireplace

If you have a fireplace in your house, the holidays are the perfect time of year to take full advantage of the cold weather and cosy up in front of the fire with a good book or a festive film.

27. Do some festive baking

Fill your home with the most delicious smells by baking festive cookies, a Christmas cake entirely from scratch or other assorted seasonal goodies.

28. Volunteer at a local food bank – Christmas bucket list ideas

Christmas is the perfect time of year to give back to those in need and volunteering at your local food bank or another kind of charity is a great way to do this.

29. Treat yourself to a festive-themed manicure

Treat yourself to a professional manicure complete with all the festive trimmings or have a go at doing it yourself at home. Getting your nails done just in time for Christmas is a fun, relaxing and festive activity that should definitely be on your winter bucket list.

30. Make your own festive wreath – Christmas bucket list ideas

Have a go at making your own Christmas wreath or winter garland. It doesn’t matter if you’re not a creative genius, the joy of making something festive for your own home is all part of the fun!

31. Hang candy canes on the tree (and then eat them)

Candy canes are a fun and delicious part of the holidays and if you can withhold from eating them all in one go, hang some on your Christmas tree for extra decoration.

32. Tuck into a tin of Quality Streets or Celebrations

The debate of the best Christmas tin of sweets and chocolate is something of a controversy in the UK and whether you’re team Quality Street, Celebrations, Roses or Heroes, no Christmas bucket list is complete without tucking into at least one of these tins full of goodies!

33. Check out the festive lights and decorations in your local town or neighbourhood

After seeing the truly magical Christmas lights and decorations in Dyker Heights in New York, I don’t think anything can ever compare again, but I still love to seek out the best festive decorations and lights in my hometown and in other places around the world and I’d urge you to do the same this Christmas!

34. Buy a new festive mug

Treat yourself to a new festive mug so you can enjoy all the yummy seasonal drinks at home without having to spend a fortune at coffee shops.

35. Attend a Christmas party – Christmas bucket list ideas

Christmas parties are usually in abundance during the winter season and even if you’re not much of a party animal, I’d encourage you to add “attend a Christmas party” to your festive bucket list this year so that you can truly embrace the holiday spirit.

36. Take a Christmas trip to a winter destination

For an extra special Christmas treat, plan and book a little trip away this winter. Go somewhere warm for a spot of winter sun or soak up all the magic of the cold season by going somewhere snowy.

Check out my list of the best winter city breaks here for inspiration!

37. Make your own ornaments

If you’ve already had a go at making your own Christmas wreath, go one step further and make your own ornaments and decorations as well for a truly DIY day of festive activities.

38. Go sledging – Christmas bucket list ideas

This bucket list idea at Christmas really depends on it snowing but if you’re lucky enough to experience a winter wonderland this season, take advantage of it and head off on an afternoon of sledging!

39. Buy a real Christmas tree – Christmas bucket list ideas

If you usually have a fake tree, why not change it up this year and go out and buy a real tree instead? It’s definitely more work than having a fake tree but there’s something awesome and magic about having a real Christmas tree in your home.

40. Get a deal in the Black Friday Sale

The Black Friday Sale is often quite chaotic but it can be the perfect time to buy your Christmas gifts in the sale as you’ll save so much money.

41. Host a festive dinner party for friends – Christmas bucket list ideas

The holidays are the perfect time of year to get your nearest and dearest together for a festive dinner party and whether that’s on Christmas Day itself or just around the holidays, cooking something delicious and toasting the festivities is such a lovely thing to enjoy.

42. Read a festive book

Christmas is a great time of year to get plenty of reading in as there’s often lots of downtime thanks to the cold nights. Head to your local library or browse through your TBR pile for a spot of festive reading.

Check out my post about the best Christmas books to read this year!

43. Kiss underneath the mistletoe

This is a super cliché festive activity to add to your Christmas bucket list but it could be fun to get all sentimental and soppy with your loved one.

44. Complete a Christmas jigsaw puzzle

Jigsaw puzzles are the perfect cosy night in activity and they’re even better when they’re Christmas-themed.

45. Attend a tree-lighting ceremony – Christmas bucket list ideas

Many towns and cities in the UK now host tree-lighting ceremonies, usually towards the end of November, and it’s the perfect time to head out and get into the festive spirit by attending a Christmas light switch-on.

46. Host a family games night

If your family dinner party was a success, try hosting a family games night over the Christmas period as well to get everyone together on as many occasions as possible.

47. Eat all your chocolate advent calendar

If you’ve got any willpower, you’ll be strong enough to eat just one chocolate from your advent calendar a day, but if not, go ahead and eat them all in one go!

48. Send a winter care package – Christmas bucket list ideas

Sending a winter care package to your grandparents or someone in need is such a lovely sentiment and it’s a great way to show someone that you care.

49. Take part in Elf on a Shelf

Elf on a Shelf is usually synonymous with parents who want to indulge their children in fun festive activities, but that doesn’t mean to say that you can’t participate in it as an adult as well if you want to inject some silliness into your festivities.

50. Start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions

One final Christmas bucket list idea that you should consider is making a start on your New Year’s resolutions.

Many people try and evade them nowadays, but I’m still a huge fan of making new goals and intentions for the upcoming year and I actually find it somewhat therapeutic to sit and journal between Christmas and New Year as a way of relaxing after the hectic festive period.

Related posts:

• The Best Things To Watch This Christmas
• Christmas Traditions I’m Going To Miss This Year While Travelling
• 25 Of The Very Best Things About Christmas
• Magical Moments That Happen At Christmas
• The Most Romantic Date Ideas For Winter – Updated 2021

Pin for later – Christmas bucket list ideas

What’s on your winter/Christmas bucket list? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter at @imjustagirl_16.