These are the top 10 activities to do during the holiday season

Kerrigan Lockhart
eSomethin staff

With upcoming projects and finals ramping up the stress during the holiday season, it’s important to take time to relax and take part in winter cheer. From creating a holiday masterpiece to spending time with family and friends, here are 10 fun activities to do during the holiday season!

1. Host a Friendsgiving

As the holiday season approaches, it is important to spend quality time with family and friends. Host a Friendsgiving in the form of a modernized potluck with the popular trend: BYOB (Bring Your Own Board night). Each friend will bring a themed board of food. Basic ideas include fruits or vegetables, dessert, fries with various sauces, and candy. If you want to get creative, try ice cream sundaes, tacos or nachos with different topping choices, s’mores, build-your-own burgers, or a caramel apple board.

2. Gingerbread house competition

For generations, building gingerbread houses has been a tradition. Gather a group of friends or close family and hold a gingerbread house competition, building and decorating with store-bought kits. If you feel the need to ramp up the level of difficulty, try making houses from scratch or using other foods, such as Pop-Tarts, to build an amazing, or messy, holiday home.

3. Go for a drive and look at holiday lights

Each year, the community decorates their homes and businesses with festive holiday decorations. Check out neighborhoods with family and friends, and don’t forget your hot cocoa! Attending the Toledo Zoo’s “Lights Before Christmas” is another fun way to soak in the holiday cheer, and tickets are available from November 18th to December 31st.

4. Holiday movie marathon

For a cozy activity, gather hot cocoa, a winter snack, a fluffy blanket, and the TV remote. Stream your favorite holiday movies, like Home Alone or Elf, and sit back. A movie marathon is a perfect way to celebrate the holiday season while also staying toasty and warm.

5. Go ice skating

Grab some friends and a pair of ice skates and get out onto the rink! Pay Bowling Green State University’s hockey rink a visit this winter during one of their open skate sessions. For added fun, take a trip outdoors to a snowy, frozen lake.

6. Make your own holiday ornaments

Whether you’re with friends or alone, it is always fun to make a winter craft. Head to a local craft store or use items around your house to create fun holiday decorations and ornaments, like popsicle stick snowflakes or painted wood and ceramic figures. For creative and easy ideas, visit websites like Pinterest, or visit CREATE Art Studio in downtown Perrysburg for their Christmas workshops!

7. Have a snowball fight

When winter is in its peak and the weather turns colder, snowfall in Ohio is not uncommon. Although snow may be grueling to some, it’s best to take advantage of it! Gather a group of friends or family members and hold a basic snowball fight. To ramp up the excitement, arrange teams or add special rules.

8. “Window shop”: look at the holiday items in stores

In preparation for the holidays, many stores put out winter decorations. From Target and Meijer to small businesses like Vintage Groves and Rae Ray’s in downtown Perrysburg, the shops are stocked. Whether in window displays or throughout the store, there are lots of holiday items to check out, even if no purchase is made.

9. Decorate an ugly sweater

Over the years, ugly sweaters have been a popular clothing option during the winter months. Many stores, such as Michael’s or Hobby Lobby, sell prepackaged ugly sweater kits, but it’s very simple to create your own sweater from scratch by buying a plain sweater, some paint, and extra embellishments or decorations.

10. Make your favorite holiday treat

To fully enjoy the spirit of the holiday season, it’s never a bad idea to bake your favorite winter sweets or cook a delicious comfort meal. Use family recipes or cookbooks to make fan favorites, including cookies, cake rolls, chili, and soups.

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