CHRISTMAS TOP 11
There are so many festive ways to get into the Christmas spirit. This year, however, has definitely changed things and required us all to get a little more creative than usual. Let's face it, this year has been the year of all years and hopefully not one soon repeated. I feel pretty confident in saying that every last one of us are ready to wrap this one up, slap a fancy bow on it, and call it done. To end this year on a fun and positive note, I have curated a list of eleven great ways to enjoy this last bit of 2020. Enjoy!
1. Spend time with family.
2. Ride around and look at Christmas lights.
3. Bake cookies.
4. Watch Christmas movies.
5. Decorate your home.
6. Put up a Christmas tree.
7. Make hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows.
8. Listen to Christmas music.
9. Wrap presents.
10. Send Christmas cards in the mail.
11. Donate.
Spend time with family.
While physically spending time with family this year might not actually be possible, we are blessed with endless avenues of technology. FaceTime and Zoom, specifically, have been taken full advantage of this year. Regardless of distance, health, or financial restrictions, these options have made seeing and spending time with friends and family possible. I, myself, live very far away from any family making visits home, unfortunately, few and far between. FaceTime has provided me with that face to face socialization that I would not have had otherwise. Yes, you may not have the warm hugs you may be used to, but believe me when I say it's way better than a text or average phone call.
Ride around and look at Christmas lights. Listen to Christmas music. Make hot chocolate.
I love to ride around right before Christmas when everyone has decorated their homes and adorned their lawns with bright lights and holiday blow ups. I have enjoyed it my whole life and still look forward to it each and every year! I usually indulge in a combination of a few of the above when we go. For me, the maximum holiday vibes are a precise combination of the Christmas light car ride, Christmas music on the radio, and a cup of hot chocolate in hand.
Bake cookies.
Another fun thing to do this time of year (or anytime, matter-of-factly) is bake cookies. This activity can be as simple or as elaborate as you prefer. Thanks to my three compadres Pillsbury, Nestle Toll House, and Betty Crocker... pulling that warm sheet of freshly baked cookies out of the oven has never been easier! Side note here: cookies work great as cheap gifts and everybody loves them!
Watch Christmas movies.
When the weather is cold and dreary outside, staying indoors is a no-brainer. You really don't have to flip through many channels right now before you can find something holiday related. There's Netflix, Amazon Prime Movies, and the Hallmark Channel (amongst other sources out there) that offer a multitude of Christmas movies to choose from. The power to binge on classics, and new alike, is at your fingertips these days! Whether you're just enjoying shows with your family at home, hosting a Facebook or Zoom Watch Party, or jumping on the "new" trend of retro movie projection (<< another gift idea... wink, wink) binge watching is where it's at this season.
Decorate your home.
Hallothanksmas (and yes, that's a thing. Don't believe me, google it!) has become a continuous three month long holiday of decorations. Retailers and home owners have got clever over the years in finding frugal ways to make decorations relevant for more than one holiday. Because of that, it feels like starting with October, there is just one continuous celebration through the end of December. This offers a very generous opportunity to take advantage of decorating and getting the whole family involved. It's also much easier and more enjoyable with help.
Put up a Christmas tree.
Christmas trees come in all shapes, sizes, and material. Whether you decide to go real or fake, your options abound. From short, fat, and stumpy ones to tall, skinny ones and even upside down ones, …or the classic Charlie Brown kind... there is a perfect tree for everyone. I think for most people though, the tree goes up around Thanksgiving. Putting up the Christmas tree is a great activity for young and old. Memories are made each year around this fun experience and each tree is unique to the people decorating it. (By the way, we are 22 days until Christmas so if your tree isn't up yet, it's time to pull it out of the attic. TIME IS RUNNING OUT!!!)
Wrap presents.
So, I get this next thing might not be for everyone. I know some people only do gift bags and while I do understand the logic behind that, for me personally, I really enjoy wrapping presents. I love to see a pretty tree with beautifully wrapped packages underneath. So much so that I save random boxes throughout the year to create that aesthetically pleasing visual. The boxes are part of my tree decorating, I guess you could say. They just seem to complete the look!
Send Christmas cards in the mail.
Correspondence by snail mail has increasingly been replaced by email these days. However, it is still a nice surprise to open up the mailbox and find a handwritten letter in there from a friend or family member. It just feels a bit more sincere to know that someone took the time out of their busy life to physically write a note to you, address the envelope, stick a stamp on it, and drop it in the mailbox. Sending Christmas cards is a great way to do this and it's fairly inexpensive. You can make it more personal by slipping in a family portrait or other creative trinket. I take all the holiday cards that we receive in the mail and stick them in our Christmas tree so that our friends and family are all part of our holiday. It's a small way to feel close to those who matter most to us when we cant actually be with them.
Donate.
Lastly, and this is probably the most important of them all, don't forget to donate this season. Regardless of what you donate, remember that there are those out there that are not as blessed as you and I. If you have time to volunteer at a soup kitchen or deliver meals to those in need... DO IT! If you have food in your pantry that you can spare and do without... DONATE IT to your local food bank! Go through your closet and pull out those items you haven't worn in over a year... GIVE IT to a homeless shelter or adoption agency near you! For those who have more to give... CONTRIBUTE TO A TRUSTED FOUNDATION of your choice and let them put your generosity where they need it most.
My hope for all of you this Christmas season is simply this: "May every last one of you be lucky enough to spend this special time of year with those that you love most. Regardless, of how you make that happen, never take for granted life's most precious gift of life itself! …and, last but definitely not least, if the opportunity presents itself to help someone else, do so wholeheartedly."
How do you spend your holiday season? If you enjoyed this blog we would greatly appreciate it if you would please like, comment, and share. We would love to hear from you. To learn more about Falls Truck Center please check us out online, through Facebook, or Instagram. As always, take care and from all of us here at Falls Truck Center, we want to wish all of y'all a very warm and Merry Christmas!