Open presents, obviously! But, what should we do with the other 23 hours? Well, I’m here to fill all of your Christmas-day celebration needs!
1. Sleep in until noon
(source)
You may be wondering why I’m advising you to sleep-in when there are presents waiting to be opened underneath a beautiful Christmas tree. In my family, Christmas tradition involves going out for a late dinner, watching a Christmas movie, and opening presents at 1 a.m. (Technically, it is Christmas morning!) But, you deserve some shut-eye, especially after braving the crowds when shopping for gifts for your loved ones… Then again, if you can’t convince your family and friends to open presents at 1 a.m. or 1 p.m., you might want to save the sleeping in for December 26.
2. Watch a Christmas movie
(source)
Home Alone 1 and 2 happen to be favourites of mine! Christmas time is also a great time to binge-watch the movies that you used to watch when you were little. Yes, that means I marathon Scooby-Doo over the Christmas holidays!
3. Spread the Love
(source)
Christmas season is known for being the season all about love, gratefulness and joy. With the mayhem and stress of shopping, it’s easy to forget the spirit of at the heart of Christmas. Take some time to tell the people who you love, how much you love them.
4. Build a Snowman
(source)
It’s always been a dream of mine to build a snowman – with button eyes and a carrot nose…the whole nine yards. But, we rarely seize the day and we put things we enjoy off until “later.” Well, this Christmas, it’s time to do what you’ve always wanted to do in Winter – have a snowball fight, go skiing, play ice hockey…Make this Christmas memorable.
5. Blast Christmas Carols
(source)
Come January, it will be exactly eleven months until we hear Christmas carols on the radio. Play them loud and proud!
6. Be Grateful
(source)
Some of us love getting presents. Some of us love giving presents. Take some time for yourself this Christmas and reflect on the past year, and all of the people for whom you are thankful. Think of every positive thing that happened in 2016. Someone you met on the bus might have smiled at you and brightened your day – how can you possibly thank them? You can’t – not directly, at least. What you can do is pay it forward. Smile at a stranger, or two, or twenty. Let go of the negativity and pass on the positivity!
Think of all who do not have a home this Christmas. Shelters are always looking for volunteers. Spend your Christmas making someone else smile just a little bit brighter.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!