{"id":16038,"date":"2021-10-08T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/girlaroundtheworld.co.uk\/?p=16038"},"modified":"2021-11-12T15:05:06","modified_gmt":"2021-11-12T14:05:06","slug":"fun-christmas-activities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlaroundtheworld.co.uk\/fun-christmas-activities\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Checklist – 25 Fun Christmas Activities to Get You Feeling Festive"},"content":{"rendered":"
No matter your age, Christmas time is always a reason to slow down and celebrate. But let\u2019s admit it: for some of us, being an adult sometimes means losing a bit of that holiday spirit through the years. This means that we sometimes need a little bit of help to get into the Christmas mood, which is exactly what I want to offer you today!<\/p>\n
Scroll down to find my ultimate Christmas bucket list with 25 fun Christmas activities that will get you into the right mood this December. You\u2019ll find my favourite options for solo activities or things to do with your significant other, friends, family or even neighbours: <\/p>\n
Although this might sound more like a chore than a pleasant activity, I still added it as #1 on my list because nothing gets me into the holiday spirit faster than making my space nice and festive! If you have enough themed decorative items at home to get going, I don\u2019t encourage you to just go out and splurge, but going around the shops to buy some pretty Christmas decorations can be a lot of fun too! In case you feel uninspired, I find that it\u2019s always a good idea to decide on a colour theme for your Christmas tree each year. Whether you opt for the classic red and white or be a bit unconventional and choose a gold instead – or heck, push the boat out with an untraditional PINK theme! Either way, I like getting the colour down – this way you\u2019ll know exactly what to look for!<\/p>\n
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This is a nice alternative to the activity above, especially if you have kids! In case you\u2019re feeling crafty this year, why not try and make your own Christmas decorations from paper, cardboard or natural ingredients instead? You can find tons of ideas on Pinterest and this can also count as an eco-friendly initiative in case you decide to recycle some stuff you already have at home.<\/p>\n
Okay, this one\u2019s a no-brainer! Most people decorate their Christmas tree at the beginning of December to speed up that festive spirit and the magical atmosphere around the house, but I really love my family tradition of setting up the tree on the first Saturday of December. This brings us all together for a family day of digging out the decorations, indulging in treats and kicking off the festive season right from the start.<\/p>\n
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RELATED READ: <\/b>15 Best Cities for Christmas in Europe<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You have to admit, some ugly Christmas sweaters are so horrendous, they\u2019re cute! I\u2019m a big fan of ugly Christmas sweaters and I think everyone should own at least one, just for the laughs. Thrift stores are great places to find good-quality, authentic (and often hideous) sweaters.<\/p>\n IDEA: <\/b>In case you want to boost that holiday spirit together with your friends, you can even organise an ugly Christmas jumper party or contest at home where each one of you can show off their choice. Whoever wins gets to take an eggnog shot!<\/p>\n Heh, another one for those looking for fun Christmas crafts! Making a Christmas wreath or garland is actually extremely easy and quick and it can be made from various elements such as cut greenery branches, artificial plants, colourful Christmas globes and even popcorn!<\/p>\n Here<\/b><\/a> are some pretty neat DIY ideas.<\/p>\n Another obvious one, but I simply can\u2019t help it! Christmas movies never get old and when you have so many iconic classics to choose from (Love, Actually, It\u2019s a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, The Night Before Christmas etc), it\u2019s impossible to not organise a marathon!<\/p>\n Maybe this idea is less classical and very 2021 instead, but I think it\u2019s still really fun! Buying an advent calendar is an excellent way of tracking the days left \u2018til Christmas and creating a bit of excitement each morning when you know you\u2019ll be opening another little door to get a surprise. There are TONS of options out there for all tastes and preferences – with edible gifts such as chocolates or bonbons, with mini skincare items, tea packets, small tree decorations, toys and more.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling crafty, you can even make your own advent calendar at home!<\/p>\n Here are some pretty cool advent calendars worth checking out:<\/p>\n Okay, not necessarily cinnamon cookies, you can bake any cookies or cakes you like. But one thing\u2019s for sure: nothing screams \u201cChristmas!\u201d like the smell of freshly baked goodies at home. If you\u2019re up for the challenge, you can also make a gingerbread house or a classic British fruit cake. And don\u2019t forget about decorations: anything from colourful sprinkles to chocolate or coconut flakes will do!