Do you need inspiration for what to do this Christmas season? Here are some traditional and nostalgic activities to enjoy Christmas as much as possible, either by yourself or with friends.
1) Gingerbread houses
One tradition that you’re probably familiar with are gingerbread houses. You put together pieces of gingerbread shapes like house pieces held together by frosting and then decorate the house with frosting, gum drops, candy canes, peppermints, and other candies. You can compete with family and friends to see who can make the prettiest house. Afterward you can eat them, because they are made of edible material.
2) Baking
Baking is always a good idea. For many years my sister and I would make a treat called M&M pretzel kisses every year. The base would be a square pretzel, then on top we would put a Hershey Kiss then on top of that. Lastly, we’d press down an M&M and put them in the freezer. We’d keep them in the refrigerator because they’re better cold. If you’re not sure about what to bake, you can look up “Christmas treats.” There will be countless links with delicious treats: for example, 60 Delicious Christmas Treats for the Holiday Season.
3) Wish lists
Start making your wish list as early as possible. Think about everything you’ve ever wanted but never had.
4) Plan gifts for others
If you have the money to and there’s someone you want to give a gift to, it would be a thoughtful idea to plan gifts. People have a favorite gift, maybe it was something they really wanted, or it has sentimental value. I asked “What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?” “Airpods” says Roop Kaur (‘29).
5) Surveillance Elf
If you have young siblings or other family members, one activity you can do with them is Elf on the Shelf. Every night, while the child is asleep, move the elf somewhere. When the child wakes up, they’ll look for the elf, and think it has magic to move. Every night tell the child the elf flies to the North Pole to tell Santa if they’ve been naughty or nice, and they return to a new spot every morning. The child can’t touch the elf or else it will lose its magic.
