Christmas couldn’t come soon enough this year. Many people started decorating for Christmas early in November to help bring some much-needed cheer during the corona virus pandemic. Stringing Christmas lights in and around the house lifts spirits and builds the anticipation for brighter times ahead of us. There are many family-friendly activities that work well with social distancing protocols and can be done inside your home. Try out these feel-good distractions to beat the corona blues and get into the Christmas spirit.
Count down by lighting numbered candles
Brighten up your home and count down to Christmas by lightening a set of numbered candles. By doing this daily, you celebrate each day of December leading up to Christmas. This typically Danish holiday tradition is fun for the entire family as you countdown to Christmas with a candle a day until you wake up on Christmas morning. The candles are perfect for starting a new tradition with your family or for a unique holiday gift. (above shown candles are from Zara Home)
Revive the old tradition of sending Christmas cards
Now more than ever it’s important to remind your family and friends that you care and you’re thinking of them. For the past few years the traditional Christmas cards gave way to text messages on phones. This is however a good time to revive the classic way of sending Christmas wishes and have your loved ones have something tangible and more personal to treasure. Include a personal wish and heartfelt message in beautiful hand-writing. The rewarding feeling you’ll get from writing each individual message is priceless!
Bake Christmas cookies and cakes
Fill your home with the smell of fresh baked cookies and cakes. Baking cookies is a fun family activity that brings joy and laughter. Involve all family members and get creative with piping the cookies with colourful icing and lots of sprinkles, and use different cookie cutters and molds. You can even make it a tad competitive by having “the best cookie” competition. Cookies or muffins also make a great gift for friends or neighbours when presented in a beautiful basket or jar.
Check out some of my old time favourite Christmas cake recipes:
- Orange, cranberries & Persimmon Clafoutis
- Upside down Chocolate Cake with Poached Pears and Fig Jam
- Cranberry, Walnuts and Orange Muffins
Treat yourself daily with a luxury advent calendar
Treat yourself to a daily gift with a luxury advent calendar. The anticipation to find out what’s behind each door adds so much fun to the countdown to Christmas. You get to experience the magic every morning as if it’s Christmas morning. Check out this year’s best advent calendars here.
Watch Christmas movies
Organize a Christmas” movie marathon featuring some of the most popular holiday titles. The classics I watch every year are: Home Alone 1 & 2, The Holiday, Elf, Serendipity, Love actually, Almost Christmas and Christmas Chronicles. Netflix has released a whole bunch of Christmas movies and series that you can enjoy each night with a cup of coco and those homemade cookies at hand. Don’t miss these magical movies next time you log in to Netflix:
- Christmas Chronicles 2
- Jingle Jangle
- Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square
- Holiday Home Make-over
- Klaus
Make Christmas preserves
You can make some fantastic festive preserves and pickles in advance for Christmas dinner or to give away as presents. Whether it’s cranberry sauce, Christmas jam or mulled pears, the whole experience of prepping foods with typical winter spices and fruits will surely get you in a festive mood. When the fragrances of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clementines fill up your home, you just can’t deny the holiday season. Hand out your jars of delicious preserves as presents or include them in a self-made hamper to spoil your family and friends.
Check out these favourite poached pears recipes that you can easily preserve in a big jar.
These are just some ideas to bring cheer and festive feelings during these dark times. What are some of the things that you do to get into the holiday spirit?
About Post Author
