Pick something to watch
Fireplace and Yule log
Hours of crackling fire for the background.
Christmas carols sing-along
Lyrics on screen for the whole family.
How to draw a Christmas tree
Easy step-by-step drawing for kids.
Gingerbread house tutorial
Build and decorate one from scratch.
Christmas light shows
Houses synced to music around the world.
Paper snowflakes
Fold, cut and hang.
Track Santa with NORAD
Live on Christmas Eve at noradsanta.org.
Christmas around the world
Short films about holiday traditions.
Ready for movie night?
See the classic Christmas movies or what is new in Christmas movies 2026.
The Yule log fireplace
The televised Yule log began in New York in 1966, when a local station filmed a burning fireplace and broadcast it on Christmas Eve for viewers without a fireplace of their own. Today Yule log videos run for hours online, with crackling sound and soft carols, and make a perfect background for wrapping or a quiet evening.
Sing-along carols
Carol videos with the words on screen are ideal for families and classrooms. Start with the easy ones, like Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, then try Silent Night and O Come, All Ye Faithful. You can also press the Jingle Bells button at the top of this page.
Crafts and baking videos
Step-by-step videos make Christmas crafts much easier for children. Paper snowflakes, drawing a Christmas tree and gingerbread houses are the favourites. For recipes to bake alongside, see our Christmas cookie recipes.
Track Santa with NORAD
Every Christmas Eve since 1955, North American air defence has "tracked" Santa's sleigh, first as CONAD and, from 1958, as NORAD. It started when a newspaper advert printed a wrong phone number, and children who called reached a military operations centre instead of a shop. The colonel on duty played along, and a tradition was born. Today the tracker runs online at noradsanta.org on 24 December. Count down to it with the Christmas Eve countdown.
Screen time, the festive way
December can mean more screen time. Videos that get children doing something, like drawing, baking or singing, are a good balance. Watch together, then make the thing. A paper-snowflake video and a pair of scissors can keep a group of children happy for an hour.
Classic Christmas TV specials
Some of the best-loved Christmas viewing is short TV specials rather than films: A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) and The Snowman (1982) each run under an hour and work beautifully for young children before bed.
Questions people ask
Quick answers about this countdown.
When does the NORAD Santa tracker start?
On Christmas Eve, 24 December. The website opens with games in early December.
What is a Yule log video?
A long video of a fireplace, often with music, first shown on TV in New York in 1966.
Are there Christmas videos for kids here?
Yes: carols, drawing, paper snowflakes and gingerbread houses are all child-friendly.
Keep exploring
More countdowns, tools and Christmas reading on Christmas Days Left.