The holiday season is going to look very different for everybody this year. Hugging missed family will turn into chaotic zoom meetings, exchanging gifts will turn into Amazon packages at your doorstep, and that trip to the Bahamas will turn into… home. Now I know we all love filling this space in the school year with those memorable and festive activities far away, but there are other ways to enjoy this long gap. 

In-State Road Trip

Even driving a couple of hours outside of your town can completely alter the scenery, and make you feel like you are far from home. Sing along to your favorite songs, pack loads of snacks, bond with family or friends, and make it cozy with some pillows and blankets. Sometimes an aimless drive can be amusing, yet a night at a nearby hotel is always an alternative if it’s done safely. Order in some room service, splurge on some luxuries, and have some socially-distanced fun. 

Rearrange the House

Staying inside your home environment for a while can be pretty draining. Constantly enclosed within the same walls, knowing every inch in and out. For me, I can walk around my house, eyes closed, turning the familiar turns, avoiding the familiar corners. That’s why it is good to switch things up, even just your bedroom. Move some furniture around, see how you can open up space, add some colorful wall art, turn a carpet, remove that carpet, anything to switch up what you are constantly surrounded by, and feed your eyes something unique to look at.

Utilize What you Have

Those board games from elementary school didn’t go anywhere. An intense game of Candyland or Monopoly could endure for hours at a time. Find a group to play with, and relive the nostalgia. Or, go back to the basics with some crafting, maybe finishing a project that has been eyeing you in the closet from a while ago. A simple pen, paint, or marker and printer-paper doodle can be very stress-relieving. Throw some ingredients together to make anything from a simple tray of cookies to a complex recipe that pushes you to try something new. Who knew the options were through the roof when you’re under your roof?

Movie Marathons

We all cherish those days where our pajamas and the television stay on twenty-four-seven. Holidays are the ideal time to check-off our mental on-deck movie list, and also happens to be the time where a lot of new movies come out as well. Maybe choose to finish a specific series, that way there is no room to dwell on those nail-biting cliff-hangers.

Make A Spa Night

Just in your kitchen alone, there are ingredients to make a facial mask. Think about the classic avocado, yogurt, and soothing honey mask. Or, alternatively, find some cooling cucumbers from the fridge to compress your eyes. In the bathroom, you can run the bathtub a couple of inches, to make a foot bath like when getting a professional pedicure. Fill it with some tall bubbles, add a fresh layer of nail polish, and the list goes on. 

With all these options, staying at home shouldn’t seem so bad. Maybe even exciting! Oh, you’re looking forward to it? Besides all those delicious holiday foods, that traditional vacation isn’t the only option on the table.