THE TRADITIONS LIBRARY
Krystamas
A twelve-day countdown to December 23, filled with surprise activities, kitchen-table conversations, and community kindness - bringing our family closer, one meaningful evening at a time.
Shared by:
The December Family
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CATEGORY
Christmas
FREQUENCY
Annually
AGES
All Ages
COST
Flexible
The Story Behind It
Krystamas began in 2019 in Beaumont, Alberta, because December kept slipping past me.
Between holiday concerts, parties, shopping, and visits with friends and family, the month felt hectic and chaotic. The “most joyous time of the year” seemed to be over before I’d even realized it had begun.
I wanted a way to slow it down—to make the season mean more than rushing from one thing to the next. I wanted my kids to feel excited about the holidays while making room for experiences that would help them grow into kinder, more thoughtful people with big hearts.
So I created Krystamas: twelve days of surprises, activities, and intentional time together, counting down to December 23. Each night gave us a reason to pause, connect, and put something meaningful at the centre of the season.
What began around our kitchen table and in our community eventually helped inspire The 12 Days of December and The December Family. Krystamas became the founding tradition of The Traditions Library.
What You'll Need
For a Table Talk evening:
• A table or comfortable place to gather
• Activity papers suited to your topic
• Paper and supplies for drawing, writing, or creating
• A story and a few conversation questions
• Music, hot cocoa, and a snack, if you’d like
• A phone or camera to capture the memory
Supplies for activities outside the home will depend on what you choose.
Want a little help getting started? The 12 Days of December grew from our own kitchen table, conversations, and Krystamas experiences. It offers twelve guided lessons "Table Talks" and three "Foundational Favourites" activities to help your family make time for connection.
You can create your own activities, or use the collection as a starting point.
Make It Your Own
Choose topics and activities that fit your family’s ages, interests, and experiences. You might draw together, tell stories, explore a relationship question, or find a way to help someone in your community.
Keep the surprise if your family enjoys it, or invite everyone to help plan. Make room for conversation without expecting a particular answer, and let each person participate in their own way.
Finish with a small keepsake or photo, and check in afterward to give everyone another chance to share a thought or ask a question.
How It’s Done
Krystamas is our family’s twelve-day countdown to December 23. Every night’s activity is a surprise—the kids don’t know what we’re doing until we begin.
Many evenings centre around our kitchen table. We call these “Table Talks”: time together spent drawing, writing, talking, or creating. Other activities take us into our community. Some of these have become what we now call The December Family’s “Foundational Favourites.”
Each activity has its own purpose, often exploring personal growth, charity, or relationships. What connects them is the hope that they’ll draw us closer and help my children grow into wonderful humans with big hearts.
A typical Table Talk includes music, hot cocoa, usually a snack, and an activity paper or two. I introduce the topic, share a story, and offer questions to get everyone thinking and talking. We work through the activity together, chat, and finish with a photo or two to remember the moment.
Before bed, I always follow up with each child to see how everything is sitting with them and whether they have any questions.