We’re here for holly, jolly holiday fun (on a budget!)
Don’t let the stress and expense of the holiday season take away the joy, enjoy these festive activities and holiday fun that won’t break the bank
IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS! Once that calendar flips to November, the elves sneak out of the woodwork, and holiday yuletide starts popping up everywhere you look. And when Thanksgiving is in the rearview mirror? There’s no stopping the tidings of comfort and joy at that point!
Of course, in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, sometimes it’s not easy to step back and figure out some jolly ways to enjoy everything before the merriment passes you by. But fear not! Ocean City Magazine is here to share some fun, festive and inexpensive ways to bring out your inner Santa (or Mrs. Claus) and remind you to slow down and have some holiday fun.
Scavenger Hunt: Light Display Edition
Inflatable elves drinking hot cocoa? Check! Red and white candy cane lights lining a pathway? Check again! Santa Claus and eight reindeer standing sentry on a rooftop? Checkity check! Who doesn’t love driving around (or strolling – Ocean City is a wonderfully walkable town, after all!) enjoying the holiday fun, looking at Christmas lights? It’s fun to see the creative (and sometimes crazy) ways the local Griswolds light up the night. But have you ever turned your light-viewing activities into a scavenger hunt? Make the evening a friendly competition with your family and friends. Maybe an extra present under the tree can be earmarked for the winner? (See the sidebar for a suggested Scavenger Holiday Hunt List!)
Hot Chocolate Potluck
Cocoa bars are all the rage, aren’t they? I mean, it’s no wonder – topping hot chocolate with candies, cookies and whipped cream is every sugarholic’s dream. (And we’re all at least a little bit of a sugarholic during the holidays!) Put a holiday twist on the traditional potluck and host one that’s all about hot chocolate! As the host, you can supply the scrumptious, steaming beverage – maybe in two or three varieties such as traditional, white chocolate and caramel? Then ask guests to bring the pizazz. Peppermint sticks, gingerbread cookies, sprinkles, whipped toppings, graham cracker crumbs, marshmallow fluff – the options are endless. Ask everyone to be as creative as they can, and you’re sure to have a delightfully delicious evening.
Outdoor Holiday Movie Night
Chances are someone you know – or someone on your local neighborhood social media page – has a movie projector you can borrow. Invite everyone out for an outdoor showing of a holiday classic (our suggestion is Elf or National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, but we’re not snubbing our nose at A Christmas Story or a Hallmark classic either). Suggest everyone bring chairs and warm, cozy blankets. Grab some monster bags of popcorn from the store to pass around, and you’ve got yourself a perfectly festive movie night under the stars.
Make DIY Gifts
It’s better to give than to receive, right? Christmas shopping, however, is not for the faint of heart. It can be stressful trying to track down that perfect something for a loved one. Why not slow down and make some presents this year? If you’ve got any creative inclinations, invite a few friends over for a mini gift-making marathon. Flip over an empty K-cup and turn it into a Frosty top hat ornament with markers, ribbon and sequins. Turn a pinecone into a mini Christmas tree with some paint and pompoms. Melt plastic pony beads in cookie cutters for another fun (and colorful!) ornament. It doesn’t have to be made with expensive materials – it just needs to come from the heart.
Gingerbread Competition
Sure, you could do a gingerbread house competition, but that takes a lot more preparation. Why not invite everyone over for a gingerbread cookie competition instead? Bake a bunch of oversized gingerbread people and equip everyone with jars of icing and sprinkles. You don’t need to work from scratch, either. Pillsbury gingerbread dough from the cold food aisle of the grocery store is delicious, and Betty Crocker makes a mean frosting. Keep things simple so you can enjoy the moment.
Christmas Parade with Holiday Bingo
This year’s Ocean City Christmas Parade is set for downtown Asbury Avenue at 6pm on Friday, December 6. If you live in OC (or just love OC!), chances are you’ve taken in this spectacle of holiday magic before. But have you ever played bingo while you’ve done it? Make up your own bingo sheet – Santa Claus, Rudolph, Pink Christmas Tree, Silver Bell – and challenge your family to find each item in the parade. It will make everyone pay even closer attention to the festive floats and parade participants!
Tales from Tinseltown
If you’re a reader (or have some little readers running around), make it a point to enjoy some Christmas-centered stories this year. Start a novel after Thanksgiving and you won’t feel rushed trying to finish it by December 25. Head to the Ocean City Free Public Library and grab a stack of stories for your kids and read a couple a week. Do you like Hallmark Christmas movies? Try Comfort and Joy by Kristin Hannah or In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren. Want something classic? Read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Want other ideas? Head to the Library – and while you’re there, grab a stack of children’s books to add some holiday delight to your kids’ bedtime routines throughout the month.
Christmas Karaoke
Jingle Bells. Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Deck the Halls. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. When you think about it, many holiday songs are pretty forgiving for the less musically inclined among us. You also don’t need any fancy equipment to host Christmas Karaoke. Find a playlist on YouTube, key it up on the TV and order a couple pizzas. You’ll be surprised how much fun it is singing and ho-ho-hoing the night away with your friends.
Classic Cookie Swap
If baking is your thing, there’s no better way to spread Christmas cheer than with Christmas cookies. (Just don’t tell Buddy the Elf.) The cookie swap concept is simple. Everyone makes the same amount of one type of cookie – let’s say five dozen – and then you evenly swap! So each attendee goes home with five dozen cookies, just in a festive variety. Oh, and don’t forget to turn on some Christmas tunes.
