Sometimes the holidays catch up with us and by the time we realize it, it's almost too late to enjoy. This year, I've told myself I'm going to take the time to enjoy the holidays without the added stress and worries I tend to put on myself. These are some of the things over the last couple of years I've found to enable a more relaxing and enjoyable holiday time:
1. Enjoy a movie by the fire.
Once my dad kicks on the fireplace, my mom and I enjoy countless hours by the fire. I prefer to watch a movie but we also enjoy reading books or even playing a board game. Even being around the fire catching up with friends and family is so cozy!
2. Bake bake bake.
Baking is easily one of my favorite pass times and one that I don't get to indulge in as much now that I'm at college. I could be cooking dinner or baking a dessert because I was bored - I just love being in the kitchen. Baking is a wonderful way to pass time during the holidays and even comes with a wonderful, delicious reward - and because calories don't count during the holidays, you can eat as much of it as you want!
3. Splurge and binge.
This is hands down one of my favorite things to enjoy during the holidays. Eat what you want to eat and enjoy all the things you want to enjoy. I spend so much time during the holidays catching up on shows on Netflix and enjoying the foods I generally don't get year round.
4. Go see Christmas lights.
This is a tradition my grandparents used to incorporate when we'd visit for Thanksgiving. There was a part of town named "Candy Cane Lane" and the night of Black Friday, we'd go driving through to see all the lights. I can still remember as a kid how excited I was!
5. Board games.
My family enjoys card games or dominos, but the possibilities are endless! Take the time to sit down with your siblings and cousins and enjoy time away from the electronics for a game.
6. Clean out your closets.
Humor me here, this actually is such a great feeling. Generally, after the holidays, we have all these new things which we now have to store. The holidays are the perfect time to go through all your clothes, shoes, etc. and get rid of what you no longer use. You can donate or hand them down to younger family members, whatever you find most appropriate. Not only is your life going to look much more put together, but you'll actually be able to find that one particular navy blue sweater you can never find.
Bonus: Reach out to family.
For as long as I can remember, family has always played a big role in the holidays for me. I love this part of the holidays because I'm able to see the family I haven't seen in more than likely months or years. I highly encourage you to take the opportunity this holiday season to reach out to your family members and reminisce. It's always been a highlight for me and I hope I can carry on with it for the rest of my life.
Hopefully, these simple things can add to your holiday break this year and allow you to fully embrace the season. Just by taking some time to think about what you want to do with your time off can have major payoffs and you'll enjoy your time even more.