<\/p>\n And if you need some festive cookie cutters, I found these ones<\/b><\/a> that I really like because they have 20 different shapes to choose from at a very good price.<\/p>\n IDEA: <\/b>If you have too many cookies, you can organise a cookie swap with your friends or neighbours. Sharing is caring!<\/p>\n What would Christmas be without a hot cup of spiced mulled wine or some strong eggnog? I mean\u2026 a little alcohol never hurt anybody, especially when all the relatives come together! In case you\u2019re not a fan of liquids that might make you dizzy, then a cup of homemade hot chocolate is just as good.<\/p>\n Pssst: here\u2019s<\/b><\/a> a delicious German mulled wine spice mix that I really love.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re lucky enough to live in a city where you have a Christmas market, it would be a real shame not to enjoy it. Go shop for gifts and handicrafts, taste all the flavours from the food stalls and listen to some carols as well. What could be more festive!<\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling adventurous and up for some travelling, you can check out my dedicated article about the 10 Best Christmas Markets in Europe<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an idea for things to do on Christmas Eve! Spending a relaxing evening with your friends and loved ones just walking or driving around the city, admiring the Christmas lights sounds like heaven to me. Or you can take a stroll around the neighbourhood to see what your neighbours have set up for the holidays at their houses!<\/p>\n There\u2019s just something about December that makes me listen to carols and Christmas songs continuously. No, seriously, I start blasting \u201cAll I Want For Christmas Is You\u201d on the 1st of December and I can\u2019t seem to get bored of the eternal classics for the whole month. Mistletoe is cute, festive and it gives us endless excuses to kiss our significant other more frequently in December – and I\u2019m all for it! And if you don\u2019t have a significant other? All the more reason to hang that mistletoe! Who knows where a cheeky Christmas kiss may lead\u2026 time to pucker up!<\/p>\n I remember \u201cSecret Santa\u201d from school and I also know it\u2019s a popular Christmas tradition at workplaces around the world. But you can also organise your own \u2018Secret Santa\u2019 gift exchange with your family or a group of friends. In order to skip the awkward moments and questions, it\u2019s always better to set a maximum spending limit for everyone such as 10 or 20$. <\/p>\n For gift inspiration, I recommend checking out my article: 37 Useful Christmas Gifts for Travel Lovers<\/b><\/a> because I have a special section with travel-related gifts under 10$!<\/p>\n TIP: <\/b>To help keep things \u2018secret\u2019, use a free online name generator like Draw Names<\/a><\/strong>. Just enter the names and emails of all the participants and you will be randomly allocated a member of your group as your giftee via email!<\/p>\n This is such a great idea! You just need a playlist (make sure all the songs on the bingo cards are in the playlist), a group of friends and this printable Christmas song bingo<\/b><\/a>. Whoever \u201cscores\u201d 5 songs in a row on their bingo card wins!<\/p>\n IDEA: <\/b>Not a fan of bingo? You can try some Christmas crossword puzzles instead. If not, there are lots of free, printable Christmas games on the web that are perfect for a pre-christmas party!<\/p>\n This is another one that can feel like a chore for some and a fun activity for others. I fall in the second category and I really love running around the city finding the perfect gifts for my loved ones! The key here is in the organisation – the closer to Christmas it gets, the more daunting gift shopping can be. <\/p>\n Now that you\u2019ve got all your gifts sorted, it\u2019s time to wrap them nicely! I find wrapping gifts to be a calming, almost therapeutic activity that I really enjoy. Okay, I\u2019m pretty sure you\u2019ve realised by now that I\u2019m a big sucker for everything Christmas!<\/p>\n IDEA: <\/b>Feeling competitive? Why not organise a speed wrapping contest with your other Christmas-loving friends? Sounds crazy but it\u2019s crazy fun!<\/p>\n TIP:<\/b> Even though I love wrapping Christmas gifts, I am also super conscious of the paper waste and that many types of wrapping paper can\u2019t actually be recycled<\/strong>! If you\u2019re like me and dedicated to cutting down on your waste, try to avoid using paper with coatings, glitter, foil, etc. as they are generally not recyclable. Personally, I like to use rustic, plain and simple wrapping paper – which I usually get for free from my local bakery (the stuff they normally use to wrap the bread!). I just ask for a couple extra sheets when I buy my loaves! Much cheaper, such a vibe and 100% recyclable! In case you don\u2019t have a bakery around, you can just use an old newspaper. Oldschool and cute!<\/p>\n This one is for all my Instagram<\/b><\/a> lovers out there. Okay, you\u2019re seen my gram, so you KNOW that I love getting all dressed up in festive clothes under the pretext of \u201cmaking content\u201d. After all, dressing up to take some cute pics counts as self-care and can really boost your mood regardless of the season! Not to mention that it\u2019s a lot of fun!