5 Festive Ways to Celebrate the Holidays
Christmas time is here! The turkey may still be digesting, but that doesn't stop many of us from bringing out the decorations and dreaming about the presents under the tree. As you get ready to celebrate this holiday season, here are 5 festive ways you can bring more cheer to end the year.
#1 - Cue the Lights
The twinkling glow of lights starts to emerge this time of year. Whether local businesses illuminate their buildings or festive neighbors put on a show decking out their homes, there are plenty of places to enjoy the glow.
Maybe this is the year that you decide to join in on this festive tradition and decorate your home with lights. If you need some tips, the Home Depot has got a great article on how to hang those Christmas lights so they stay put and you stay safe.
#2 - Gingerbread House Building
Here’s your chance to put your architecture and design skills to the test. You can find gingerbread house kits in just about any store right now. It’s a wintertime staple. And a kit is all good and fine, but here are a few ideas to shake things up.
You can have a friendly competition. Invite a few friends over or just battle it out against your family members. See who can transform their store-bought kit into the most creative work of art. You can post the finished pictures on social media to get an unbiased vote.
Ditch the store-bought kits because let’s be honest - who actually likes eating those? You can use graham crackers and frosting to make your humble abodes. And the best part is these actually are pretty tasty to consume at the end.
Or if you are more of a savory than sweet person, here’s an idea for you. You can really go off the beaten path with this twist on a classic and make a charcuterie chalet or meat mansion. You use meat, cheeses, veggies, crackers, and more to create these custom builds.
#3 - Christmas Movies
Whether you are in the camp that declares Die Hard a Christmas movie or not, there are so many festive movies to choose from for the holiday season. If you are having a hard time trying to decide what to watch, here are a few ideas to get you started.
Choose a decade and watch Christmas movies released then. For example, you can hit classics by choosing the 40s and enjoy It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) or Miracle of 34th Street (1947).
Gather up all the movie suggestions and write them down. Then have someone randomly draw from a hat the flick for the evening.
Or you can spread out in your home and put multiple movies on at once. Your guests can choose what they are in the mood to watch or even jump from movie to movie to enjoy their favorite scenes.
#4 - Send Holiday Cards
With so many things moving towards digital, it is extra nice to get a little snail mail. So, you can help spread cheer by sending out holiday cards. And it doesn’t just have to be your generic holiday photo. You can be creative! Send a little life update, create a riddle to solve, or choose a funny photo.
And there are a few bonuses to sending out holiday cards. If you’ve recently moved, your friends and family get your updated address. Plus, once people start receiving your cards, you will likely receive some back. So, you now get to enjoy getting more mail during this holiday season too!
#5 - Bring All the Casseroles
For some reason, holiday dishes seem to all be casseroles. You’ve got the classics like green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole, but just a quick Google search for Christmas casseroles and you will find plenty of ideas.
The nice thing about casseroles is it is a dish that is in one container and travels easily. Maybe that’s why they are so popular for holiday parties? Anyways, why not put a spin on a holiday potluck and have all your guests bring a different casserole. You might just discover a new favorite holiday dish.
Enjoy the Holidays
Lights, gingerbread, movies, cards, and casseroles, are just a few ways you can create some fun to end out the year. However you decide to celebrate the holiday season, enjoy it!
