Christmas is by far the most wonderful time of the year, however, in the current situation it may be difficult to know exactly what to do. There are many things you can do to ensure you and your family have a great time, even though you may not be able to celebrate it the way you usually do. I’ve put together five tips to help you make the most of Christmas this year.
Photo by Annie Spratt
1. Make it special
Christmas may be much quieter this year without all of your loved ones around you, so it’s important to make it feel even more special, especially if you have children. I have always been a big fan of Christmas decorations, so this year, why not spend some time making your own holiday decor? You can find many DIY tutorials online to create gorgeous wreaths, Christmas tree baubles or personalised greeting cards! By personalising your Christmas ornaments, you will keep yourself and your kids entertained; you will stimulate creativity; you will create fond memories to treasure for years to come; and maybe it will help us forget the difficulties we’ve all had this year.
Photo by Jonathan Borba
2. Keep the traditions alive
Traditions are important, they keep us rooted to our family and culture and it’s essential that we keep them alive no matter what. One of my favourite traditions is visiting Christmas markets (the Frankfurt Christmas Market is one of the most beautiful I’ve been to!), but sadly this is not something I can do this year. Now is the time to create new traditions to do at home! Advent calendars, for example, are a joyeus tradition to start in your family and delicious way to build to Christmas!
Photo by David-Olivier Gascon
There are many kinds of advent calendars you can buy nowadays: for coffee and tea lovers, for beauty addicts, for wine and spirits connoisseurs, and more. But there is no doubt that the best calendars are the chocolate & truffle ones! Don’t forget to treat your family with delicious chocolate advent calendars, they’re always a hit.
Photo by Markus Spiske
3. Go crazy with decorations
We all need a little pick me up sometimes and Christmas lights and decorations are the perfect way to brighten the mood. I’m not saying have lights all over your house, but maybe add a little extra tinsel and some festive lighting outside your home this year. You would be surprised how much it can affect your overall mood. Maybe you could even choose to get rid of older decorations and buy brand new ones that spark joy! I actually love collecting Christmas ornaments from different shops and different countries, my tree is a mix and match of styles as a result, and I love that. Every season, I buy some new decorations and lights to add to my collection. It always gets me into a festive mood!
Photo by Juliana Malta
4. Spend time with your family
Christmas is all about family and right now we all need some extra love. We may only be able to celebrate with our family “bubble”, but it doesn’t mean Christmas Day can’t be a memorable day shared with the people with live with. This year, we should be especially grateful to have each other! Nothing is stopping you from doing a little Scrabble or Monopoly game on Boxing Day. Or, if you’re Italian like me, you’ll certainly be playing Tombola (or Bingo) on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It’s a fun activity for the whole family.
Another idea to spend time together at home is to watch a Christmas movie. We all have a favourite Christmas film and because we have all been advised to stay at home what’s better than cuddling up on the sofa with a great film? Here are some of the all time Christmas favourites: Home Alone, The Snowman and Elf, classics like Miracle on 34th Street or A Wonderful Life, rom-coms like Love Actually or The Holiday.
Photo by Kathy Marsh
5. Bake some festive treats
We can all agree that one of the best things about Christmas is definitely the food! In my family, my mum is in control of the kitchen and Christmas is no exception. She will cook up and serve us feasts for three days straight, usually inspired by favourite Italian recipes. I try to help my mum as much as I can and I’m also in charge of dessert! Typical Italian sweets for Natale are: Panettone, Zuccotto , Gubana, and Mostaccioli: Neapolitan Christmas Biscuits.
This year is the perfect time to start practising your baking skills, you could make a gingerbread house, mince pies, or a Christmas pudding (better start now!). If you have children, baking a great activity to bond with them while teaching them some valuable lessons!
Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.
