Quick Tips: Tis the Season To Indulge in Holiday Festivities

It’s December and you know what that means – seasonal drink menu debuts at coffee shops, floods of out-of-office emails, and radio stations playing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on repeat. It’s officially the holiday season, and this year, we plan on soaking up every bit of magic, joy, and celebration we can. Today’s quick tip is to find ways, big and small, to get into the holiday spirit and make the most of this special season.

The holidays hold something enjoyable for every interest. There are endless baking recipes to experiment with, outdoor sports to try, opportunities to volunteer, and Hallmark Christmas movies to curl up and watch. If you’re looking for inspiration, keep reading for our ideas on how to usher in some holiday cheer.

  • Create a playlist with your favorite holiday tracks and listen to it during your ‘hot girl walk,’ commute home, or while you read. For instance, perhaps it’s a controversial choice, but I put “Last Christmas” by the Glee Cast near the top of my holiday set.

  • Make hot chocolate or pick it up at your favorite local spot, grab a loved one, and check out the holiday displays around your neighborhood.

  • Tis the season of giving back. There is no shortage of volunteer opportunities to help make the season merry and bright for others, like donating clothes to charity stores, “adopting” a local family to help provide a magical holiday, volunteering at an animal shelter, or contributing to a food bank.

  • A classic for a reason: Decorate a gingerbread house. For those with a competitive spirit, you can invite friends or family over for a friendly (in theory) gingerbread house decorating competition.

  • Watch holiday-themed TV episodes of your favorite long-running program. You can count on the best of Bob’s Burgers, Friends, The Office, and more to circulate on social media every year.

  • Transport yourself to a winter wonderland by going ice skating.

  • Bake tasty seasonal treats. If your family has holiday recipes they’ve passed down, you can recreate them, or experiment with making a seasonal treat you've always wanted to try.

  • Host a small get-together with friends. Whether you exchange white elephant gifts, have an ugly sweater contest, play board games, hold a potluck, or watch holiday movies, you'll make fun yuletide memories.

  • Pick a holiday-themed book and/or movie to help get into the spirit. Maybe you’re feeling classics like “Elf” and Little Women or perhaps something more unconventional like “Die Hard” and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,” a Sherlock Holmes short story.

  • Check out local event guides for holiday activities specific to your area and find one that sparks your interest. Make sure to take photos to remember the occasion.

  • Decorate your living space for a cozy and festive feel that you’ll want to come home to.

  • Create and personalize a holiday card and mail it to your loved ones. You can have a fun holiday photo shoot or use photos of adventures from your past year and send them a message of appreciation for their presence in your life.

No matter your budget, capacity, or time, we hope you’re able to find pockets of joy and celebration this season. May your tinsel never tangle, the holidays be kind to you, and the new year brings you more joy (and books – always more books).

 

Pro tip: As a small and easy way to get into the holiday spirit and add a dash of extra festive cheer, designate a holiday-themed mug to exclusively use during November/December each year.

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