I love making lists. Writing a list is both therapeutic and helps me get my life together. I'll make a list for anything -- all the tasks I have to accomplish throughout the week, lists for goals I want to reach throughout the semester or even songs I want to add onto my Spotify playlist. I'm also a big believer in making bucket lists. I'll make one for every season, every new year, every new school year, every birthday. It's fun to think of all the things I want to do or could eventually end up doing in the future. I hate the winter. I swear I have Seasonal Affected Disorder, so I figured making a bucket list would help me get a little more excited for chapped lips, dry skins, numb fingers and a whole lot of static electricity.
1. Have an ugly Christmas sweater party.
Try to see which of your friends can find the ugliest one.
2. Buy a new, funky sweater.
Ugly sweaters aren't specific just to Christmas time. Anytime is a good time for a fashionably ugly sweater.
3. Do a Secret Santa.
Or a "Pollyanna," if you're from the suburbs of Philadelphia.
4. Build a gingerbread house.
5. Go caroling.
Because the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.
6. Build a giant snowman.
Unless you live in the south, where instead you can celebrate the fact that you don't have weather cold enough to produce snow.
7. Go to NYC.
Because it's lovely this time of year.
8. Go ice skating.
9. Make fun NYE plans.
Because New Year's Eve always ends up being way more stressful than fun, right? Try to make this year different.
10. See a light display.
11. Drive around and look at local Christmas lights.
It's like looking at a light display, except it's free.
12. Get your friends and family really nice presents.
No matter what holiday you celebrate in the winter, try to plan ahead and get nice gifts for your loved ones.
13. Watch all the Christmas movies.
Or at least a decent amount.
14. Bake cookies.
15. Do a Polar Bear Plunge.
16. Read a new book.
Being trapped indoors because of the weather is the perfect time to start that book you always meant to read.
17. Go to basketball games.
18. Volunteer.
It's the perfect time to give back.
19. Have a snowball fight.
Again, I'm sorry if you live in the south.
20. Build an igloo.
21. Make great Valentine's Day plans.
It's one of my favorite holidays and I've been single for three years.
22. Finish the semester strong.
23. Start the new semester even stronger.
New year, new semester.