This winter bucket list will have you doing winter side quests that will make the most of the festive season!
Winter is here! Which means we’re also embracing the festive season and all the goodness it brings! Now that autumn has passed and you’ve completed all of your fall side quests, it’s time to create a new bucket list for winter!
Making a winter bucket list is one of the best ways to get into the festive spirit, as there are so many fun activities you can do during the season. And if you’re looking for some inspiration, then carry on scrolling for plenty of ideas to add to your own winter bucket list, from Christmas movie nights to caroling and creating a mood board for the new year!Â
The Ultimate Winter Bucket List
1. Go to a Christmas Market
One of the best things about the festive season is the abundance of Christmas markets that you can visit! It’s like once the Christmas markets start opening, everyone starts to feel the festive spirit! There are Christmas gifts and cards you can buy, bars where you can drink mulled wine, and sooo many food stalls!Â
If you really want to feel the festive vibe, visit your local Christmas markets in the evening. This way, you’ll be able to see all the Christmas lights brighten up the area, from the lights on Christmas trees to the lights adorning every market stall!
2. Have a Christmas movie marathon night
There’s nothing cozier to do during winter than spending your evening inside, snuggled up on the couch with a hot cocoa and your favorite snacks while watching Christmas movies! It’s very chill vibes while also being entertaining! And it’s even better to do it with other people. Have a Christmas movie marathon night with your partner, or you could even host a slumber party with your girls where the theme is Christmas movies!
If you’re looking for some ideas of what Christmas movies to watch, here are the all-time classics:
- Elf
- Love Actually
- Home Alone
- The Polar Express
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
- The Muppet Christmas Carol
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- The Santa Clause
- It’s a Wonderful Life
- Miracle on 34th Street
- The Snowman
If you’re looking for some other Christmas movies that aren’t necessarily classics but are still really good (and hilarious), here are a few more to add to your watchlist:Â
- Klaus
- Bad Santa
- The Holiday
- Nativity
- Arthur Christmas
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. Do Christmas shopping
If you celebrate Christmas, then you’ll know how important Christmas shopping is, especially how important it is to do it as early as possible! To avoid the risk of not finding the presents you actually want to gift your loved ones, add Christmas shopping to your winter bucket list and turn it into a fun day activity!
Start your Christmas shopping in the morning to avoid busy hours, do a fun festive activity in the afternoon (keep scrolling to find inspiration for festive activities to do), and visit a Christmas market in the evening, where you’ll find even more gifts you can buy! Making your Christmas shopping a fun day activity like this makes it feel way less like a chore and more like an exciting adventure!
4. Make a Christmas wishlist
On the flip side of doing Christmas shopping, don’t forget to think about what you would like for Christmas! Create your own Christmas wishlist with all of the things you’d like to receive as gifts. This way, when you share it with your loved ones, they’re all clear on exactly what kind of presents you would like.
5. Go Ice Skating
There’s no better time to go ice skating than during winter! It’s fun, challenging to some (in the best way), and is great to do with family, friends, or your partner! There are so many ice skating rinks that open during the festive season, so you’ll have no problem finding one! Â
If you want skating to be one of your winter side quests, but you don’t know how to ice skate, then don’t worry! There are so many people who will help you get your bearings on your skates, whether it’s your friends, family, staff, or even other skaters around you! Plus, every ice rink has rails around the perimeter that you can hang on to in case you lose your balance.Â
There’s always that chance that you’ll fall on your bum (I’ve done that many times, even though I’m fairly experienced in ice skating), but that’s what makes it fun(ny)!
6. Watch an ice hockey game
On the topic of ice skating, another activity where you won’t need to ice skate but can watch other people enjoy skating on the ice is watching an ice hockey game! I may have added this to the winter bucket list because I’m currently reading the Windy City series (an ice hockey sports romance series), but since it’s a winter sport, it just makes sense!Â
7. Go to a candle-making workshop
Candles give the ultimate cozy vibes, especially during the winter. Buying candles is too basic to do as a winter side quest. So instead of buying them, what if you actually made your own? Find a candle-making workshop in your area and book it to hand-make a candle that you can light up and enjoy the scent in your home!Â
8. Make a gingerbread house
Put your creative skills to the test by building a gingerbread house! This is another activity that will get you into the festive spirit, especially if you do it with your friends and turn it into a competition! Not only is it a cool flex that you can make a gingerbread house, but it’s also yummy! After you finish making it, it becomes a sweet treat to enjoy!
9. Send out Christmas cards
As we get older, it seems the art of sending Christmas cards has been lost – or is it just me? Either way, sending out Christmas cards (or any other festive holiday card) to your loved ones and your peers is the equivalent of sending them a warm greeting, letting them know that you wish them a lovely holiday, and you’re thinking about them!
