It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! December is here which means we can finally break out the gingerbread, hot chocolate, mistletoe, ornaments, festive sweaters, DIY wreaths, cookies, classic Christmas playlists, and Christmas cheer! If you can’t already tell, Christmas is my favorite holiday! We are all about to be on break for a whole month which gives us plenty of time for rest, making memories, and preparing for the new year. While we all have our own traditions and ways we plan to spend our break, here are ten memorable, special and festive ways to spend this holiday with friends and family.
- Christmas Karaoke
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Cue up your favorite Christmas songs, grab your friends and some snacks and get to singing! This is a fun way to celebrate this holiday season whether or not you have the voice of an angel or are totally off key (like me).
- DIY Pinterest Ornaments
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Let’s be completely honest, Pinterest is definitely a superior app (and slightly addictive). If you’re like me, you’re always down for a good craft! Pinterest is filled with all kinds of cute DIY ornament ideas that are perfect to add to your Christmas tree this year or even gift a friend.
- Volunteer/Serve
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Christmas is much more than presents, decorating cookies and pretty lights. It’s about giving, gratitude, compassion, joy and most importantly, love. Take some time over break to volunteer for a food or toy drive or serve at a soup kitchen, women’s shelter or nursing home. Service is a huge conviction of mine, and while we ought to be giving back to those around us all year round, this season in particular is definitely a time to commit to it. While giving financially is more than amazing, there is something truly special about personally getting involved alongside others.
- Christmas Movie Marathon
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A tradition my mother and I do every December is watch Hallmark Christmas movies. Whether it’s Christmas rom coms or classics like Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer or How The Grinch Stole Christmas, movie marathons with friends and family this time of year are always a highlight.
- Ice skating Date
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A great idea for a winter date night is ice skating! Outdoor ice rinks decorated with pretty lights always make for some of the best photos. If you’re dating, take your partner out to an ice rink. If you’re single, go with friends.
- GO To a Ballet
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Being a ballet dancer myself, this time of the year brings about memories of rehearsals mixed with sore feet, broken-in pointe shoes, fairies, mice, and all things The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker is an amazing ballet choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with music by Tchaikovsky. This ballet is centered around a family Christmas Eve party and the gift of a nutcracker to a young girl. If you haven’t been to a ballet, this is the perfect time to check it off your list.
- ChrIstmas Light Tour
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This activity is one of my parents’ favorite things to do this time of year. Whether it’s driving around your neighborhood, heading to a theme park like Busch Gardens Christmas Town or traveling downtown or to a mall, looking at all the shining Christmas decor is always a treat.
- Secret Santa / White elephant
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Most of us have participated in a Secret Santa or White Elephant exchange at some point. It is such a fun way to wrap up the semester and year of 2022 before you and your friends head home for break. If you are planning on having a Secret Santa or White Elephant game this year, I recommend the app Elfster. This app allows you to group all your friends together for the game, generate who’s gifting whom, and create your own specific wishlists.
- Gingerbread House Competition
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Let the Gingerbread Games begin! Everyone decorate their own gingerbread house and then create various categories like “Most Aesthetic”, “Most Structurally Sound” or “Most Creative”. The winners get whatever prize your whole group decides on. Maybe the prize is a gift card or getting to choose what movie everyone watches for a movie night. You can even do a timed competition. Whoever finishes his or her gingerbread house first wins a prize.
- Cookie Decorating Exchange Party
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Break out the sparkling ciders and Santa-shaped sugar cookies! Everyone would bake and decorate a batch of cookies to bring to a Christmas party. At the end of the party, people can exchange their cookies with others so everyone leaves with someone else’s batch. This is a yummy way to kick off December.
