Everyday Ideas For Holiday Fun
There are certain things our family traditionally does for holiday fun.
If you are ambushed by that "bah humbug" feeling, try one of these everyday ideas to put a little shine back in your spirit. January January is a great time for a staycation. The holiday festivities are winding down bringing a sort of let down. Don't forget summer and throw a picnic indoors in your living room. The NFL Super Bowl is pending. It's a great time to throw a football party. February February is for romance. Bake up some sweets for your sweeties and invite them over. Make heart shaped cookies and write on them with icing to turn them into conversation hearts. Give fresh flowers - even to yourself. Don't forget to cut stems at an angle to help the blooms last longer. Flowers aren't the only thing you can make a bouquet of... candy, cookies, or fruit make beautifully tasty gifts too. March All the Irish lads and lasses look forward to celebrating March. Get festive for St. Patricks Day obviously by wearing green. Go to a parade Drink in the green. Make it green beer or create a punch. You can use lime sherbert, lemon lime soda, lime-aid concentrate and mix in some milk. Slow cook a nice corned beef brisket and cabbage stew. Make shamrocks out of breadstick or pretzel dough. Form 3 sections of dough into heart shapes and press together and attach a small stem. Make you own Blarney Stone. Place it by a sign saying "Kiss for Good Luck"... or "Kiss for the Gift of Blarney" (speaking convincingly to all you meet). April October Everyday ideas for Halloween fun are abound this month. Visit a pumpkin patch. Take a hayride. Take part in a costume contest Depending on your location...Take a drive and look at the fall colors of the leaves. Buy some apple cider. Lots of apple orchards have days when you can pick your own apples . Get candy ready for the trick or treaters. Put it in a festive bowl. Carve a Jack-O-Lantern. Make or buy some caramel apples. If the weather is nice make your way through a corn "maize" in your area.
Halloween parties are not hard to put together and are fun before or after going out trick-or-treating.
December Take a night and drive around to look at lights. Near us there is a park that has an auto light tour. At the end of it you can go inside and see the jolly old elf and listen to caroling groups while you enjoy a snack.
Holiday cookies and baking is another sure fire way to lift your mood. Some years it turns out better than others. It's the tradition of it that makes it special. Misshaped stars and snowmen are part of their charm.
Wear a cute apron while you bake.
Plus, it's always great to have cookies and such to take to a party, work, or just add festivity to an evening around the house.
Cookies also make great gifts.
It's a fine time to see old friends. It seems like people have a little extra time off work to get together. It's always a good feeling after sharing time with someone you have history with.
If you're not ordinarily a movie goer (or even if you are) take a friend and see a new flick. The studios save their good movie releases for this time of year.
Shopping for gifts is part of the fun of the season... As long as you enjoy the search. Remember that less is sometimes more. Often you can't go wrong with simplicity.
Not all gifts are concrete. Enthusiasm, love, faith, time, and fun are all gifts too. You can give these to family, friends, and even strangers on the street.
Remember to be nice to the salespeople while you are hitting the malls. Often they are working longer and harder than they do at other times of year.
Wear a Santa hat or Christmas sweater while you shop.
When shopping it's fun to take on some sort of project for someone less fortunate. Different organizations make it easy to adopt a family. Of course lots of places are collecting food and clothing donations.
Always remember why you are doing it. Don't take on so much that your giving becomes a burden and you become resentful about it. (That kind of nullifies the gift.) Don't make it one more thing on your "to do" list if your heart isn't in it.
The sounds of Christmas are sure to get you singing as you deck the halls and trim that tree. When your home is looking full of holiday magic it is hard not to feel festive. You can't go wrong with Frank, Bing, Dean, and Nat.
Don't forget to hang some mistletoe.
It's a bit old fashioned, but I do love to send out cards to friends and family. It's a way to connect even if you don't get to see each other as often as you would like.
In our area there are great holiday parades. We always go to a parade of horse drawn carriages. Usually it's super cold outside. It feels so good to come inside when it's over to thaw out and share a snack with the family by a crackling fire.
Countdown the days. Holiday books are part of our countdown. "The Night Before Christmas," "The Velveteen Rabbit", and "The Nutcracker" are good classics. We also have advent candles on our kitchen table to mark the weeks.
Remember you are also counting days until the new year. It's a great time to review and reflect on the year and set goals for next year. Ring in the new year with friends and family.
Try getting out there and ice skating. Even if it's warm ice skating rinks usually pop up. We spend a fair amount of time on our bottoms, but it is still fun.
Take a trip to a conservatory. With all the fragrant flowers and plants it exudes the spirit of the holidays. It's a place we don't normally go any other time of year so it always feels special.
It seems trains come into their own at Christmas. We always try to take in at least one display.
If you are feeling a little blah about the season slow down with one of these everyday ideas. Put your holiday list of things to do aside while you enjoy time with yourself, family and friends.
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