It’s December already and before long, with or without snow, winter will officially be here. Whether or not “the most wonderful time of the year” is your favorite season, there are many fun activities that you and your family can enjoy together. Some will keep you in shape and others remind you of one of the best things about the holidays – food.
1. Sledding
More than just an original first date idea, sledding makes everyone feel young again, or their age, as they climb back up the hill, only to enjoy the rush of flying downhill. It doesn’t matter if your sled is brand new, 10 years old, or homemade like Clark Griswold’s, this outdoor activity can burn up to 350 calories an hour!
2. Ice Skating
The best part about ice skating is that you don’t have to be Kristi Yamaguchi to have a good time. Be sure to bundle up and grab family and friends to the nearest frozen pond. Just remember to laugh every time you fall down. It’s like learning to walk all over again.
3. Skiing
It’s a good things skiing comes in different sizes and shapes. If you’re a daredevil, than the expert slope is the one for you. However, if flying downhill with no clue as to how to stop comes to mind, cross country skiing can be just as enjoyable, albeit a little more challenging, as it takes the entire cardiovascular and muscular system to get you going.
4. Build a Snowman
Everyone can create their own Frosty at winter time. Get creative and find ways to decorate your own snowman. It can be dressed as your favorite sports player, Christmas character, or just a classic snowman with sticks for arms, coal for buttons, and a long carrot for a nose.
5. Make Snow Angels
Perhaps the most relaxing activity and sometimes the most fun is making snow angels. Find an undisturbed plane of snow, lie supine, spread-eagled in the center of the snow and sweep your limbs in and out. Get a huge group and try to beat the Guinness Book of World Records for the most snow angels made simultaneously in one place.
6. Snowmobiling
It may not be as invigorating as sledding, but it is a great way to enjoy a winter ride. Be sure to grab a helmet with a visor, gloves, boots, and all the necessary apparel to keep warm. Feel the exhilaration, while taking in the scenery.
7. Decorating
Even though some fans begin their decorating after Halloween, the most fun can be head putting up decorations with the family. From Christmas lights to Hanukkah menorahs, trees, ornaments, and garlands, the best memories are made having fun figuring out why only half the lights turn on.
8. Hot Chocolate
Sometimes winter needs to be enjoyed from a distance, and after spending hours or even minutes outside, a nice mug of steaming hot chocolate is a great way to remember the season. Bundle up in blankets and watch snow fall, or snuggle with your favorite person. From classic hot chocolate, to adding marshmallows, peppermint or hazelnut flavors, create your own drink to keep you warm.
9. Soup
There’s a reason that the Campbell’s soup commercial appears over and over in winter. Spend all day outside playing, shoveling, or having snowball fights, and you’ll feel like a snowman who needs to thaw. Enjoy a hot bowl, or two, of your favorite soup, and the warm fuzzy feelings will begin to spread.
10. Sitting in front of the fireplace
If the hot chocolate and the soup fail to warm you from the cold, grab your loved ones, some blankets, maybe some chocolate bars, graham crackers, and marshmallows, and head to the fireplace. It doesn’t matter if the fire is real or fake, grab a good book, turn on some music, or simply relax and listen to the crackle of the logs. Just remember to put the real fire out before going to bed.
