A little holly jolly spirit will get you in the mood for the holiday season. Whether you want to deck the halls or sit on the couch watching Frank Capra’s “It’s A Wonderful Life” while sipping on a piping hot chocolate, this fall semester is about to conclude and winter break is about to begin. Who needs to be on Santa’s nice list when you have the ultimate holiday bucket list right here?
“Home For The Holidays”
After the treacherous journey through finals week, Santa’s sleigh arrives at a halt back in your hometown. It is the first time where students receive a full break since August. Now, it’s time to decompress by meeting up with your friends and family to get into the holiday spirit. You can host a holiday movie night, watching all the classics from “Christmas Vacation” and “The Grinch” to “Elf”. Bake cookies and have a great baking competition, and whoever wins doesn’t get coal for Christmas.
“Just Skating By”
Many Fairfield University students have their local major city’s holiday markets accessible to them. Whether you live down the block from Bryant Park in New York City, partake in the magical Snowport in Boston or the Christmas Village in Philadelphia, these markets always bring the sense of warmth and nostalgia around this time of year. One activity that most of these markets, regardless of their location, have in common is their ice skating rinks! You can do this as a solo activity or with a group. You don’t need to be a figure skating pro to glide around on the ice.
“From your Secret Santa”
What says merry and bright more than Secret Santa? Draw a name out of a hat with your chosen reindeer. Picking a theme out is a way of making the activity more fun. You can make a theme out of it such as exchanging humorous graphic tees, jellycats or homemade DIY crafts to bring an element of surprise. To curate a night out of Secret Santa, you can host a dinner party to go along with the night. A fun twist to a dinner party is having a board night where everyone picks their favorite food to share with the group. Chick-fil-A, charcuterie and candy boards are a good variety.
“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
It truly doesn’t feel like Christmas without a Holiday Spectacular show. With high kicks in the Radio City Music Hall, the “Rockettes” are celebrating their 100th year with an enhanced show showcasing their legacy. Take a trip to NYC to indulge in the classy tradition. “The Nutcracker” is another classic holiday performance that takes place annually. The beautiful part about “The Nutcracker” is how accessible it is. You can find it at venues in the big cities, but can also find it at local colleges, high schools and dance companies. The Connecticut Dance School’s “The Nutcracker” performance at Fairfield University takes place Dec. 14 in the Quick Center for the Arts. This is a sugar plum fun opportunity for students who are still staying for final exams.
The holiday season is here! After the hustle and bustle of the finals season, take some time to relax and indulge in the possibilities. Whether you are more of a baker or a gift giver, hopefully this ultimate holiday bucket list provides some ideas to sparkle the season. Merry everything!
