Image by Johnell Pannell at Unsplash

As many are currently dreading the dropping temperatures and the beautiful fall leaves falling, there are few others who are anticipating the upcoming holiday season. While the adjustment to the winter season may be brutal for some, there are plenty of festive activities that showcase the unique delights that winter has to offer. Regardless of what you celebrate or your feelings toward winter itself, the following activities can promise you an enjoyable holiday season!

• Ice Skating is a classical winter activity, and even better for athletic individuals who are craving some movement amid the unpreferable weather. Luckily, Monmouth County is home to a multitude of ice skating rinks that offer frequent free skates, and are also a great place to catch a hockey game! Jersey Shore Arena and Howell Ice Arena are the closest in proximity to the school, and both will be offering increasing free skate opportunities as the season progresses. For those looking for an adventure out of Freehold, Skating at Bryant Park in New York City is a magical experience, and even better, you are surrounded by holiday-themed vendors as you skate in the park. 

• Watching a holiday movie is the perfect way to end a long school day, or start off a weekend of fun holiday activities. Especially for those who prefer to avoid the cold weather, watching holiday movies at home has become increasingly available via streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu, and for those who only use cable, the Hallmark channel is a favorite for many seeking holiday movies. For individuals willing to face the cold weather, it’s a great idea to check your local theater to see if they offer holiday movies. Most popularly, Elf, the iconic Christmas film has been taken back to theaters in honor of its 20th anniversary.

• Cooking and baking are some of the best ways to spend your free time in the winter for so many reasons. With an abundance of family gatherings and holiday parties this time of year, it’s always a great idea to test out recipes to bring to these events and impress all your family and friends. Cooking or baking a classic holiday recipe that may run in your family is a great way to pass food traditions across generations, after all, holidays wouldn’t be the same without grandma’s or mom’s signature dish! And if you still need convincing to get in the kitchen this holiday season, then you should consider the homemade gifts that you can make by cooking or baking. Nothing is more thoughtful than a batch of homemade cookies, or your friend’s favorite pasta dish!

Clearly, there are more than enough holiday-themed opportunities for you to fill your winter bucket list with. The winter time, while dreadful to some, is one of the best times of the year if you have even the slightest holiday spirit to get you through the cold weather. There are so many festive activities that will hopefully fill your weekends this holiday season!