I feel like as soon as Thanksgiving dinner is wrapped up, everyone is ready to jump right into the holiday season, full force. And for good reason, the holidays are filled with so many fun activities and traditions to make it extra special. I know this season can also get a bit stressful with all the shopping and visiting obligations, so I wanted to put together a list of fun activities for you to enjoy during the holiday season. Hopefully these activities will help relieve some stress, bring you extra holiday cheer and encourage you to make some special memories with your friends and family.

Have your own favorite activities that aren’t on the list? Share them below in the comment section to inspire someone else!

tree lighting

Call up some girl friends and invite them to bring their favorite cookie recipe! You can bake together or bake ahead of time (you can even buy the cookies premade!), lay out all your favorite sprinkles, icing, and more and let everyone decorate as they want. Put on some music and add in some fun drinks and snacks and you can have the most perfect holiday night.

Christmas light tour

I dont know about you, but seeing Christmas lights will always bring a smile to my face. I love seeing how houses and businesses each choose to display their lights in such creative ways. The best part is you can either choose to do this on foot or in your car! Either way, grab a hot drink, bundle up and enjoy the lights!

build a gingerbread house

Like cookies, building a gingerbread house is such a fun and low-key holiday activity. Add a little extra pizazz and make it a competition for the most creative house!

holiday shopping

Okay, I know that nowadays so much holiday shopping can be done online- its easy, quick and the possibilities are endless! Although you’ll still likely do a lot of shopping online, take a day to go visit some of your favorite stores. There is nothing like getting to handpick your favorite gift or try on the perfect holiday outfit in person.

ice skating

Find a local rink and invite some friends to go for a skate! Bonus points if the rink is outdoor- i feel like it always adds that extra holiday feel that way.

support a charity

There is always a lot of gift giving and getting during the holiday season, so I think that it is definitely important to also find a way you can give back. Lots of stores participate in toy and food drives, some organizations allow you to adopt a family, but even just a small monetary donation can make such a difference for someone in need.

build a snowman

Be a kid again and get out there and build that snowman- or just have a snowfight. If you dont live in a place that snows, try to find a way to make a trip to find some or see if a local holiday event has brought some in and enjoy!