Spend a day playing in the snow

The first snowflakes hit the ground so slowly and peacefully that somehow, amid all those thoughts of the traffic chaos the snow may cause or how wet your feet are going to get on your way home, you remember the old days when none of it mattered. When temperatures were just random numbers you overheard on the TV during the brief 15 minutes when you were actually at home on a snow day – just to slightly unfreeze your hands, change out of your wet clothes, grab a snack and listen to your parents’ lectures before heading outside again to fulfill your mission: to make the best of the day and fully enjoy the snow. And who said the mission is over?

This winter we challenge you to spend a whole day playing out in the snow. And if living in the moment without a ‘to-do’ list feels too unstructured, here are some suggestions:

• Recreate your favorite movie scene with snowmen.
• Start a snowball fight.
• Find things to use as an alternative to a sleigh – a pool float, an old jacket or a plastic bottle. Or perhaps even a friend?

Lose your heart to the snow | Brigitte Tohm/Unsplash

Master the art of making mulled wine

After spending the day as your inner child, what better way to switch back to adulthood than enjoying a glass of hot mulled wine? And trust us, it tastes even better if you make it yourself. Here’s how:

Do something small for someone else

December is the month of coziness and hygge, which makes you just want to do good and be kind. And of course, the best acts of kindness are the small, spontaneous, everyday ones. Let this be a month of small acts of kindness:

• Buy a homeless person a meal.
• Cook a treat for your colleagues.
• Compliment a stranger on the subway.
• Give a small DIY gift to a not-so-close friend, just because.

… but don’t forget that the best gift is you: your time, your kindness and your presence. Make sure you spend enough quality time with your loved ones this December.

The best gift is you: your time, your kindness, your presence. | Dakota Corbin/ Unsplash

Celebrate Christmas in an unusual place

I’m not saying that staying home and watching Home Alone for the hundredth time is a bad idea, but why not use Christmas to do something unusual that you’ve never done before? Have you, for example, ever had a snow picnic or built an igloo? Check here for more unusual ideas about how to spend Christmas.

Have you spent Christmas in a forest cabin before? | Ian Keefe/ Unsplash

Combine at least 5 New Year’s Eve traditions from around the world for your party

The 31st of December is a chance to take stock of what has happened in the past year and make wishes for the new one to be better. Some nations, however, don’t only wish for it – they do everything possible to ensure that their luck changes on the first day of the year, which often leads to some fun traditions. These traditions might or might not work, but incorporating them into your New Year’s celebrations will surely result in a memorable party. Here are a few ideas:

• Russia: when the countdown starts, quickly write your wishes on a small piece of paper, then burn it and drink the ashes with your drink before midnight.
• Colombia: bring an empty suitcase with you and walk around the block with it at midnight. It is believed that this inexplicable tradition will bring you plenty of great adventures in the new year.
• Switzerland: drop ice cream on the floor for luck in the new year.
• Denmark: climb onto a chair or sofa and literally jump into the new year at midnight.
• Philippines: wear polka dots, eat only round food and toss coins for prosperity.

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