Thinking outside the box at Christmas is a lot more fun than I ever thought it would be.

Not that there's anything wrong with the traditional ways we celebrate, but changing things up a little bit can be fun as well as educational. Here are five ideas you can use this and every Christmas.

Favorite Breakfast

Let the kids decide what's for breakfast Christmas morning. Nutritional advice notwithstanding, let the young ones plan breakfast no matter what they come up with. The pictures you will get while creating it will last a long time. Longer than some of the toys we buy, anyway.

Get Out of chore free card

I wish my parents would have done this one. My biggest chore was always the trash. And in a house with four kids, that was a lot of trash. A get out of one chore free card would have been a great way to pass the buck and feel good about it.

Get Mom and/or dad for 60 minutes, uninterrupted

If you ask a lot of kids, they will tell you they would love to have more time with their parents. Well, here's a way to make sure that happens. Giving of your time will reveal a lot about your son or daughter. Only one rule. It's up to the child what you do for that hour. How good are your gaming skills?

Let the children choose the hike you take

Here in Colorado, hiking is one of the most fun and educational things you can do with your children, so why not let them choose the hike the family takes? With so many choices just around Grand Junction, this would be a fun gift to shake things up.

Bed Time Pass

Giving this gift allows your son or daughter to stay up one hour past their normal bedtime. Depending on your family situation, you might make this a punch card, good for one year, allowing your child to choose when they get to stay up five times throughout the year. This would have been a very cool gift back in the day. Going to bed at 7:30 or 8 was never any fun.

Be creative and find some new and innovative ways for your family to celebrate this year and watch new traditions unfold.

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