It’s December! For college students, this means a plethora of things: exams, the end of the quarter (or semester), the stress and excitement of choosing new classes, but most overarchingly, Christmas and the long-awaited winter break! As someone who begins looking forward to Christmas in early October, I have been eagerly awaiting the Christmas season and all it encompasses. Besides spending the holiday with family, eating home-cooked meals, and seeing childhood friends, there are myriad ways to ensure you can make the most of the holiday season, (whether you go home for Christmas, stay on campus, or visit family). I hope that by outlining some of my favorite holiday activities, I can provide some ways for you to feel that you’re getting the most out of your winter break so that you may be able to return in 2024 feeling refreshed and renewed for the new school season!
For me and many others, Christmas allows me a tangible time to appreciate what I have and give back to my community. One of the best ways to celebrate the holiday spirit and truly embody what Christmas can mean to you is to volunteer in your local community. Whether serving food at homeless shelters, donating old clothes, ‘adopting’ a family to whom I can grant gifts, or even setting wreaths on graves, volunteering is a great way to not only remain active in the community, but also allows one to really take a moment to reflect and appreciate the opportunities they’ve been given to live the life they have.
I believe that sports involving snow are a must for the holiday season, even if you’re used to a warm climate. One of my favorite things to do over Christmas break is to go ice skating, sledding, and skiing (if the weather and my budget allows for it). Ice rinks are available all over the world (whether they be inside or outside depends on the climate of where you’re from) and are easily accessible to the general public! If it snows outside, make sure you take advantage of the ability to build snowmen, make angels, and fight with snowballs. This is a great way to enjoy cold weather and childish tendencies, and if often best ended with a hot cup of cocoa. Best believe I’ll be out in the snow building snowmen, making angels, and fighting with snowballs.
For many college students, much of the appeal of going home for the holiday season is boosted by the promise of home-cooked, fresh-baked meals. Even though I hardly consider myself a chef, I can’t help but feel an invisible pull to bake and cook during Christmas. Cookies, brownies, pies, pasta, soup, you name it. One quick, easy, and relaxing way to embody the holiday spirit is to engage in activities that allow you to express your creativity, and then eat said creativity (particularly, gingerbread houses, hot cocoa bombs, and fresh bread).
One of my favorite holiday traditions is a simple, easy, and hilarious one. Elf on the Shelf, which can be purchased on Amazon, at Target, or even Walmart, is a great way to embody the holiday spirit. Waking up early every morning to hide ‘Santa’s Helper’ for your family and friends to find allows for an aspect of fun, mystery, and competition to be added to your December mornings, and is a great way to start every day off with some spirit.
I hope that these few suggestions can allow you to integrate a sense of appreciation for and of the holiday season. I find that engaging in these activities with friends and family makes them even more worthwhile and gives me the opportunity to cultivate a deeper appreciation and respect for the holidays!