Are you looking for ideas on what to do when you don`t celebrate Christmas? I’ve got you covered! Since my family and I don’t personally celebrate Christmas, I thought today I would share some activities you can do for yourself or as a family during this time. Sometimes it can be hard to come up with fun ideas, so I thought I would give you some inspiration to get the ball rolling!
Ultimate Guide of 11 Things To Do When You Don’t Celebrate Christmas
1. Create A Family Tradition
One of the best ways to enjoy the time off is by creating a family tradition. This can be done by finding something that everyone enjoys doing together or if you are solo coming up with a tradition for yourself. It doesn’t have to be something that takes up too much time, it can be as simple as going out to eat at a restaurant with the family or ordering in and having a special meal at home.
The important thing is that you find something that you and your family members enjoy doing together and whatever you decide to do, make sure that you keep it consistent every year.
2. Plan Outdoor Activities
Where I live in Canada, snow is pretty common around the holiday season, if you get snow as I do, consider planning outdoor activities. There are so many things you can do outside during the winter months, here are a few ideas:
- Play games
- Build a fire pit to roast marshmallows
- Tobogganing/sledding (check out my favourite donut snow tube)
- Build a snowman
- Go Skating
- Make snow angels
- Have a snowball fight
- Build a snow fort or igloo (you can use this to create a castle)
- Go for a walk
- Plan a winter picnic with hot soup
- Go for a hike
Always check the weather, you should make sure you plan ahead because the weather can impact how well you will be able to enjoy yourself outside. So bundle up and wear proper winter essentials out there!
3. Have a Movie Marathon or Binge on a TV Series
Sometimes, there is just never enough time to watch everything you wanted to see or binge an entire TV series your friends have been raving about, but now is the time. You can transform your living room by creating the ultimate comfort zone or indoor fort using an air mattress and lots of pillows and then curl up with a blanket. Of course, make some hot chocolate and popcorn and have a movie marathon of classic family movies you love or carve out some time to binge-watch a TV show.
I personally love having these streaming companies like Netflix, Crave and Disney Plus because unlike traditional TV stations I can choose what I would like to watch. This is a huge benefit for those who don’t celebrate Christmas because typically all the TV stations will have their holiday episodes on.
4. Go to the Movies
Did you know that most movie theatres are open during the holidays? This is the perfect time to avoid lines and crowds and catch a movie in the theatres without anyone sitting next to you. Whether you are looking for a family movie or a movie just for yourself, you can find a movie at your theatre that isn’t holiday related. Grab yourself some snacks and enjoy the theatre to yourself.
5. Plan a Day with Friends
If you know other people who don’t celebrate Christmas, why not meet up with your friends and hang out? It can be a great time to have the kids burn out energy with other kids who don’t celebrate or enjoy socialization for a few hours by playing board games and making jokes. Here are some fun board games your might enjoy playing:
Of course, before buying a new game you can always check your local thrift store or Value Village because they always have a game section at a discounted price. For more new and classic game ideas for adults and children, click here. I found that article filled with many amazing ideas.
6. Bake
Who loves to bake? I do! On cold days, I love taking a moment to bake something whether it is cookies, cake, cupcakes or banana bread. The smell of baked goods always makes any day awesome. It is great bonding time with your children who can assist you in the kitchen and it makes a great treat or dessert.
If you are not someone who is good at baking, you can’t go wrong with using the Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Cookie Dough products. It is fast and easy to do. Cookies are one thing that I can’t bake so this comes in handy with my family.
Related:
- Very Cherry Cake Push Pops Recipe
- Red Heart Cinnamon White Chocolate Chunk Brownies Recipe
- White Chocolate Brownies Recipe
- White Chocolate Caramel Cupcake Recipe
7. Read
If you have a book you wanted to read or catch up on, this is the right time to start! Use the whole two days off to curl up and read a nice long book uninterrupted. If you have children, you can have a reading time where you read them one of their favourite books or have them read to you. It is a great moment to stay off the screens for a little while and enjoy each other’s company.
8. Catch up on Tasks
We all have a list of things that we did not get a chance to do because of not have enough time in the day or because of our busy schedules. Now is the time to catch up on the work or the tasks that you were going to do. Use this time to get productive by creating a list and crossing off tasks. These tasks can be as simple as decluttering a space in your home, organizing your home, deep cleaning or tackling your paper tasks.
Personally, I love using Asana to create my lists and tasks but you can never go wrong by using paper or the notes section on your phone too. Put on some music and power through your list!
9. Go Shopping
Whether you choose to go shopping online or in the store, you can catch great discounts during this time to buy a few essential things for yourself, your kids or the household. Fortunately for those who don’t celebrate Christmas, this is the most stress-free shopping time of the year as we are not rushing around looking for last-minute holiday gifts.
Get some of your grocery shopping done by using companies like InstaCart (here is the link to the InstaCart US site) which will get the items you need and deliver them to your door. If you’ve never grocery shopped online before, you might not realize just how easy it is and how much time it saves you especially if you have a big family like mine. Trust me when I say that after we started using InstaCart, we never shopped the same again!
10. Take a Trip
If you are able, why not take a trip to a warmer place? Switch the snow boots to flip-flops in the sand. Most of the time, resorts are not as busy as many are travelling to spend time with their families. Keep in mind that travelling on the plane will be hectic since the holiday season can be very busy and you should expect many flight delays due to the weather. If you choose to travel try to leave a few days before the holiday. Snag my free packing travel printable!
11. Have a Staycation
Another option is to have a staycation. Since you have a few days off, look into relaxing at an Airbnb in your city or one within driving distance. You can also rent a cabin with some friends or try winter camping. The point is to get out of the house and spend time together. Winter break doesn’t have to be all about staying at home, you can travel locally! Personally, I love staycations, it is a great time to pretend you are a tourist and explore your city.
Final Thoughts
Why didn’t I think about writing this ‘what to do when you don’t celebrate Christmas’ post before? I am happy I get to inspire those who don’t celebrate the holiday like me. Just because we don’t celebrate or follow the crowd like everyone else doesn’t mean we can’t have fun and enjoy ourselves.
Spend time with friends and family by playing games, watching a movie, cooking together, talking, or whatever else you’ll all enjoy. Let’s make this time memorable and enjoyable. Use this time to have a blast, after all, there is plenty to do out there!
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Thank you for sharing this blog. My family and I don’t celebrate Christmas, and I was searching to find ways to have fun and do things around this day without it being about Christmas. So I appreciate your tips. I’m going to plan a vacation next year for Christmas time. I know we will have to deal with that hectic traffic, but it’s OK, I will be worth it. Thank you for this.
Aww thank you for leaving this comment Alexia. I am happy you could get some ideas from my tips. I love that you are planning a vacation next year, I think it will be worth it for sure!