‘Tis the season… It’s already this time of year when sleigh bells ring and snow is glistening! My personal favorite time of year. Something about the holidays makes a part of me warm and fuzzy as it may do for many others. That aspect only makes me want to cherish it that much more. As much as it’s a beautiful time of year, it’s also hectic. Prioritizing activities that matter to you and making sure you get the most out of these next few weeks is important.
Sure it doesn’t help that a crazy finals week is right before this joyous time of year but here are a few activities you can look forward to after hell week.
1. Ice Skating
Whether it’s at Union Square or the local ice rink, nothing feels more like the holidays than going ice skating with your friends. You get to poke fun at yourself and friends about the lack of skill in your skating abilities or zoom around the rink as you own it. Nothing like falling on cold ice to get yourself in the holiday spirit!
2. Make a holiday bucket list with your friends/family!
Grab your favorite markers, journal, or cute scrapbook paper, and get ready to decorate. Even if the things on this list may not be to your taste, now you get to make a list of your own catered to your tastes and needs! Whether you want to have a gingerbread house-making competition or have a chill night in with a movie and hot chocolate that’s up to you and your friends! Just make sure to use holiday colors and stickers on your bucket list and hang it up so everyone can see after!
3. Bake some cookies and treats.
After having made some gingerbread cookies with my friends at two a.m., I can confidently recommend this activity to everyone. Not only were we delirious from it being late but also having to make our own brown sugar and runny frosting, but we got some cute and delicious gingerbread cookies out of it. Safe to say you can’t go wrong with this. You could do it with your friends, or family, or make it a solo activity!
4. Plan a potluck or dinner party amongst your friends!
No matter what holiday you celebrate this season, you can’t go wrong with a big potluck/dinner party with your friends. Usually, with holiday potlucks, you would bring a cultural dish that you eat during the holidays! Or even better, set a specific theme for the dinner. Maybe it’s to bring a dish that starts with the letter of your first name, or a Studio Ghibli-themed dinner party. Your call! Make it fun and lighthearted for a good time.
5. Go to the drive-in.
A drive-in is a place you go with some late-night snacks and friends at the last possible second. Possibly even hiding in the back seat to avoid paying for an extra movie ticket. You’ll probably have some trouble finding the radio station that the movie’s audio is on but that’s okay you guys would probably be talking over each other and the sound will be lost either way! It’s not really a place you go to pay attention to but mainly for the vibes of going with your friends. Even better if you’re able to put the seats down in your car and sit with the trunk open and wrap yourselves in blankets!
6. Trying that new holiday drink.
We all know of the Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte at Starbucks but what about the Velvet Hot Chocolate you can order there? Find a new drink to try this year and step out of your comfort zone!
These were just a couple of the many things you can do alone or with others this holiday season. Enjoy yourself, you deserve it! Finish 2022 with cheerful and bright memories to look back on and don’t let this winter season slip by like it usually does!