Surviving Holiday Lights with Little Ones

I will never forget the first year my husband and I made grand plans to look at holiday lights as a family.  

It was December of 2014, and we had invited my in-laws along for the ride. Our oldest was only 9 months at the time, and she despised the car seat. 

We made the last minute decision to check out a highly recommended display that was a longer distance from home than we had previously realized. Upon arriving, we became trapped in an impossibly long line of cars that crept forward at an agonizing pace. Between my daughter’s increasing irritability and my own anxious impatience, the experience was one that I was determined to never repeat. 

What a difference six years and two more kids makes. 

Our annual tradition of looking at holiday lights on Christmas Eve has become one that I highly anticipate.

Here are some tips that have helped me survive and thrive during our annual holiday lights excursion:

Plan your route ahead of time

Knowing where you are going before you even leave the house can make all the difference in the overall experience. Usually, I take the time to examine a number of holiday light guides and then I put my top stops together into a Google maps route. This helps to establish an approximate timespan for the outing, and it provides directional peace of mind. It also allows for announcing what’s up next to the extremely excited little ones. 

Dress for comfort and warmth

Cozy clothes are a win for this drive-thru adventure. Usually, our kids wear their warm holiday pjs and some comfy shoes. This also makes for a very easy transition to bed when we arrive back home. In addition, we bring blankets for them to cover up as needed (especially when viewing lights with the windows rolled down.)

If your family plans to get out of the vehicle at any of your stops, make sure you take adequate warm clothes (coats, jackets, gloves, scarves) into account. A stroller always helps if you have littles that don’t want to/aren’t able to walk. 

Load up on the holiday snacks

As a shameless foodie, the refreshments make our holiday lights adventure all the more worth it. I have learned that packing an individual treat bag for each kiddo reduces the stress that may come with having to frequently pass out items to the entire crew. It’s even more fun if each kid gets to pick out a few yummy choices and a favorite drink for their sack ahead of time. If your little ones are too small to handle navigating their own snacks, it helps to designate a special snack for each stop and a few extra for anticipated waits in car lines. 

Don’t forget a trash bag and wipes for easy clean up!

Make it fun

This is probably a given, but it’s worth noting that jamming out to holiday music while looking at Christmas lights is the ultimate mood booster. It instantly grounds me in the magic of this season and it’s fun to play each kid’s favorites as we travel from one stop to the next. One idea that I’d like to try this year with our 4- and 6-year-olds is a Christmas lights scavenger hunt. It seems like a great way to stay engaged with each other and cut down on the choruses of “are we there yet?” 

Try to give each kid a good view

When my older girls were rear-facing, I worried that they would have less of an experience since they couldn’t see as well in that car seat position. In these earlier years, we prioritized the “park-and-watch” or “get-out-and-look” stops. This allowed us to safely bring the girls up front with us or get them out for a better view. They were always so excited about the chance to do this, and it reduced my guilt/worry about whether or not they were getting a worthy experience. 

Plan for a potty/stretch/nursing/bottle feeding break

Speaking of “park-and-watch” and “get-out-and-look” experiences, these stops are prime opportunities to stretch the legs or nurse/bottle feed your little ones. Last year, just three weeks after having our youngest, we ventured out to look at lights. These planned stops were a lifesaver. The older kids and my husband were occupied with the light display and I was able to climb into the back of our minivan and feed the baby. Nothing can kill the mood like an unhappy infant in a car seat. Take the time for a rest stop. You won’t regret it.

Know when it’s time to head home

We’ve probably all experienced the scenario of pushing the limits of our little ones’ bandwidth and dealing with the cringeworthy aftermath. The great thing about this annual holiday light tradition is that you can always save some of the magic for the following year. Each season, your kids will be a little older and a little more able to manage themselves (which means you can have a little more fun). Pace yourself. There’s nothing wrong with wrapping up a little early for the sake of your Christmas spirit.

Wherever your holiday light viewing takes you and whomever you go with, embrace the moments for what they are, hold tight to the memories as you make them, and know that no matter what you decide for your family—it will be magically enough. Happy viewing!