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Good morning friends I hope your week is going well so far. I had such a leisurely 4 day weekend that I am having a bit of a challenge getting back on schedule. Does anyone else feel that way? There is no time to be sluggish because I want to soak up all of the Christmas cheer.
Every years I write a “bucket list” of things I want to do over the holidays and most years I am successful in ticking all of the things off that I want to do, like visiting the tree farm, going to see the holiday lights, (if I am home with my family) going for snowy late night walks. This year is different so my list has been tweaked a bit, but it is still filled with lots of fun things and holiday cheer.
21 Fun Christmas Bucket List Ideas
1. Write and send Christmas cards to family and friends. If you have the time you could even make your own. I have been slacking on this the last few years because I ran out of time, but this year I already have the Christmas Cards out and addressed.
2. Mail a letter to Santa! Here are the instructions from the USPS on how to do it properly. I can remember doing this as a child and anxiously awaiting Christmas morning to see if the gifts under the tree were on my list that I sent to him.
3. Make your own ornaments and decorate your tree. You can find dried oranges, cinnamon ornaments or even go back to your childhood and make paper snowflakes and chains for the tree.
4. Donate unused mittens, hats, winter coats to the local coat drive.
5. Donate, toys to Toys for Tots( here is a list of the Most popular kids toys). Food to your local food bank, cards and stamps to your local nursing home so that they can send them to their loved ones( important now more than ever because they cannot leave their facility). My church has a giving tree and instead of ornaments there are letters from people and what they need.
6. Sip a steaming cup or two of hot chocolate next to the fire while reading by the lights of the Christmas tree make it even more special by making your own marshmallows to top the hot chocolate.
7. Make homemade gifts for family and friends. Fleur de sel truffles, Lavender Bath Salts, Cranberry Liqueur , Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce, Homemade Hot Fudge , Marshmallows, cookies or whatever you like.
8. Make a pot of mulled wine or cider, even though there may not be any holiday parties you can still celebrate the season with the people in your own home. Country Living has 35 Mulled Wine Recipes that you might want to try.
9. Spend the day in your pajamas watching all of your favorite holiday movies, like Home Alone, The Holiday, White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer , Frosty the Snowman, A Christmas Carol to name just a few.
10. Play Christmas music in the car or in the house and make your favorite playlist to share with friends and family.
11. Take an online cookie making class or do a Zoom call with your grandkids and make cookies with them.
12. Bake your favorite holiday cookies and send some in a care package to family who will not be able to spend the holidays with you or deliver them to your neighbors.
13. Read the Christmas Classics.
14. Your homemade marshmallows are perfect for s’mores too, you could roast them on a long stick in the fireplace.
15. Make a thermos full of cocoa and a winter picnic to take on a walk of a hike or when you go ice skating. If you are lucky enough to have snow go out snowshoeing! That is my favorite winter activity.
16. Watch the Nutcracker! Our family loves to see the Nutcracker in person but this year we are going to stream it like many others. Here is a guid to streaming the Nutcracker in case you would like to see it as well.
17. Start a new tradition.
18. Have family game or puzzle night. We actually have a puzzle on the table all winter long and as we pass through the room we add a piece or two, as we finish one we start another. It is a nice way to relax and regroup.
19. Make a gingerbread house, you can start from scratch or purchase a kit. There are a ton of great ideas on Pinterest.
20. Spend a day baking cookies, making candy or homemade bread.
21. Random acts of kindness.
Now more than ever it is the little things in life that will bring you and your family joy. Do you cave a winter or Christmas bucket list? If so what is on your list of things to do?
Have a great day friends.
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I had a little trouble getting going this week as well. I love all your suggestions. I'm going to try making my own marshmallows. How fun. I drink hot cocoa every morning, in lieu of coffee, so adding marshmallow to the top will kick things up a notch during the holiday season. Hope to get my cards ordered this weekend … I was excited to receive a few cards (from my more organized friends) this week! xo
Lots of great things on your list
I will try making homemade marshmallows.
I enjoy exploring your thumbnail photo section. Thank you