No matter what the month of December looks like this year, there's no doubt the holidays will still be a magical time. Small gatherings just mean more food for you, right? But in an effort to keep the month of December festive and fun, I put together a bucket list of my favorite things to do – 2020 style.
- Create a Signature Dish - like really work on perfecting on dish. A dessert, main, side, salad, soup, or drink I think it would be so fun to create and perfect a signature dish that you can bring to a small family gathering this year and years to come.
- BONUS: Write it down on a fun recipe card and gift the recipe to family and friends.
- Ice Skate on An Outdoor Rink – we don't have many here in the South, but ice skating is one of my favorite activities no matter the time of year. Bonus points for it being an outdoor, social distanced activity. Check out skating times for Greenville's outdoor rink.
- Visit your favorite local bookseller – I've found that our local bookshops are never very crowded so it's easy to wear a mask and social distance. We've been buying 3-4 books per month from our favorite local used bookstores and it's an amazing way to buy local/support small while being safe. Books make great gifts after all!
- Take a new family photo – if you're getting together with family this year, commemorate it with a photo. It doesn't need to be a professional one. Honestly, the iPhone's camera quality is incredible and you can set a timer or get a remote shutter to make it work.
- Ride around & look at lights – we did this as kids and it was always a great time. We'd load up in the car after dark with snacks and hot chocolate and drive around to the neighborhoods with the best light displays. No need to even get out of the car.
- Create a holiday playlist – if you're sitting a home, work, or the car a festive playlist of your top holiday songs and singers is the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit without being annoyed by the same four songs on the radio.
- Send Christmas cards before Christmas – even sans family photo or newsletter a festive card to friends and family letting them know you're thinking about them is a delightful way to spread holiday cheer.
- Buy a loved one the 12 days of Christmas presents – Lee and I used to do this for each other. We'd find one small ($5) present for the 12 days leading up to Christmas and every night would open it. It's a fun way to elongate gifting!
- Create a holiday tradition – gift a new ornament for your tree every year, starting watching Harry Potter the day after Thanksgiving, find the perfect live Christmas tree. . . make it fun and make it yours!
- Give back – there are so many ways you can donate your time, money, and gifts during the holiday season. We always participated in Operation Christmas Child when we were younger. We'd wrap a shoebox and fill it with age appropriate toys and school supplies for a child overseas.
Feel free to download and share these ideas and check off the ones you've already completed this holiday season!