FABULOUS AND FUN WINTER BREAK ACTIVITIES

Are you on winter break from school? If you’re taking a respite from high school or college, there are some fun things you can do to make the most of your holiday.

Family Time

You might still be feeling the exhilaration of having the metaphorical umbilical cord cut, now that you live away while in college. Just because you’re no longer homebound, doesn’t mean that you’re too cool for family.

Let’s face it, seeing family is a must-do this time of year, and frankly it can be unavoidable, unless you want to purposely alienate relatives. Even then, the holidays are the time to put away resentments and family feuds. Save “The Grinch” for a family movie night.

Instead, make the most of family time! Start by helping to plan fun mini-vacay complete with tubing or sledding at your nearest mountain resort. Since snow tubing and sledding have become widely popular and are a mere Google search away! If you live in snow country, this is an especially easy activity to plan.

Go See Lights

There’s something about hanging decorations on the tree and around the home that lifts spirits. Check out what your neighbors have done, too, and go see the local holiday lights! You can never be too young or too old to dig a cheerful light display.

Regardless of where you live in the United States, a neighborhood renowned for its holiday cheer is likely close by. If you are unsure of where to go, check outchristmaslightfinder.com. Simply type in your ZIP code and to locate the best, snapchat-worthy, and festive show in  your area.

Girls Day + Night Out

After you’ve made sure you’ve spent plenty of QT with the fam, be sure to also carve out a little me-time. Winter break isn’t just about spending time to others but also making sure to give yourself needed rest and relaxation. One of the most important things to nurture are friendships. If you haven’t seen your girls in a hot-minute then you’re long past due. Plan a day to see the ladies and make it fun.

You can always do coffee, happy hour, dinner, or a chick-flick playing at a theatre near you. Maybe you can even get a festive mani-pedi with fun holiday colors. Hey, if you budget your time and money, you might be able to do it all! Start with coffee and breakfast, then make a day and night of it. You can do it!  

Art Appreciation

Try seeing a holiday musical! Most towns have a theatre, or at least one within driving distance. The bigger cities will have a winter wonderland themed show you won’t want to miss. You can also find performances held at the local civic auditorium, recreation center or place of worship.  And oftentimes, events at smaller venues are free of charge.

Movie Night

Organize a distraction-free night with family and friends by sitting back and enjoying a few classic holiday movies. Just like at the theater, don’t text away on your phone, be present and enjoy being face-to-face. Similar to putting 100 percent into school and work, put your all into spending quality time with the friends and loved ones. You won’t regret it - we promise!

White Elephant

Who doesn’t like games and gifts? If you’ve never done a White Elephant gift exchange, the rules are pretty simple. Everyone buys an unmarked gift that’s within a certain budget, say $10 to $15. Everyone selects or is given a random number associated with a gift. Each person gets to take turns opening their random gift. If they like it, they can keep it. Or they can choose to “steal” someone else’s gift. But beware, someone may steal yours, too!

Who’s to say you can’t do it all? You’re only young once, right? After movie night, try jazzing up the evening and turning into a fun holiday party. Your friends, family or both are already there, after all! If you plan ahead, you can get everyone to chip in and participate in a white-elephant gift exchange. If you’re not serving a big dinner, that’s okay. A festive appetizer or dessert with a choice of eggnog or hot chocolate will do just fine!

Now kick-back, relax and have a fun winter break before school begins again!