Your Winter Bucket List:
Close out the year with 61 days of Holiday Activities
Are you looking for the ultimate winter bucket list? Look no further, I’ve got you covered.
From now until the end of the year, you can find me baking up seasonal treats, making comfort meals, and watching all the classic holiday movies while bundled up in my thickest fuzziest blanket rocking the comfiest fits possible. There are so many things I love to do during the holidays, but for some reason, the months of November and December ALWAYS seem to fly by way too fast. To help make the most of that time this year, I’ve put together a bucket list of holiday activities to ensure I don’t waste a single moment!
November:
Visit a local coffee shop (There’s nothing like grabbing a warm drink and tasty treat, especially when they’re flavored for the season, pumpkin spice anyone?)
Visit a Farmer’s Market (Support your local farmers and eat in-season produce)
Do a deep clean to prepare for the holidays (If you’re like me, you stress clean right before guests show up — try to get ahead of that by deep cleaning earlier in the month)
Make a comfort meal (comfort meals are a must, may I recommend checking out my go-to comfort dish this season?)
Remember remember the 5th of November - time to watch V for Vendetta (the hubs is a stickler for this one though it’s not holiday-centric)
Gather & give donations (November is about expressing gratitude and giving back to our community. Donate to your local food bank or volunteer at a soup kitchen)
Take a relaxing scenic drive (If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where the leaves change, tag me in a photo. It’s one of the few things I miss about the northeast.)
Watch a holiday movie you haven’t seen before (The Nightmare Before Christmas is my favorite movie to watch from October through December!)
Make a fall-inspired drink (try out some of my favs like an apple cider margarita or a pumpkin spice Irish coffee)
Go Wine Tasting (November is the perfect time to visit a winery and sometimes they’ll also have a pumpkin patch nearby so it’s a twofer!)
Start planning your holiday menu (IMO side dishes are what make a meal great, so plan to make a few!)
Enjoy a nature walk (take in the fresh air and changing colors of the fall leaves, bonus points if you have a furbaby walking alongside you)
Purchase and light a new fall-scented candle (I like to stock up during November for the rest of the year, there’s nothing I love more than a harvest-scented candle)
Cozy up with a new book (Some of my favorites can be found here)
Host a game night (The perfect time to test out some of your holiday menu with friends before the big day)
Bake some fall treats (Might I suggest my pumpkin spice cupcakes or maple cinnamon sugar cookies)
Bonfire Nights (Wine & S’mores — what could be better?)
Visit a brewery (Local seasonal craft beers are always fun to try!)
Go ice-skating (It’s okay if you don’t know how - falling & learning is half the fun! Just remember to stay safe!)
Go star gazing (Bonus points if you’re camping)
Try out a new hobby
Date night, cook together (My husband and I are rarely in the kitchen together. So it’s fun to have date nights where we both craft a meal together)
Go horseback riding
Attend a local harvest/fall festival
Attend a cooking class focused on fall ingredients
Put on a cozy sweat suit (It’s essential especially if you’re traveling home for the holidays)
PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES (We’re one day away from Thanksgiving! Nothing like a nice seasonal hot latte to get your energy up.)
HAPPY TURKEY DAY (Text/call family and friends you won’t be seeing in person to let them know how thankful you are for them)
BLACK FRIDAY (Find those deals! Check out my Amazon storefront for any of the items I’ve personally used & highly recommend.)
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY: Support your local small businesses and snag some great deals!
December:
Set up your tree and decorate it! (Real, Fake, or Palm Tree — whatever brings you joy!)
CYBER MONDAY (Another chance to stock up on holiday gifts at a discount!)
Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate (Have you ever tried protein hot chocolate? #gamechanger)
Watch your childhood favorite holiday movie (Did I mention I love watching The Nightmare Before Christmas?)
Put on some holiday PJs (Bonus points if you have a matching set for the whole family!)
Bake some holiday treats (Hmm, might I recommend my hot cocoa mint chocolate chip cookies?)
It’s time to let Mariah do what she does best, let’s listen to some holiday music!
Try out a holiday theme recipe (Take a look at my cheesy Christmas tree)
Make a gingerbread house (Mine always fall apart but it’s so fun!)
Go to a festive event (like your town’s holiday tree lighting ceremony)
Drive around your neighborhood and enjoy the holiday decorations (My favorite winter activity especially with a cup of Starbucks Peppermint Mocha in hand)
Have a cozy night in (holiday pjs, holiday movies, with a holiday-scented candle lit)
Start planning your holiday menu (December is all about the sweet treats for me - your holiday dinner needs desserts and lots of it! Try something unexpected like my sweet and savory mini cheesecakes )
Time to wrap some gifts (Bonus points if you have a holiday movie playing in the background and are sipping on some hot cocoa)
Host a game night (The perfect time to test out some of your holiday menu with friends before the big day.)
Self-care is so important during the holiday months, play some soft holiday jams and run a hot bath. Lay back and relax.
Write down a list of goals for the New Year
Wear an ugly holiday sweater to work
Cozy up with a new book (Some of my favorites can be found here)
Make a gift by hand for someone you care about (Last year, Scarlett and I made paw-print Christmas trees for both of grandpawrents)
Go Skiing or Snowboarding
Go Sledding
Visit a Christmas market
CHRISTMAS EVE: (Text/call family and friends you won’t be seeing in person to let them know how thankful you are for them)
CHRISTMAS DAY: Spend all day in your PJs enjoying quality time with loved ones sipping on hot cocoa and munching on cookies
Take your New Years goals and build out a Pinterest board to help make it come to life
Buy a 2025 planner and plan out your year
Plan a winter escape (I’m a January baby and even I want to run as soon as the month hits, it’s just sooo cold.)
The kiddos got it right, build an indoor fort (Whether it’s for nostalgia, a movie night or merely a way to pass time - I’m certain you’ll have fun.)
Fondue Night (Hear me out — Fondue Night is so fun! Cheese just makes everything better.)
NEW YEAR’S EVE: Reflect on your favorite 2024 memories while sipping on some bubbly cocktails (Highly recommend my champagne margarita)
