There are a lot of reasons you might want to avoid leaving your home during the holidays. Maybe you are an introvert like me. Maybe you want to save money. Or maybe you want to stay safe in this uncertain pandemic. Whatever the reason, today I am going to be talking about things to do at home on Christmas Eve.
Let me start this off by saying, Merry Christmas Eve to everyone who celebrates. It is definitely a weird year. I see a lot of people talking about how they are lacking some Christmas spirit this year, and I totally understand.
With everything going on in the world, it can be so difficult to find the motivation to get in the Christmas spirit. But in an attempt to stay in the present moment, and enjoy what life has to offer, I have been doing everything in my power to keep Christmas alive.
But I have also done everything in my power not to leave the house. Everything gets so busy this time of year. Shops are packed with people and roads are full of reckless drivers. I would rather do anything else than be out this close to the holiday season.
So, if you are planning a night in this holiday, here are some things you can do at home on Christmas Eve.
1. Decorate Christmas Cookies
Although I haven’t decorated Christmas cookies in a couple of years, it still remains to be one of my favorite holiday activities. How else is Santa supposed to get his cookies if no one decorates them?
When I was young I would get a tub of frosting, die it different colors, and go to town with the frosting and sprinkles. That is the classic Christmas cookie decorating method.
But, I think I want to try something a little bit different this year. I want to try piping royal frosting on the sugar cookies. Cutting them into fun shapes and decorating them with piping sugar sounds so fun, and a great outlet for creativity!
But there are so many more ways you can decorate Christmas cookies. Search on google or Pinterest! You are bound to find something exciting.
2. Build a Gingerbread House
Another classic Christmas activity that can be done in the safety of your home is building a gingerbread house. This is a fun, semi-difficult, and creative use of your Christmas Eve! There are multiple methods for decorating gingerbread houses:
- Purchasing a kit: Most retailers sell premade gingerbread house kits, some are even pre-built! These kits include everything you need, including icing, sprinkles, and candies.
- Grapham cracker houses: This is a method I did a lot in day care as a young child because it was easier than other options and cheaper. With this method, you take a empty small, 8 oz, milk carton and use frosting to stick graham crackers to all four sides as well as creating a roof. The structure of these gingerbread houses are super easy, which leaves more time for the fun part, decorating!
- Homemade Gingerbread: this has to be the most fun, but it is certainly the most difficult. I did this method this year, and they turned out great! Find a homemade gingerbread recipe like this one. Use a cookie cutter or a knife to cut all the neccessary pieces out, and put together with frosting. It is difficult, but way more fun and satisfying when finished.
Once you have crafted your gingerbread house, there are a few supplies you will need for decoration:
- Frosting
- Sprinkles
- Food coloring
- Candies
- Candy Canes
- Anything you want!
3. Watch a Christmas Movie Marathon
Nothing puts me in the Christmas spirit more than watching my favorite holiday movie. It has to be one of my favorite activities, every season of the year. But you can always find me cuddled in bed on Christmas Eve night, a steaming cup of hot cocoa in hand, and a holiday movie playing on my TV.
There are so many holiday movies to watch, especially on streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ that are perfect for a marathon. Here are a few:
- The Santa Clause Trilogy
- Klaus
- The Christmas Chronicales series
- The Home Alone series
These are just a few of my favorites, but there are so many more.
Related: The Best Christmas Movies on Netflix
4. Do a Christmas-Themed Craft
I love creating a DIY project! The satisfaction of completing a project with my own two hands, and having fun while doing it, is unmatched! This is why this makes a great idea when looking for things to do at home on Christmas Eve.
As a crafter, I have a lot of random supplies around my house that I need to use up. Supplies from crafts long forgotten. So during this time of year, I try to find crafts that can use up some of the tools I already have at home.
Pinterest is your best friend in finding ideas for projects. But here are a few of my favorite DIY ideas for Christmas:
- Paint some ornaments
- Crochet a scarf, hat, or socks
- DIY gift tags
- Sewing Christmas coasters (hint: Click here)
Related: Christmas Coasters DIY Project
5. Cook a Cozy Holiday Meal
I am sure most of us have traditions when it comes to the food we eat during the holidays. For my family, we always do an “appetizer dinner” on Christmas Eve. Everyone in the family selects what appetizers we wish to eat, we cook them all, and then fill our plates with all tiny dishes. It is a strange tradition, but one I will never break.
But if you are feeling a little bit fancier, try cooking something cozy for Christmas Eve dinner! Cook your favorite food. Cook something your family will love, and cook it together. It is such a fun family activity, cooking. Working together to create something everyone can enjoy is an amazing bonding experience.
But if you want some alone time as well, cooking can be a super claiming and relaxing activity. Trust me, as an introvert, I understand how draining the holidays can be, and sometimes you just need some alone time.
Related: Cozy Meal Ideas for Rainy Days
Related: Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Meal Ideas
I am always a fan of relaxing during the holidays. It is often a time off from work for a lot of people, so it should be a time for rest and recharge. If that looks like socializing with friends and family for you, fantastic! But if that is spending time at home, with yourself or your immediate family, that is perfect as well! Whatever you need to feel good is the way to go!
If you do need some socialization, but want to remain home for safety because of COVID, use Zoom! A lot of these activities can be done with friends and family over Zoom! Host a Zoom cookie decorating party. Just make sure everyone gets the proper supplies!
Hopefully, you found some inspiration for things to do a home on Christmas Eve! Go find something that will leave you recharged and relaxed for the new year! It is time to starting thinking about our goals!
