With the Christmas season rapidly approaching, there seems to be a never ending list of festive adventures to enjoy with friends and family.
With all of these great options, it seems impossible to narrow it down to a reasonable amount of activities.
Below, we have compiled the perfect list of Christmas activities for everyone to enjoy this year.
Watch Hallmark Movies
Each Christmas season, the Hallmark Channel floods their network with cheesy, romantic Christmas-themed movies.
Alexis Clark, a senior at Coffee County Central High School, loves watching these movies. She states, “My sisters, my stepmom, and I watch them together every year.”
She continues, “We have it on the TV all Christmas long. We always sit together and make jokes about the plot and how cheesy they are, but we love them!
Clark recommends that everyone should watch Hallmark movies this holiday season.
“Well, they’re kind of laughable sometimes, but they’re also feel good movies because they have a happy ending.”
See Christmas Lights
Another great activity to do during the holiday season is going to see Christmas lights. Lindsey Cauble, another senior at CCCHS, goes to see The Dancing Lights of Christmas in Lebanon, Tenn.
The light show is made up of over two million lights and covers a 2.5 mile route.
Cauble says, “My family and I go every year. This year we took all my friends to see it for my 18th birthday.”
Admission costs 30 dollars per car.
Cauble continues, “It’s a lot of fun and it’s so pretty. You get to sing along to all the Christmas songs.”
Bake Cookies
Another fun, easy and cheap activity is baking cookies. Friends can easily pick up cheap ingredients from the store to make delicious, homemade goods this holiday season.
Nicole Whitt is well-known at CCCHS for her love of baking.
“I recommend baking this Christmas because it’s rewarding! Whether it is Christmas cookies or even rice crispy treats, it makes you feel happy because you’ve been able to make something you can share with everyone!”
“Everyone will have the joy of the holiday in a homemade snack.”
Shop for Christmas Presents
One large-scale activity that almost anyone can do is shop for presents for their family and friends. Whether you purchase your friend’s favorite candybar or buy tickets to an upcoming concert, Christmas shopping is a fun way to show your loved ones how much you care.
Jasie Willis loves shopping for Christmas gifts for her friends and families.
She recommends spending around $25; however, that depends on how close you are with a family member or friend.
Willis also recommends shopping early for the holiday season, “Start shopping for the holidays around the middle of November. That way if you want something, they will most likely have it in stock.”
Build Gingerbread Houses
If you’re looking for a fun Christmas activity that brings out your creative and competitive sides, making gingerbread houses is the perfect tradition to add to your list.
These kits range anywhere from eight dollars to 30 dollars depending on the size and amount of gingerbread houses in the box.
Gingerbread house kits are easily accessible and can be purchased at Walmart, any craft store, or even online.
Nicholas Watkins, a junior at CCCHS, enjoys decorating gingerbread houses with his family.
He says, “My favorite thing about making gingerbread houses is spending time with the people I love while eating all the candy that I am supposed to be using for decoration.”
Go Ice Skating
Lastly, ice skating is another great activity to participate in this winter. There are several skating rinks located within an hour of Manchester, Tenn.
One location is Ice on the Landing at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Participants can skate for an unlimited amount of time at this beautiful outdoor rink, and it’s only 10 dollars per person!
Skaters can also check out the Ford Ice Center in Antioch, Tenn. This center, where the Preds regularly practice, is open for public skating at certain times of the week.
Each public session lasts for 1 hour and thirty minutes and costs around $10.50.
One rink closer to home is located at Fountains at Gateway in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Admission and skate rentals costs a total of 15 dollars. After skating for as long as you like, feel free to head over to local restaurants like the Soda Shop to grab a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
No matter which location you choose, you and your friends are bound to have a wonderfully icy time!
The Christmas season won’t last forever! Grab your friends and family and complete this festive bucket list.