About a month ago, when the Lifetime Channel kicked off their holiday movie schedule, I watched a movie called The Christmas Aunt starring Keigha Night Pullam (Ruby Huxtable from The Cosby Show). In the movie, Pullam plays a career driven woman but is suddenly called to fly to her mother’s house to help take care of her niece and nephew for a couple weeks. In the movie, what I found endearing, is that Pullam organizes a Christmas list for her niece and nephew to get them in the holiday spirit. Everyday when they wake up they open a card from their aunt who gives them their “Christmas Activity” for the day. It could be anything from building a gingerbread house, donating toys, hanging Christmas lights, baking cookies, going ice skating, and the list goes on and on.
I thought about what I would do with my niece. Although she’s only two years old, I imagine when she’s old enough, I’d like to implement my own version of The Christmas Aunt Holiday Activity List. Here are some things, I’d like to include.
- Every year, my niece and I take matching pictures next to the Christmas tree. I’d like to continue that tradition.
- Bake traditional Filipino cookies (lengua de gato)
- Make a tree ornament that symbolizes the theme of the year.
- Make a parol.
- Donate clothes or food.
- Buy a holiday outfit or accessory.
- Go to the snow and do a snow activity (build a snowman, sled, snowboard)
- make cards
- write a poem
- read passages from our favorite books from that year
What about you? What holiday activities would you like to do with your niece and nephew?
Sheila E. Navarro 
I love the idea of taking the same photo every year. You can look back and compare them, seeing how you’ve both changed. What a nice tradition 🙂
It’s a great tradition. I hope to continue our every year.