Going home for the holidays is always so exciting… Until a few days go by and you fall into a routine of 10 hours of sleep followed by sitting on the couch catching up on cringey sitcoms with your dad. Two boxes of Cheez-Its and too many cups of hot cocoa later, you may be longing for something more entertaining to do.
1. Catch up with old friends from high school.
Maybe there’s someone from high school you haven’t said a word to since graduation. Reach out to them and suggest a lunch date! They’re probably just as bored as you and you’ll have LOTS to catch up on.
2. See a movie.
Finally, you can see "Rogue One" without being bombarded by lines of fans. (Kidding. That’s completely unavoidable.) Grab a friend, or heck, go with a parent. They’ll miss you so much that they’re bound to be up for a night spent with you.
3. Bake some holiday treats.
You’ve gotta make the classic Christmas cookies, and once those have mysteriously disappeared into your brother’s mouth, make gingerbread men, and when those are gone, make holiday truffles, and when those have been scarfed down, make Christmas pudding. You get the picture. The amount of treats you can make are practically endless.
4. Volunteer.
I see you rolling your eyes. I used to get annoyed when people would suggest it too, but to my surprise, volunteering isn’t a full-time job! Just look up your community’s local volunteer listings and you can devote as many hours as you’d like. Or go on a fun shopping day with your mom and donate to local families who can’t afford to give their kids gifts this Christmas. An hour spent watching "The Office" reruns could just as easily be used helping those in need.
5. Go a little Pinterest crazy.
Now that you have all this time on your hands, you can finally try some DIYs instead of just admiring them on a screen. Make some crafty ornaments with your siblings or create a gift from scratch. Just take a look at your parents' craft drawer and let those creative juices flow.
6. Take a mini trip.
Three weeks at home can feel LONG. Check out some close Airbnbs for a cheap vacay with a couple of friends. Sometimes a cheap little apartment in a city nearby is enough to give you a break from your family.
7. Snuggle up with a book.
It’s hard to read for fun when you have to read 300 pages of your boring textbooks every week. Now is the time to read that new novel everyone’s been talking about (cough...anything by Gillian Flynn...cough cough). And if you’re sick of sitting in your room all day, chill out at your favorite coffee shop.
8. Move yo body.
Join your dad for a run or take a Zumba class with your mom. Maybe your local YMCA has an indoor pool (and if there’s a hot tub involved, take advantage). If none of those things spark your interest, invite your friends over and do some yoga or learn a dance from a Matt Steffanina or Mandy Jiroux tutorial.
9. Go ice skating.
Check the closest rink near you for their cheapest hours and hit the ice with a couple of your friends. Who cares that you haven’t put on an ice skate since you were 10? You’ll have fun slipping and falling on your face together.
10. Stay on the lookout for local events.
Maybe the community theater is showing a play or there’s a tree lighting downtown. There’s an abundance of cheap entertainment opportunities around the holidays and now’s the time to take advantage of them!
