Holidays at Home: 15 Fun Activities!

By Catrina Thomen, Arts Editor

Courtesy of HISTORY

In the month of December, there's tons of things to celebrate! No matter what holiday it is, celebrating will be different this season due to COVID-19. Here's a list of 15 activities to safely do at home!

1. Bake

What's a better way to get in a festive mood then pulling up your sleeves and creating something delicious? There are lots of tasty recipes for every holiday online. Some great sites for recipes include Pinterest and Tasty.

“I think cooking & baking are great ways to pass the time while having to stay at home,” Culinary instructor Sarah Zepeda said. “It gives you something to be proud of and gives you something hopefully yummy to eat!”

2. Have a Holiday Movie Night

There are so many good holiday-centered movies across all streaming platforms! The channel ABC does a “25 Days of Christmas” special where every day until the 25th they play different holiday themed movie. Grab the popcorn and candy canes!

3. Craft

Whether it be for a gift or just to pass time, it's a great time to try crafting. Some ideas include painting, bedazzling, paper-mache, crocheting, and more!

4. Decorate

With the season being very festive, why not liven up the home with decoration for the holidays? Grab your closest family members and make a group effort to add some new accents to the places where you spend the most time.

“Some of my favorite traditions during Christmas time is taking a day to decorate the house with my family” senior Evalynn Valenzuela said. “It's special because we get to relive years past while looking at old ornaments that my brother and I made when we were younger and talk about funny memories that we’ve had.”

5. Donate

Go through all your belongings and get rid of what you don't need. It's a great time in the year to take all your items and donate them to local shelters, toy drives, and donation centers for those families in need.

6. Have a Photoshoot

Time seems to be passing by faster than ever, so pull out your camera and capture the moments. Gather your closest family or household members, have everyone get dressed up, and take photos to commemorate the year!

7. Create your Own Advent Calendar

Countdown until the holiday of your choice and for each day add an activity or a gift. Whether it be for yourself or a loved one, it’s a way to add some cheer to every day!

8. Call a Loved One

Zoom, Google Meets, Skype, Duo and FaceTime all are great ways to connect face-to-face with loved ones from the comfort of your own home. Even though it's not the same as being in person you can set up your own activity, make sure everyone on both ends have the supplies, and then have fun together!

9. Look at Christmas Lights

No matter what holiday you're celebrating this season, most likely you've seen some wonderful Christmas lights and decorations. Gather your family and drive around your local area and enjoy all the festive lights.

“My favorite tradition hands down has to be going and looking at Christmas lights," Kennedy senior Christopher Trujillo said. "I really enjoy seeing all the different setups people put up, and it’s nice having family time.”

10. Have a Gift Exchange

This can be done either of two ways. You can assign everyone a buddy like in Secret Santa or you can add a spin and go more along the lines of a white elephant gift exchange where gifts can be exchanged between players!

11. Write a Holiday Themed Song

Sit down, take some time, and sing about your feelings during the holidays. Music is a great way to liven the mood and connect with others. It's okay not to have a full song as long as you have fun while doing it.

12. Write Holiday Cards for Soldiers

Though the gesture is small, it's the thought that counts! There are tons of different programs like ADOPT A SOLDIER INC., Red Cross’s HOLIDAY FOR HEROES, and OPERATION GRATITUDE in which you can send holiday cards to soldiers. You can find more programs and details online.

13. Enjoy the Local Tree Lighting Ceremony

Just because you can't attend the local tree lighting ceremony in person does not mean it will be missed! This year the ceremony will be held virtually and the video has been available for watching since Dec. 10!

14. Start a New Tradition

Some old traditions might have been thrown out the window due to COVID-19, so this year find something new and bring it to your future holiday celebrations.

“We just started doing this pj contest thing last year so it’s the second year of this pj contest between each household,” Kennedy junior California Tapia said. “My favorite thing about the contest is the different ways everyone thinks.”

15. Play Board Games

There are so many different board games to play so gather your family around the table and pick your favorite. The twist is giving the game of choice a holiday theme or spin. Some examples include Scattergories with only holiday themed words, Pictionary with holiday themed activities and movies, or 20 questions with holiday related things only!

Even though this holiday season will be different, it doesn't mean it can't be special. Have a safe and happy holiday season!