2020 has been a rollercoaster ride of a year, with each month throwing us all in for a new loop. Unfortunately, some setbacks like COVID-19, online school, and quarantine as a whole have made the Holiday Season feel inadequate this year.

It feels like Christmas snuck up on everyone, especially if you have been using Winter Break to sleep in and not worry about your day to day routine (totally not talking from experience).

Lucky for you, there's still time to feel the Christmas spirit and enjoy time with your family and friends in a safe, socially distanced, way. If you haven't done these yet this year go do it! Even if it's after Christmas day, at least you can spend quality time with people you love.

Go Look At Christmas Lights!

Photo Provided by: Pixabay

This is a give-in and so easy, and better yet, it's free! Depending on where you live, you can just Google the best houses or places to go see lights. For Arizona, the Phoenix New Times curates a list of 30 of the best houses to see and even walk through for Christmas. If you want to do this without driving all over your town, walking around your neighborhood or a nice neighborhood nearby with family or friends makes for a fun Winter pursuit. Complete the night with some hot chocolate or hot coffee and everyone will have a very merry time together.

2. Christmas Movie Marathon

Photo Provided by: Pixabay

If walking and driving around during a cold night doesn't sound fun to you, this is a fun option for staying in! Get some hot chocolate, blankets, popcorn, candy, and you're set for a night filled with Christmas spirit (and yummy treats). Some of my favorite movies that I always watch with my family are the Santa Clause movies, Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July, The Grinch, The Nightmare before Christmas and The Polar Express. If you're into romantic comedies, The Holiday Calendar and The Princess Switch are both on Netflix and the perfect amount of cliché.

3. Baking Sweet Treats

Photo provided by: Pixabay

With so many options and the internet at hand, there's a ton of different unique, fun, and cute recipes to choose from to bake for Christmas! Pinterest is your best friend when it comes to this, I have gotten so many ideas and inspiration from there! Some of my favorites to bake with my family for the Holidays are Cookie bars, which are cookies with extra chocolate chips baked in a brownie pan, and peppermint chocolate bark. Or, if you and your friends are not good bakers, you can buy premade Christmas Cookie Dough or a Gingerbread house to decorate and enjoy. Baking with christmas music playing, fun aprons on, and of course taste testing the dough is a good time all around. Finally, when it's all said and done, you can share your yummy treats with those you love!

4. Secret Santa or White Elephant Gift Exchanges

Photo Provided By: Pixabay

If you're looking to spread the joy of gift giving this holiday season, a secret santa or white elephant exchange with your family, a group of friends, or both is the way to go! The website Elfster makes it really easy to make a wish list, randomly generate each person's secret santa, set a budget, date, and time to give your gifts! Even giving gag gifts or making gifts for each other while on a low budget will make you and your friends laugh and smile. If you want to be extra safe and socially distanced, mailing all of the gifts and doing a group video call to open them is a great alternative to an in-person gathering.

5. Bonfire and S'mores

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A final option is another outdoorsy activity for those of you who like to spend time outside. If you get cold after looking at Christmas lights, or if you just want to have some yummy warm treats in the fresh air, having a fire and roasting marshmallows is the night to have. You can just eat and roast marshmallows or make s'mores out of graham crackers and hersheys chocolate. Another fun way to spice it up is to get different kinds of chocolate to put on your s'mores, like Cookies and Cream Hershey's, Kit-Kats, York Peppermint Patties, the list goes on! This is also a great option if you want to stay socially distanced but still spend time with friends, just seat your chair far enough apart and wear your masks until it's time to eat your treat.

There are so many other ways to make this Winter feel less isolating and more like home. These are just a few that I personally enjoy doing every year with the people closest to me, and I am grateful that even with the pandemic, COVID-19 didn't take these special memories from me this year. Amidst the stress that everyone has gone through in 2020, the least we can do is enjoy the Holiday season in a safe way with the people we love. For more ideas on things to do this Winter, check out this pin and others like it! Happy Holidays!