This holiday season, be sure to bake cookies with friends and family.
As the semester comes to a close, and anticipation for final exams fill the air, a wondrous time of year follows immediately thereafter: the Christmas season. With Christmas comes an end to the 2024 academic grind, a renewal of festivity and time spent with special hometown family and friends. However, it is important to remember that “the most wonderful time of the year” is considered as such not only for its magic, but for its ephemerality. To “maxx” the benefits of your Christmas season, I have compiled a list of different ways you can celebrate the 2024 Christmas season.
- Attend a Christmas market – One of the many benefits of attending Villanova is the proximity to peak holiday shopping opportunities. By the Rowan Campus Green at nighttime on Dec. 12, Villanova opens its own “Holiday Village and Night Market” aimed to gather community, foster Christmas cheer and help you shop for your loved ones. If that date does not work for you, consider taking the SEPTA to the King of Prussia Mall or Suburban Square to purchase top tier gifts for family and friends.
- Bake Christmas cookies – Whether you opt for the Ready-to-Bake Pillsbury cookies with the little trees on them or a classic chocolate chip recipe, there is almost no better way to boost your spirits than to whip up a delicious dessert. You can also have your friends join in on the baking and have a cookie exchange party.
- Volunteer / Give Back to your Community – Christmas is a holiday that I find to be very grounding. During the hustle-and-bustle of the other 11 months of the year, everyone seems to be spread out everywhere – travelling, working elsewhere and studying at different universities. For the most part, our hometowns come back together during the Christmas season and we find ourselves “grounded” once again. A special way to celebrate this is through giving back to our communities through donating gifts, volunteering at soup kitchens or participating in local charity events. Although this season can be especially busy, it is important to appreciate the “hometown feel” that is unique to this time of year.
- Send holiday cards – Even if you don’t have the most Instagram-worthy pictures to send out, a photoless card detailing your gratitude for special individuals in your life can carry much more weight. One of the most special abilities we harbor as humans is our capacity for kindness. Take this equally special time of year to contact those you love (and even those you haven’t spoken to in a while).
- Have a Christmas photoshoot – Although I tried to gloss over the lack of Instagram worthy holiday photos in Point #4, I am not glossing over this in Point #5. Whether it be a funny photoshoot with your friends, scenic shots of winter landscapes or the Villanova Christmas tree, ensure you capture the unique magic this time of year offers.
- Create a Christmas playlist – It is now considered universally appropriate to play Christmas music. Take full advantage of this rare, uncontroversial moment. Playing Mariah Carey or WHAM! on your way to class is key to boosting holiday spirit. (Side note – a good Christmas song may also lead to an accidental PR in the gym.)
- Get yourself a hot chocolate – Studying for final exams is difficult, but it can be made much less difficult if you give yourself the gift of festive surroundings. One of my personal favorite study spots around the holidays is the Holy Grounds at the Commons. The beautiful decorating of the facility, coupled alongside its classic hot chocolate, is key to getting through finals week in style. Go ahead and order that hot chocolate with “maxxed-out” whipped cream.
- The Christmas Compliment Challenge – In a season based upon the ideals of community and joy, the simple act of a daily compliment has the ability to boost morale. Start this trend by telling the stranger in front of you at Holy Grounds you like their coat or encouraging a friend through finals season. Although these are small actions, they carry the power to cultivate a kinder environment throughout campus.
- Complete a Christmas-themed workout – Up your fitness routine with an element of holiday cheer. Search “holiday workouts” on Pinterest and you’ll be inspired by a creative workout plan such as the “SANTA” workout (Squat, Arnold Press, Narrow Heel Elevated Squats, Tricep extensions, Alternating lunges) or simply a run fueled by Christmas music.
- Reflect on the year – As you find yourself back in your hometown, surrounded by familiarity, use this time of comfort to reflect on your progress throughout 2024. Take a moment to acknowledge the gifts you’re given not only on Christmas day, but year-round. Here’s to 2025 being a year of prosperity and gratitude. But first, let’s properly celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.
