The winter months may be cold, dark and otherwise grim, but they do play host to the most heart-warming pat of the calendar year: the festive season. As the nights draw long, and the Christmas lights slowly start to pop up in town squares and gardens across the country, the holidays draw ever closer – and with them, the promise of festive cheer shared with family and friends alike. What are some fun ways you can play your own part in this festive cheer, and celebrate the season at home?
Pre-Christmas Feasts
Christmas Day is defined just as much by the Christmas dinner you share with your loved ones as it is by the sharing of gifts and Baileys. It really isn’t Christmas Day until you’ve fought over a gravy boat, or skilfully swerved a serving of overcooked Brussels sprouts from your in-laws!
While Christmas dinner is a feast for the ages, and a definitive point on the festive culinary calendar, this doesn’t mean it needs to be the only one. Indeed, there might be friends and family that you won’t get to see in the Christmas holidays themselves, with whom you could celebrate with a not-Christmas dinner – or something distinctly non-traditional altogether. Hosting a potluck is always a strong and fun option, that relieves the pressure of hosting all the same.
Winter Garden Party
Christmas is naturally a time for huddling round in pyjamas and Nana’s jumpers, supping hot toddies and swaddling in snoods – but for another non-traditional slice of yuletide fun, you could get everyone out of the house for a winter garden extravaganza.
Having a garden party is all the more reason to deck out your house and lawn with a pretty light-up Christmas display, which could serve as the backdrop to a magical evening of frosty drinks and chilled vibes. You could attempt a winter barbecue, with various festive classics like pigs in blankets receiving the smokehouse treatment; you could also build a fire-pit to make your garden that little bit toastier!
Gingerbread House Competition
For a truly unique competitive twist on a classic Christmas activity, you could plan a gingerbread house competition for your household or friend group. You could have a bake-off style afternoon of fighting for oven space and making your own signature gingerbreads from scratch, with additional points for assembly.
If you are feeling lazy, you could skip the baking process entirely and simply have a construct-a-thon with pre-backed gingerbread sheets. Then, your competition could simply be to see who can make the most outlandish structure (that stays upright, of course…).
Festive Film Marathon
And for those chilly nights where you really can’t think of much better to do, there is no better substitute than a night snuggled up in front of the telly watching some of the best festive films ever made. It’s not Christmas until at least three of you are crying at the end of It’s A Wonderful Life!
