Free Christmas Planner

 

One of the best things that I have done to work towards that end is to first take time to evaluate what is life giving and life draining about our current Christmas traditions. 

 

It's one of the activities in Unearthing Wonder advent and it is so helpful for creating sustainable holidays that don't leave us ragged and worn.

 

You simply use the included template to create a column labeled life draining and another labeled life giving. Then list all the things you do at Christmas, adding them to the appropriate column. 

 

Once you evaluate this, then you can begin to eliminate some of the activities that drain you of joy and peace.

 

The ones that remained for us were simple activities that build connection like attending one Christmas performance, cutting down a tree together, staying home on Christmas day, getting together with extended family for baking or for Thanksgiving, reading picture books together, and exchanging a few gifts. 

The planner doesn't just give you space to write your favorite activities. It also helps you plan

• Gift buying for children
• Other gifts to buy
• Books to read
• Cookies to bake
• Crafts to make

 

Knowing what is important to you well in advance of Christmas can help you plan a holiday that is full of happy memories that anchor your children well into the future.

 

 

 

Has a similar format to The Peaceful Preschool and Nourishing Nature Kindergarten, with daily suggestions for read aloud, phonics, counting, motor skills and more. We include games like sock ball snowball fight, recipes like Christmas Granola bars, and phonics and counting activities that are full of fun. It's a great resource for Christmas school, perfect for 3-5 year old students but even older elementary children will want to join in the fun.

 

This is the follow up to our original and includes recipes for Olive Oil Orange Cake and Butterscotch Bars, poetry by Christina Rosetti, Christmas phonics and word matching games, and more. The phonics and math are a little more advanced than those that are included in Volume 1 which makes it perfect for kindergarten and early elementary students. It's also organized to accompany our history cycles with a week of Nature Christmas, Pioneer Christmas, European Christmas, and World Christmas. 

 

Unearthing Wonder, our family guide to advent, we include 25 days of lessons to accompany the book All Creation Waits.

Each day includes thoughtful readings, and family centered activities. It would make a lovely morning time guide or evening devotion resource and can be used with all ages, but the thoughtful questions and reflections are especially great for elementary and above. 

In the Holiday Book Flood we include 25 adorable advent activity cards that you can attach to wrapped books to make a delightful picture book advent. Each day you read a book, make a craft or recipe, play a game, and listen to music, look at art, or read poetry. It's perfect for kids of all ages, and can be used by homeschool or traditionally schooled children.

You take a look at our Christmas & Advent Holiday Preview to see all that we have to offer for a holiday season of making  memories together as a family.

Which holiday guide will your family be enjoying this season?!

Commonly Asked Questions

 

1. What is the purpose of the “life-giving vs. life-draining” Christmas evaluation?

This simple exercise helps families clarify which traditions nourish joy, connection, and peace—and which ones create stress or overwhelm—so they can plan a more meaningful and sustainable holiday season.

2. Where can I find the free Christmas planning template?

The template is linked in the blog post and is included as part of the Unearthing Wonder Advent materials. It guides you through evaluating traditions, planning activities, and organizing holiday needs.

3. Who is the free Christmas planner designed for?

It’s designed for families who want a calmer, more intentional Christmas—with planning pages for gifts, books, baking, crafts, and meaningful traditions.

4. How early should I start planning for Christmas?

While you can start anytime, many families find that beginning in November (or even late October) helps create a peaceful pace and prevents last-minute stress.

5. How do I decide which Christmas activities to keep or eliminate?

After sorting your traditions into “life-giving” and “life-draining,” look for areas where removing or simplifying activities will restore peace. Keep the traditions that genuinely build connection and joy for your family.

6. Are the Peaceful Press Christmas Guides for homeschoolers only?

No—while they work beautifully for homeschool families, the activities and readings can be used by any family wanting to infuse the season with learning, joy, and connection.

7. What ages are the Christmas Guides best suited for?

• Christmas Guide Volume 1: Ideal for ages 3–5, but enjoyable for older siblings as well.
• Christmas Guide Volume 2: Best for kindergarten through early elementary.
• Unearthing Wonder Advent Guide: Engaging for the whole family, especially elementary and older.
• Holiday Book Flood: Can be used with all ages.

 

8. Can I use more than one guide during the holiday season?

Yes! Many families pair Unearthing Wonder with one of the Christmas Guides or use Holiday Book Flood as a delightful picture-book-based advent tradition. Unearthing Wonder can be used as an evening devotional and you can use one of our other guides during the day as they contain more activities.

9. Do the guides require a lot of prep work?

Most activities are simple, low-prep, and use common household items. The guides are designed to support a peaceful holiday rhythm rather than add more stress.

10. What if my Christmas season is already very busy?

The guides are flexible—choose just a few activities or readings each week. Even small moments of intentional connection can bring warmth and meaning to the season.

11. Is “Christmas school” necessary to enjoy the guides?

Not at all. Many families simply sprinkle the activities into their December rhythm—after dinner, during morning time, on weekends, or whenever it fits.

 

 

12. Can I use these resources if we celebrate Christmas differently or come from a non-Christian background?

The Christmas Guides focus on family connection, creativity, literature, and seasonal fun. Unearthing Wonder is faith-based, but the others can be adapted for families with a variety of traditions.

 

13. How do the Christmas Guides support family connection?

Through shared read-alouds, simple hands-on activities, baking, crafts, and themed weeks that bring families together around creativity and beauty.

14. What makes The Peaceful Press Christmas resources unique?

They are intentionally designed to cultivate peace, joy, connection, and wonder—helping families step away from cultural busyness and create memories rooted in presence rather than pressure.