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Fun events surrounding Christmas occur on the days leading up to it, not only on Christmas Day. For us long distance grandparents, that’s great news! We want to remind you that even if you won’t have the opportunity to celebrate in the same location there’s no need to have a blue….blue blue blue Christmas! With phones, other technology and a little bit of creativity you’ll be on your way to making some great long distance Christmas memories!
The number one reason I hear from grandparents why they can’t make these connections work is because of busy schedules. As you read through the ideas below, don’t be afraid to adapt things. I have a friend that virtually bakes with her granddaughter while my grandkids are simply not old enough for that yet. We read a bedtime story over video chat (or one of these 10 best apps for reading to grandkids virtually), and it’s usually well within 5-10 minutes.
Keeping the time short will leave them wanting more. If you go too long during connection opportunities it makes it hard for parents to have the time they need to finish dinner, brush, teeth, etc. The people we need this to work for isn’t just our grandkids – it’s mom and dad too! Try your best to work around their schedules and maintain a flexible attitude. That said, here are some of our top favorite ways to connect for a long distance Christmas with the grandkids!
Snowman Building
If you want to make a snowman…check out this website where you’ll find lots of options to build your own custom snowman. You can both use a computer or tablet to access this website, create your snowman, and then snap a screen shot by clicking the camera icon and share your creations with each other.
If you have multiple grandchildren in different homes who are older (and can handle some good spirited competition), encourage everyone to make their snowman for a “Snowman Competition”. Come up with categories such as “funniest”, “most creative”, etc, and give each snowman a silly award.
Lighted Tour
The Christmas lights up and down the street…driving around looking at Christmas lights is something our family has done for years. Here’s a way to view some spectacular displays no matter how many miles apart you are while sipping hot chocolate in your own homes! Just take the virtual light tour in either Western or Eastern USA. You can facetime or do a regular audio call and take turns choosing favorites. These are seriously some of the most amazing displays ever, perfect for a long distance Christmas tradition!
Read Christmas Books
T’was the Night Before Christmas is one of the most famous Christmas songs and stories of all time. It’s a great read even from a distance. Here’s a list of 10 more Christmas books that are perfect for sharing with your grandkids (depending on age), whether you’re reading them in person or over a video call, they make a fantastic addition to your long distance Christmas celebrations:
- The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
- Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
- Olivia Helps with Christmas by Ian Falconer
- The Christmas Wish by Lori Evert and Per Breiehagen
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Thea Feldman and Erwin Madrid
- The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers
- The Little Reindeer by Nicola Killen
- The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola
Write a Christmas Story
You could also write your own Christmas story! Younger grandkids will need a little help from grownups, but this one’s fun for older elementary kids too. Simply give them a one line prompt and ask them to come up with the next sentence in the story. You can do this over audio or video call, or even texting (again – with grownup approval). It would be fun to write that story down as it’s created to read again later! Here are a few story starters for long distance Christmas fun:
- One day, a snowman decided to move to a new home…
- A family decided to drive up into the mountains to get a Christmas tree…
- Once upon a time there was a little puppy that snuck into the house on Christmas Eve…
A couple of years ago I turned a story about one of my grandkids stuffed animal into a physical book with pictures. It was so fun to make and when it arrived at their door they were elated. I used Chatbooks to create the book and it’s one of their favorite stories still today!
Scavenger Hunt
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…and you’ll have the photos to prove it. Arrange a scavenger hunt. It could be something that is actually timed to complete in one setting, or it could span several days. This type of scavenger hunt doesn’t need to have a winner, but it will get you some pictures of your grandkids AND give you the opportunity to share some of your own too. Everyone wins playing this game! You can start with these ideas and add your own. Text each other selfies of you:
- next to a Christmas tree
- eating a candy cane
- holding a candle
- singing a Christmas song (send a video)
- sitting on Santa’s lap
- by a Christmas yard decoration
- eating a Christmas cookie
- wearing a tacky Christmas sweater
- with a nativity scene
Same Thing, Same Time
Through the years we all will be together… Sometimes just knowing that you can be together with someone ‘in spirit’ can really brighten your day. Try scheduling a time, either once during this season, or a brief moment each day/week, where you and your grandkids do the same thing.
You could schedule a time to make a Christmas treat. You could commit to marking another day off the countdown right before bedtime, to sharing a celebration from the year at dinner, or even saying a simple Christmas prayer such as this: “Dear God, thank you for this season. Thank you for all I have and help me bless someone today. Amen.”
Personally, I’m going to start with the light tour and some Christmas stories this year. We urge you to maybe try 1-2 things and adapt as needed. Make a plan and hold it lightly. Do what works for your family and don’t stop trying to make connections even when it doesn’t go as planned. Whatever you choose to do, we’ll be thinking of you and hoping that you will find moments to bridge the distance with your grandkids this Christmas!