3 Days Till Christmas: 3 Activities Worth Doing

Written by Simple Homeschool contributor Renee Tougas of FIMBY.

With only three days left till Christmas it’s time to take a reality check and revisit your holiday priority list. For me, that means axing those non-essentials near the bottom that I haven’t been able to finish.

I’ll be shelving those supplies for the last minute gift I had hoped to make. And finally making peace with the bare evergreen wreath, hanging still undecorated on the front door.

I know I can’t do everything, but there are some simple activities worth making time for in these last three days.

1. Go for a walk.

It’s important to get outdoors, breathe fresh air, move your limbs and hopefully raise your heart rate a bit. Everyone knows the kids need to get out (do they ever!) but us adults do too.

Photo by Renee Tougas

I know there are still tasks remaining on your to-do list. Wrapping gifts, Christmas cooking, and maybe traveling.

I guarantee a little time outdoors with your family, or maybe a solitary walk to save your sanity, will give you the physical and mental boost you need to finish your last minute preparations.

2. Light candles.

If you live in the northern part of the globe these are the darkest days of the entire year. And for many of us they are also cold. This is the stuff of story book Christmases, but the dark and cold bring with them an emotional toll.

I love what Lisa shared earlier this month in her post 3 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues. I have this fourth point to add, light candles.

Photo by Renee Tougas

This year I made my own beeswax candles (some to keep and some to give) and I have been lighting them all month. I love their smell and warm golden glow during the dark hours of evening.

Especially today, the next-to-darkest day of the year, light some candles and be thankful that sunlight is returning once again.

3. Sing, play and dance. (Party!)

Caroling

There is never a better time to go caroling than right now. Many of the suggestions in this post you can do any time throughout the winter but caroling is truly a Christmas-only opportunity.

Some of my best childhood memories of Christmas were going caroling on December 23rd, the night of my brother’s birthday. It was so festive and fun and there was always a gang of us since we had just celebrated a birthday party.

Photo by Renee Tougas

Caroling without a large group can be just as special though. Walking down your own street is a great way to meet your neighbors.

Or maybe you know a shut-in you can surprise? What about a near-by hospital or assisted living facility?

You don’t need to make it complicated and you might be out for only half an hour but it will still be worth it.

Games

Our family loves watching movies together in the winter on our computer monitor (we’re tv-less). It’s easy to get carried away with this though if we’re not careful.

Throughout the month we’ve opted for games of charades on some evenings instead of screen time. Honestly, at first I thought (to myself), “Isn’t charades kind of boring?” But it hasn’t been.

Our kiddos love the acting and I love laughing at my family’s obscure and sometimes hilarious gestures.

Music

Maybe my children will grow out of “let’s have a dance party!” but I sure hope not.

Now’s the time to crank up the volume on Jingle Bell Rock and Sleigh Ride and boogie. A good dance party first thing in the morning (right around chore time for us) can set a better tone for the whole day.

One of festive fun instead of indoor antsy.

Photo by Renee Tougas

What activities do you plan to do in the next three days?