Here Are Fun Activities to Help Start to Get You in the Holiday Sprit
Now that we have wrapped up Thanksgiving yesterday it is finally the Christmas season. I know most of you have probably already started to get into the holiday spirit, but personally I can't get in the Christmas mood until after Thanksgiving dinner has been cleaned up. Every Friday after Thanksgiving my mom and I finally put away the fall decorations that have been up since September and break out the Christmas decorations and movies. Although this year is definitely looking different than years in the past there are still plenty of ways to kick off the holiday season. I have created a list of ideas to get in the Christmas mood. All of the ideas and inspiration I came up with are all things that can be done while staying safe during Covid. A lot of the ideas I have listed below are great for you crafty souls out there who like to work on projects. Don't worry if you are not the crafting type most of the ideas are very easy for any crafting level you might be at, but I also have several other suggestions that don't involve any crafting or baking. Hopefully you can find one idea that makes you excited to get in the Christmas mood and to ring in the holiday.
Put Up Decorations
It's finally time to break out the bags of Christmas decorations that have been sitting in the attic since January. That is if you haven't already started to deck the halls with your decorations. I look forward to decorating the day after Thanksgiving every year! This is a great way to kick off the holidays and bring a little Christmas cheer into the house. You can also take a trip out to the stores and see what new pieces you can pick up to join the collection you have at home. I know I love seeing all of the Christmas displays at the home decor stores. Decorate with the people in your household or invite some friends or family over to come and help out! Throw on a Christmas movie on in the background or put on your favorite Christmas music Pandora station. Pop the pop corn or pick up a pack of cookie dough to bake to have plenty of snacks to munch on while you decorate.
Go Ice Skating
If you're looking for a great activity to get you up and out of the house and get moving this idea is perfect! This is also great for a date idea or for a group activity for you and your friends. Even if you have never skated before or aren't the best at it, you and your friends will still have a great time laughing at each other. Make sure to bundle up with hats, scarfs, and mittens to stay warm while showing off your skating skills. Warm up afterwards with a big cup of hot coffee or coco before heading home. Make sure you bring your mask!
Drive or Walk Through a Light Display
This is another great way to get up and out of the house during the holiday. What is a better way to kick off the holidays than looking at beautiful lights! They make trails that can either be done on foot or drive through if it's too cold. This will also be a great option for 2020! Here are two popular places to go that are around me in York, Pa. One place is Hershey Sweet Lights (as seen above) which is separate from the amusement park. They have a 2 mile light trail that you can enjoy from the comfort of your car. Another place that is popular is A Festival of Lights at Rock Ridge Park. This is a one- half mile walking trail through light displays set up at the park. At the end of the trail they will have a heated tent set up with refreshments. Look up places that are near by to you and make sure to do your research before you pick a place to go, since a lot of places have decided not to open this year. If, you can't find anywhere to go, you can take a walk with the family around the neighborhood and see the lights and decorations.
Movie Night: Christmas Edition
If you haven't figured out by now I am a big fan of movie nights in with a lot of sweets. Make this in to a cozy date night or a fun gossip filled girls night. Throw together a coco bar with different types of hot chocolates, marshmallows, and whip creams! Make it a pj theme and get cozy in the living room with your favorite Christmas movies. If you decide on a girls night or even a couples night with you and your partner's friends have a dessert potluck. Have everyone bring a different dessert for a delicious night of new recipes to try with friends.
Cozy Up With a Christmas Book
If you are a big reader this is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit! Next time you are the bookstore or library find yourself a good holiday read. This will be great to have at night so you can get cozy and read a little before bed. This is my second year of having a holiday read for winter and it has easily become my new favorite tradition. I picked up The Twelve Dates Of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss from target and I am obsess with it! This is such a great way to get me in the mood for Christmas with all the craziness of 2020 going on. This book also has three recipes in the back for some holiday treats.
Lets Get Creative!
Embrace your creative side with these ideas. Here are a few baking and crafting ideas to get in the mood for the holidays! These ideas are great if you love to work with your hands and keep yourself busy.
Bake cookies Or Try a New Recipe
I've been baking holiday cookies for a few weeks now and I am having so much fun. I love making my classic holiday favorites, such as chocolate chip, peanut butter, and cut-outs. Nothing says Christmas than the smell of cookies baking while Christmas movies play in the background. I have also been trying a lot of new cookie recipes which have been a blast. I have been getting inspiration from Pinterest and EatingWell Magazine. I will be trying my hand at mincemeat pies this holiday season and I am so excited. Another fun idea is to make fun spins on old family recipes to have some fun in the kitchen and experiment with flavors. You can also invite friends over and have a baking competition for a fun baking activity to participate with friends.
Now this baking project that isn't meant to be eaten. This will be fun to do with kids or with just friends. Salt dough ornaments will be a great activity to keep your kids busy. This is a great idea for babysitting for all of you fun aunts and uncles out there! This will also be a great idea if you are hosting a Christmas party! Your gust will have fun making the ornaments and they will have a cute keepsake to take home with them to put on their tree. Visit All Recipes to get ingredients and directions on how to make your salt dough ornaments. Have fun with your designs and decorating!
Make Greeting Cards
This was actually an idea I got when I was reading The Twelve Dates of Christmas, the book I mentioned before. In the book the main character is very crafty and talks about making her own Christmas cards. I though it was such a cute idea and thought it would make for such a fun project for all of my crafty readers. I though this would be a great idea to send personalized Christmas cards. Making a card that is personalized to each friend or family member is a wonderful way to add your own personal touch. What would be a better way to add a beautiful heart felt touch to your holiday cards than this. Head to Pinterest to get some inspiration while your brainstorming your ideas.
Make Your Own Ugly Christmas Sweater
This idea is great for all of those ugly Christmas sweater lovers out there, which is basically everyone! I mean how can you not love ugly over the top Christmas sweaters. What is better than a ugly Christmas sweater, but one you have made yourself. Make matching sweaters with your significant other for a fun date activity. Or make a girls night of it with cocktails and movies. This is another great idea for a Christmas party activities. Head to a craft store and pick up a red, green, or blue sweater along with patches, pompoms, and sequences to add to your sweater. Get inspiration from your favorite Christmas movies, songs, or snow covered landscapes. Or just pick up the glue gun and see what happens!
Make Your Own Holiday Wreath/Garland
Going with the make your own theme add this one to the list. Make your own Christmas wreath or garland or make a matching set. Make a matching outdoor set with a wreath for the front door and garland wrapped around the front porch. I always get all of my pieces for making wreaths at Michael' craft stores and they always have the prettiest decorations. Pick up a plain wreath and garland then pick out the decorations you want to add to make your own personalized look. Pick up strands of lights to wrap in with your garland. Go classic with plain white lights or get festive with colored lights. Head to Pinterest to get some inspiration or go with the theme of the rest of your decorations.
I am incredibly excited for this Christmas season and all of the fun activities to do with friends and family. Personally, I am looking forward to all of the baking I will be doing and all of the great books I will get to cozy up with by the tree. The new activity I will be trying is the salt dough ornaments! This is a great time to try at least one new holiday activity! I hope you found one suggestion to get excited about and try something new this year! Comment below which holiday activity you are excited for the most and what your most loved tradition is during the Holiday season!