15 Fun and Festive things to do this December
Merry christmas!
My parents, Billi and I at the christmas Market in Ottawa in 2023
December is both magical and hectic. Between christmas shopping, decorating and holiday events it’s important to take a moment to savour the season — make some time for some fun christmas activities to keep the grinch away! Let this list be the nudge you need to slow down and savour all the goodness that exists right here, right now!
Watch your favourite christmas movie: every year I need to watch Home Alone one and two and the Santa Clause trilogy. Those are some of my favourite christmas movies!
Decorate your home: I know this is self explanatory but it’s part of what makes christmas so magical!
Break out your christmas pyjamas: time to cozy up if you favourite pair of christmas pyjamas! a few years ago my mom bought us matching bottoms for the family from Old Navy and I have another set from Indigo
Read a holiday themed book: there are so many christmas books in different genres. This year I want to read “Everyone this christmas has a secret” by Benjamin Stevenson. It’s part of the Ernest Cunningham series that I am currently reading
Have a festive self-care night: I love a good self care night! make it more festive by making a holiday drink or adding a holiday scented product (like a pine scented candle or a gingerbread scented body scrub)
Make a festive breakfast: breakfast is the most important meal of the day but it’s also the meal that you can get the most creative with! My personal favourite is cinnamon rolls shaped as Christmas trees!
Make a christmas playlist (or two!): I love listening to christmas music! especially since you can really only listen to if six to eight weeks of the year. I like to have a more “fun” christmas playlist that has everything and a more “jazzy” playlist for background noise for holiday gatherings.
Listen to my A Very MARY Christmas Playlist on Spotify
Visit a christmas market: I feel like this is a must do this time of year as well! I’ve been to the Distillery District Christmas Market already a couple of time this year but there are a few other christmas markets popping up over the city — St Lawrence Winter Market, Evergreen Winter Market and Stackt Market to name a few — that I want to check out.
Look at christmas lights: I love walking around and looking at the christmas lights! I live near the Financial District in Toronto and all the office buildings have their christmas lights set up. Brookfield Place has a “garden” outside with pine trees and mushroom lights that look really cool and an interactive light display in side. I also want to go to Casa Loma to see the holiday lights
Go ice skating: Perfect if you are looking to do something between Christmas and New Years!
See the Nut Cracker: if you need to get out of the house on a cold day the Nut Cracker is a classic! I’ve only seen the ballet a couple times when I was younger but I do want to go watch it again. An alternative — watching one of the various movie adaptions (I personally love Barbie in the Nutcracker)
Decorate a gingerbread house: you can even make it from scratch, but I find that buying a pre-built one is much easier
Make a hot chocolate flight: try new hot-chocolate flavours. some suggestions: peppermint, s’mores, salted caramel or spiced with various warming spices. or simply make a hot chocolate bar and put together a selection of toppings.
Bake christmas cookies: cookie boxes make the best gifts! especially for people you might not know what to get (or for people you didn’t plan to see). This year I have a bunch of christmas cookies that I want to make
Make ornaments: instead of buying new ornaments this year, try making some new ones! or take old ornaments and paint them to give them some new life! This year I am going to make some felt ornaments — I have so many ideas pinned on Pinterest
What are some of your favourite holiday activities?
Anyway, that’s it for now!
- XO, Mary
