By Cali Alvarez
There are so many things to do this time of year and it can be tricky to fit everything in before it’s over. So whether you’re in the mood for a cozy night at home or a fun event to enjoy, here’s a huge list of activities you can do this holiday season. Bookmark for future reference and share with a friend! These activities are great for all ages!
1. Build/decorate a gingerbread house
You can find so many cool kits for creating these or you could start from scratch! This is a really great activity to do with family or friends for a cozy night in.
2. Go see Christmas with the Chosen in theaters
Celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with this incredible movie event in theaters this December. You don’t need to have seen any episodes of the Chosen series to enjoy this Christmas special, so make sure you tell everyone you know to “come and see.” Get tickets here: thechosen.tv/christmas. You can also watch the show here: thechosen.tv.
3. Visit a live nativity
If you want to truly immerse yourself in what Christmas night was like all those years ago, find a live nativity to experience! Many local churches organize these, so look up a couple to see what’s happening near you.
4. Have a Christmas movie marathon
Whether you’re kicking things off with Home Alone or White Christmas, see how many movies you can check off your list this year. How many can you watch in a row?
5. Make your own advent calendar
Count down to the big day by making your own advent calendar. Watch a tutorial inside this bullet journaling video from the channel Caitlin’s Corner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2t3pvVsqtE.
6. DIY ornaments
Run to the craft store, grab a few supplies, and make your own ornaments. You can add these to your own tree or give them as gifts this season!
7. Christmas shop at an antique store
There are so many cool things to see this time of year in antique stores, so whether you’re hunting for Christmas vinyls or candles from the sixties, you’re sure to find something unique.
8. Listen to a new Christmas radio station
iHeart radio has so many great Christmas music stations like iHeart Christmas, North Pole Radio, The Fish, and more. Grab the app for free to give one a listen!
9. Watch a Rankin and Bass Christmas special
If you’re looking for a few beautiful, heartwarming stories to watch this year, try one of the classic Animagic specials from Rankin and Bass like A Year Without a Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, or Santa Claus is Coming to Town!
10. Listen to a classic Christmas album in full
Elvis, Andy Williams, Bing Crosby--give ‘em a listen!
11. Drive around and look at Christmas lights
There are so many beautifully decorated houses this time of year, so head out with your friends and family and check out some sparkly neighborhoods!
12. Try a new hot chocolate flavor
If you’ve never branched out with unique hot chocolate flavors, this is the year. And if you’re a coffee fan, Starbucks has so many fun drinks during the holidays.
13. Go ice skating
This is such a fun activity, whether it’s indoor or outdoor. Bundle up and grab a friend!
14. Visit Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain has so many magical things going on during Christmastime; there’s always something new to enjoy. Visit their website to see what they’ve got going on: https://www.stonemountainpark.com/Activities/Events/Stone-Mountain-Christmas.
15. Bake and decorate Christmas cookies
You can do this from scratch or grab a few slice-and-bakes, turn on some Christmas tunes, and get baking! Bonus points: Try decorating your cookies with colorful icing, sprinkles, and food-safe pens.
16. Secret Santa with friends and/or family
Set up this fun tradition with your loved ones for something entertaining to work on over the next few weeks.
17. Donate old toys or books to a charity
If you have some items around the house that you don’t use anymore but know would make someone else happy this Christmas, choose a charity or toy/book drive that’ll accept gently-used items and bring them over. You can also purchase brand-new items for drives like Toys for Tots or Barnes and Noble’s Holiday Book Drive.
18. Host a Christmas tea party
If you’re in the mood to dress up fancy, grab some teacups, and whip up some dainty foods, try hosting a little tea party for your friends or even your church this holiday season.
19. Host a Christmas-themed Bible study
Celebrating our Savior as a group is truly so special this time of year. Choose a few verses about Christ and work on a Bible study with friends or family for a heartwarming activity.
20. Try a new candy cane flavor
Believe it or not, there are so many wacky candy cane flavors in the world besides peppermint. Whether it’s Oreo or Jolly Ranchers, you’re sure to find something fun.
21. Follow an advent devotional
You can find lots of uplifting and beautiful advent devotionals in bookstores or even online from various ministries. Find one to follow this year and watch the story of Jesus Christ unfold before your eyes.
22. Decorate your room for Christmas
Maybe you’re used to decorating your house for Christmas, but have you ever decorated your own room? You can DIY your own with what you have or find some inexpensive options at stores like 5 Below and the Dollar Tree. Get creative and have fun tailoring it to your favorite theme!
23. Volunteer somewhere
Whether it’s packing up Operation Christmas Child gifts, working in a soup kitchen, or spending time at an animal shelter, there’s plenty you can do to warm the hearts of others this season.
24. Make Christmas cards
Whether you make just a few for your family or a whole bunch for your classmates, making your very own Christmas cards can be such a fun and special activity to do during the holiday season.
25. Read a Christmas story or poem
Lots of authors have Christmas stories and poems you’ve never even heard of, so do some research on your favorites and see if they’ve written any!
Which of these activities would you like to try this year? Comment below!
Thank you to several members of the Guild Gazette team for their contributions to this list of activities! Merry Christmas!