With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we tend to monopolize our time with errands, checklists, and to-dos. We can lose touch with the people who mean the most to us over the festive season.
Here are some ways you can connect with your loved ones over the holiday season.
Have a wrapping party.
Don’t let the task of wrapping gifts and signing holiday cards be a taunting task. Make a party out of it! Invite your closest friends over to wrap presents as you blast All I want for Christmas is You, sip apple cider, and munch on tasty treats. Even if you do more chatting than wrapping, it only means you’re taking time to reconnect with the wonderful people in your life.
Host a quote-along
Whether it’s Love Actually or Home Alone, we all have a beloved movie of the Winter season. This year, invite your loved ones over for a holiday movie quote-along. Vote on a favorite flick and be sure your subtitles are on (as if you don’t already know every line). Go a step further and share little known movie facts from IMDb throughout the party. The quote-along will leave you remembering good memories as you create new ones.
Attend a show.
The holidays are a perfect time to fit in a play, ballet, or performance with someone you love. The Nutcracker and Trans-Siberian Orchestra always tend to make their rounds to major cities across the nation. If you’re on a budget, don’t underestimate your local arts scene. Community theatres, churches, and local schools put on holiday shows at little to no cost. Research a show in your area within your budget and invite a companion to enjoy.
Volunteer.
There’s no better way to connect with people than to volunteer. Volunteermatch.org is a helpful resource to find volunteer opportunities at charities and non-profits you support. Rally your friends, family, even co-workers to join you in your cause. Don’t let time be an excuse not to volunteer. There are plenty of volunteer opportunities you can do from the comfort of your home. Help From Home lists a variety of microvolunteering projects from quilting blankets for children with illness to snapping photos of your environment to submit for a nonprofit study on nature.
Create a tradition.
Perhaps you don’t hold a yearly holiday tradition. Nothing will bring you closer to those around you than to start your very own. It could be a wrapping party, a quote-along or something completely unique to your group and town. Not only will you create connection with among your family and friends, if done yearly, your new tradition will connect generations to come.