<\/p>\n RELATED READ: <\/b>15 Destinations for a Sunny Christmas<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Lots of theatres, event halls, local choirs and churches organise themed shows and concerts during Christmas time and it would be such a shame not to go and see at least one to get you into that magical festive mood.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re in London, check out my dedicated article – Christmas Day in London: 15 Festive Things to Do<\/b><\/a> – where I\u2019ve made a list of unmissable shows and pantomimes in the city this Christmas.<\/p>\n Ice skating is always fun, regardless if you\u2019re going by yourself, with friends, with your partner or the little ones. It involves getting active, enjoying lots of cheerful music, and not taking yourself too seriously – so it\u2019s always a good idea for some feel-good fun. Finish the evening with a hot cup of mulled wine or hot chocolate and you\u2019re golden!<\/p>\n Gather your closest friends at home and organise a fun Christmas party! Ask everyone to bring their staple Christmas dish to share, or you could all watch a themed movie, listen to that playlist you made earlier or play some games like the Christmas song bingo I told you all about. Or search for some Christmas charades ideas! The possibilities are endless, but the most important thing here is to be with your loved ones. No matter what you do, after a few glasses of eggnog you\u2019ll be jingling all the way!<\/p>\n IDEA: <\/b>What about a Christmas scavenger hunt to get you out of the house? It\u2019s kid-friendly too!<\/p>\n Here\u2019s another one on my list of Christmas craft ideas. Why buy Christmas cards from the supermarket when you can organise a family photoshoot or get crafty with colourful paper and art supplies and make your own holiday trinkets to send to your loved ones?<\/p>\n IDEA: <\/b>As a bonus, you can also make and send some cute homemade cards to nursing homes – I\u2019m sure everyone will love them!<\/p>\n For me, Christmas is all about giving and sharing – and not just with the loved ones around us! Donating goods or items to your favourite charity, volunteering at your local homeless shelter or giving away your kids\u2019 old toys to a family in need are all excellent ideas that will brighten someone else\u2019s day and, I promise you, it will brighten yours too.<\/p>\n IDEA: <\/b>If you\u2019re in London, Christmas is the best time of the year to donate toys and gifts to The Salvation Army<\/b><\/a> (they run a \u2018Christmas Present Appeal\u2019 every year) or to offer as little as you can (remember: every penny counts!) to Crisis This Christmas<\/b><\/a>, The Trussell Trust<\/b><\/a> and Age UK<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n In case you\u2019re lucky enough to live in a place where there\u2019s snow in December, I challenge you to be a kid again and build a snowman or make snow angels on the ground. Use a carrot for the nose and two stones for the eyes. Adapt and improvise or make it a competition but, most importantly, never forget how to have fun!<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t4 – Buy an ugly Christmas sweater<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t5 – Make a DIY wreath for your front door<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t6 – Do a Christmas movie marathon<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t7 – Get a specialised advent calendar<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t8 – Bake some cinnamon cookies<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t9 – Make some mulled wine or eggnog<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t10 – Visit a Christmas market<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t11 – Go around chasing Christmas lights<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t12 – Make a Christmas playlist<\/h3>\n
\nSo if you\u2019re struggling with feeling festive, why don\u2019t you make a Youtube or Spotify playlist with your favourite jingles?! Guaranteed transformation from grumpy grinch to holly jolly!<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t13 – Hang some mistletoe<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t14 – Organise a \u2018Secret Santa\u2019<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t15 – Christmas songs bingo<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t16 – Go shopping for gifts<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t17 – Wrap the gifts<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t18 – Dress up and take some Christmassy pictures<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t19 – Go to a Christmas concert, theatre show or pantomime<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t20 – Go ice skating<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t21 – Host a party and play some festive games<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t22 – Make and send Christmas cards<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t23 – Donate to charity<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t24 – Build a snowman<\/h3>\n