Things to do in December

Got this calendar/article from my Mom listing “31 Things to do in December” and decided to reprint it here. Kinda late, but then you could just decide to do the suggestions for the last week of December. I do NOT suggest trying to cram everything in this last week though, since that will just add to the stress that comes with the season. And we wouldn’t want that! :) Anyway, the article was from Jennifer Modenessi of the Times, but not everything could apply to the local setting, so it’s now down to 17 :

“It’s the happiest time of the year. And the busiest. And the most frantic. But it doesn’t have to be. To get it off to the right start, we’re offering a list of ideas. Some are practical, some are fanciful, but we hope they’ll serve as a reminder of what the holiday season is supposed to be all about.”

* Go easy on yourself. Request a vacation day (or two!) from the office to finish your shopping, clean the house, or get a head start on preparing holiday meals.

* Share your good fortune. Head to the grocery store and fill your basket with nonperishable items to donate to a local food bank.

* Time to get in the spirit already. Buy a CD of holiday music (or if someone plays piano, all the better), hand out the lyrics and a cup of eggnog and sing, sing, sing. No demerits if you’re off-key.

* Sit down and write a long letter to a friend who lives far away. Stamp it and take it to a mailbox right away.

* Visit a merry-go-round, or an ice skating rink, and feel like a kid again.

* Remember a lost loved one. Choose a gift that he or she would have enjoyed, then donate it to a holiday drive.

* Round up some kids and visit your local convalescent home, bearing simple gifts such as personal care products or home-baked goodies. Have the kids sing a Christmas carol. It’s a fine way to demonstrate the holiday adage ‘tis better to give than to receive.

* Cookie baking day! No time to mix it up? Buy store-bought sugar cookies, frosting and lots and lots of sprinkles. Combine with your wee ones and decorate away. Box up mini batches for friends, family or neighbors. Be sure to save a few for yourself.

* Going broke already? Here’s a simple gift idea. Snag a box of plain, inexpensive ball ornaments, and hand them over to a child of any age to paint. The cute keepsake is a lovely package decoration – or a gift itself.

* Organize an old-fashioned Christmas caroling party. Gather some friends, warm them up with hot chocolate, set out with sheet music and flashlights and treat your neighbors to some holiday cheer.

* Reverse the results of all those delicious cookies. Take a long walk around the neighborhood, choosing a route that allows you to admire outdoor decorations or attractive landscaping.

* Had your fill of holiday music? Take a break and get happy at the same time by renting a musical. Some ideas: Tap along to “Singing in the Rain.” Or get supercalifragilistic with “Mary Poppins.”

* Christmas Day. Rediscover your roots. Spend the evening flipping through old photo albums with your family, pausing to tell the stories behind each picture.

* Don your slippers early tonight. Then curl up on the couch and read a really good book all evening long.

* Weary of dreary weather? Then pretend it’s summer. Put on your Hawaiian shirt, sunglasses and flip-flops, grab an umbrella drink and turn on your favorite Beach Boys tune.

* Organize those holiday cards and family newsletters. Start a photo album and simply paste them in. Over the years, it will become a treasured record of friends and family.

* New Year’s Eve. Start a new tradition by writing a New Year’s wish on a piece of paper, then throwing it into a fire.