12 Jolly Things to do Before Christmas Day

12 Jolly Things to do Before Christmas Day

It will be over before you know it!
Jillian Recko
Jillian Recko Nov 28, 2017
136
views

As Thanksgiving comes to a close, if your mind is not already on the Christmas season, chances are it is now... The month of December really is the "most wonderful time of the year," but it will be over before you know it. Here are a few "jolly" things to do to get yourself in that holiday spirit before Christmas Day arrives.

1. Have a Holiday Movie Marathon

Nothing beats staying in with friends or family and having a movie marathon filled with your favorite holiday movies. Be sure to catch up on the classics like "A Charlie Brown Christmas," Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Santa Clause is Coming to Town," and many more!


2. Make a Ginder Bread House... or Village

Grab a couple friends and take a trip to your local grocery or convenient store to pick up a gingerbread house, or two.. or three. Also, our wonderful world or gingerbread technology has blessed us not only with houses but also gingerbread cars and even villages! You can even make a friendly competition out of it and see who has the best gingerbread making talent!

3. Visit a Holiday Light Display

Who doesn't love walking around a holiday light display on a chilly night with hot cocoa in hand? Many neighborhoods put on displays for the public, but there are also specific organizations and churches that put on beautiful displays for people of all ages to enjoy!

4. Go "Black Friday" Shopping

The most anticipated shopping day of the year has finally come. So, fill up on Thanksgiving turkey, pour yourself a large cup of coffee, and be prepared to charge through large groups of people of ages, shapes, and sizes, just to get that electric drill that's on sale for dad!! And please for your own safety, stay away from Victoria's Secret if you want to be alive for Christmas.

5. Cut Down a Christmas Tree

Holiday traditions come and go but cutting down a tree should stay on the list forever. Cutting down a tree with the family is one of my personal favorite holiday traditions. Not to mention the hayrides to different portions of the farms and the hot cider and candy canes that are given out at the end!

6. Decorate the Tree That You Cut Down

After a finding a tree, it is time to light a fire in the fireplace, put on a Christmas movie, and warm up with your family while you decorate this year's pick.

7. Have a Holiday Dance Party

Becuase who doesn't want to sing "Last Christmas" or "All I Want for Christmas is You" on the top of your lungs while dancing on the kitchen table to get them in the Holiday spirit??

8. Go See the Nutcracker Ballet

Even if you are not a big fan of ballet, the Nutcracker will not let you down. It is filled with entertaining music, dancing, and joy that is bound to get you feeling jolly!

9. Go to an Ugly Sweater Party. Or Throw One of Your Own!

Every true Christmas fanatic owns an ugly Christmas sweater. So, get them together and celebrate the season by coming together one ugly sweater at a time! And if you do not have one, have no fear, someone is bound to have a mom who is an elementary school teacher who owns a few.. hundred.

10. Decorate Your Dorm Room

If you're a college student and you aren't hiding Christmas lights from RAs or your door isn't wrapped up like a present or covered in stockings do you even like Christmas??

11. Bake ALL of the Christmas Cookies

Warm that oven up and break out your Santa apron cuz its time to dedicate a night to strictly baking Christmas cookies. Cookies are the perfect gesture to bring to holiday gatherings, that is if you are good at baking..

12. Donate to a Local Charity

Nothing puts you in the holiday spirit more than doing good deeds. Whether it be donating your service to a local food pantry, or donating toys to those who cannot afford to buy gifts, a little gesture goes such a long way, especially this time of year. Plus, you feel a sense of warmth in your heart once you have done something nice for someone.

The Holidays are a time for spending time with your loved ones and getting into the spirit before it is over in a flash. So, check each of these things off of your list before its too late!

Cover Image Credit: amazon
Jillian Recko
Jillian Recko Nov 28, 2017
At Curry College

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11 Feminist Halloween Costumes You Don't Need Cleavage To Feel Sexy In

If you’re looking for the most scandalous outfits to wear this Halloween, this may not be it.
MishSays
MishSays Oct 12, 2017
32211
views

If you're a socially conscious f eminist, you'll know sexy shouldn't be defined by anything other than what you make of it.

However, when most people type in "sexy Halloween costumes" into their search engine, they might be looking for tight bodysuits or something that shows a little more cleavage. Don’t get me wrong, I'm not knocking out bunny ears or mesh tights. However, it might be time to stretch what that definition means.

I've gathered a few costume ideas that are sure to make a statement this Halloween while representing some of the most iconic women of our time. So, here are the ten best Halloween costumes for forward-thinking women like us!

1. Rosie the Riveter

Who better to show that we are equal and can do a “man’s job” just as good (or better) than Rosie the Riveter? This outfit is bold and inexpensive. You may even have this in your closet!

2. Marilyn Monroe

"I am very definitely a woman and I enjoy it.”

More proof that you can be beautiful in pants or a dress. Embrace the beauty within.

3. Taylor Swift

“I don’t really think about things as guys versus girls. I never have. I was raised by parents who brought me up to think if you work as hard as guys, you can go far in life,” Taylor Swift said in an interview with The Daily Beast.

Enough said.

4. Hillary Clinton

President or not I’m still with her. Just like feminists and activists before her, she has paved the way for modern women to stand up for themselves and have a voice.

5. Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony proved any woman could turn her dreams into a reality. She helped remove limitations and showed women to be fearless. Fast forward 97 years and women can achieve even more than. Yes, we still have more to accomplish, but we’re definitely nearing the horizon!

6. Amelia Earhart

Not only was she an American aviator, she was also the first woman to ever fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Talk about goals. This Halloween, you can defy gender norms just like Amelia did.

7. Frida Kahlo

Surrealist painter Frida Kahlo explored the depths of her identity, culture, gender, class, love, and loss. Through her persona and her artwork, she defied feminine beauty and gender stereotypes in a time where women had few rights and were viewed as submissive. Who ever said you had to get your brows waxed anyway?

8. Birth Control

Hands off my birth control!

This might be sound a little kooky, but isn't that what Halloween is all about? This year, make it a point to express how you feel through your costume. Women need to stick together! So, let's dress up as birth control to remind the GOP we will not accept another restriction.

9. Wonder Woman

Adding Wonder Woman to our list was a no-brainer. She’s a crowd favorite, especially the way Gal Gadot represented her in the new movie.

Overall, Wonder Woman is a symbolic character that reminds us anyone can be a hero. The days when only little boys looked up to their favorite superhero are long gone. Now, kids and adults of any gender have a badass female superhero to fawn over.

10. Madonna

More than 30 years ago Madonna broke the barriers of what men wanted women to be. In a time where women were expected to follow certain rules, her attitude and bravery overcame those norms. Shoutout to "Hocus Pocus" for the inspo.

11. Rey from "Star Wars"

In "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," Han Solo's new protégé Rey is loaded with martial skills anyone would admire. Daisy Ridley plays the franchise's first female protagonist with a strong feminist persona. Rey refuses to be defined as "just a woman" and is definitely no damsel in distress. Instead, she is a fighter, survivor, and all around badass.

This Halloween, don't just be brave. Be Rey.

Cover Image Credit: Beyoncé's Facebook Profile
MishSays
MishSays Oct 12, 2017
At Odyssey Influencer

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I Tried Hatching Chickens In My College Dorm Room

It didn't work the first time.

Jennifer Zhang
Jennifer Zhang Oct 23, 2018
22
views

A month ago, I had the idea of hatching chickens after seeing a video of a Korean man hiking with dozens of chicks running after him. I saw the video and was immediately like *yes I want that*. After some quick research, I discovered hatching chicks are fast and didn't sound too difficult. An incubator was around $20, and each chicken egg is under $2. Within an hour, I placed orders for an incubator and 7 chicken eggs.

A week later, they both arrived and I immediately got to work. I did research while waiting for my supplies to arrive so I could have a handle on things as soon as the eggs arrived. I learned about temperature control, turning, and humidity controls.

Chicken eggs hatch surprisingly quickly. The process only takes 21 days from putting it in the incubator. I didn't have automatic egg turning in my incubator, so I turned my eggs 3 times per day like clockwork. I controlled the temperature and refilled the humidity tray consistently. After 10 days, I candled them to see which ones seemed to have viable embryos. I threw out one egg which clearly had died to protect the others from contamination. The rest seemed like possible successes, so I kept them.

However, some factors were out of my control. About a week in, my apartment complex had a power outage. For about six hours, my eggs had no temperature control and the humidity slowly faded away. I was terrified, but it was out of my control. Another event - I had to go out of state for a day, and the eggs were not turned as many times as they were meant to. Also, around day 20, the outlet came loose and it was about four hours before I realized. Again, the eggs didn't have temperature or humidity control. Since it was so close to hatch day, that may have been the last straw.

The eggs didn't hatch. I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, but I admit I made mistakes. I was very confident that at least one of the eggs would end up hatching, but here I am: chick-less. I will definitely be trying again, as soon as possible, so stay tuned for imminent success!

Jennifer Zhang
Jennifer Zhang Oct 23, 2018
At University of Southern California

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