When writing inside each Christmas card, make an effort to write a personal message to each person. This makes it extra special and really shows that you care.
10. Do a Christmas photoshoot
Gather your friends or family and do a Christmas photoshoot with them! This is a lovely tradition to do every year because not only will you be spending time together, but you can also look back at how much you’ve grown as people over the years! If you do a photoshoot with your family, the photos will be great to put on your Christmas cards too!
11. Make a holiday playlist
We all know that as soon as November 1st hits, All I Want for Christmas is You will be playing nonstop until Christmas! This is, of course, one of the best Christmas songs ever, and it makes you want to listen to other Christmas songs too! So, for your winter bucket list, make a holiday playlist with your favorite Christmas songs that you love to sing and dance to!Â
Here’s my personal holiday playlist to inspire you for your own!
12. Go on a horse-drawn sleigh ride
Now this is one of those winter bucket list items where, if you know you can do this in your local area, don’t pass up the opportunity. This is one of the coolest winter side quests to do, even more so because it’ll make you feel like Santa Claus! Â
13. Host a Friendsmas
Just like how you have Christmas dinner with your family, you can also have Christmas dinner with your friends: Friendsmas! This is a way to get you and your friends together for the holidays before everyone goes off to be with their family for the rest of the year.
Hosting Friendsmas requires a lot of preparation as well as participation from everyone you invite! So, it’s important that you set a date and time in advance so everyone can get involved.
14. Host a Secret Santa
Secret Santa is a festive favorite and is so easy to host! As the person organizing Secret Santa, all you’ll need is a group of people to do it with. You can do it with family, with your friends during your Friendsmas dinner party, or even with your work colleagues.
The traditional way of hosting a Secret Santa is writing the names of everyone getting involved and having them pull names out of a hat. Whatever name they get, they need to buy a gift for that person. Decide on a specific date when everyone is free to give and receive their gifts.
Alternatively, you can host Secret Santa by using a website like Draw Names. Create a group where everyone can join, and each name drawn will be randomly generated. What’s great about Draw Names is that everyone can add a wishlist too, making the gift-buying process easy for everyone, as they’ll know exactly what gifts their Secret Santa wants.
15. Decorate your home
Having festive decorations around your home is one of the best ways to get yourself in the festive mood. And best of all, it’s fun! Decorate your mantel, your porch, your room, literally any part of your house that you feel needs a touch of the festive spirit! This way, every time you enter your home, you’re reminded of what the festive season is all about.
You may also like: 20 Gorgeous DIY Christmas Decorations to Recreate for the Festive Season
16. Hang Christmas stockings
Another way to get into the festive mood is to hang Christmas stockings! This can be part of decorating your home with festive items! Generally, they are placed on a mantel, but if you don’t have one, there are so many other places to hang them, such as your TV stand, dresser, or bed frame.
17. Make paper snowflakes
One Christmas decor you can DIY is paper snowflakes! They look super cool, and there are so many ways to create patterns on the snowflakes. All you’ll need is blank paper and scissors! For inspiration, Wonder Craft on YouTube has a playlist full of different paper snowflake designs you can recreate!
18. Build a snowman
If you’re lucky enough to get snow in your area during the winter, take the chance to enjoy it! Of course, building a snowman is a great way to enjoy the snow while it lasts, and it requires time and creativity. You’ve gotta give your snowman a carrot nose, button or stone eyes and mouth, a top hat, and stick arms! You could even take it that one step further by giving it a tie.
19. Ride a ski lift
Going to a ski resort is one of the most popular winter activities you’ll come across. The adrenaline from skiing is certainly an experience, but it builds up from the ski lift! Taking a ride on a ski lift is always a nice way to see the landscape around you before you take off on your skis!
20. Book a winter cabin getaway
For a calmer and more relaxing winter activity, book a winter cabin getaway. Enjoy the nature around you while you do all the cozy things like reading a book and drinking hot cocoa by the fireplace, or chilling in a hot tub. Although it’ll be cold, you’ll be in the best area to take long hikes/walks, too. Just make sure you layer your clothes to stay warm!Â
21. Donate toys to a charity or hospital
The festive season reminds us of how fortunate we are to be healthy, happy, and surrounded by our loved ones. Unfortunately, many children and families have been affected by sickness and homelessness during this season, and it’s important to keep them in mind, too. One way to do this is by donating toys to a charity or hospital for families who may not be able to afford gifts for their children. This is a very sweet and thoughtful way to give back to the community and give a child something they can enjoy and cherish during this season.
22. Buy a holiday PJ set
The one time of year when you can wear the wildest PJ set and not look weird or out of place is Christmas! So take this winter side quest idea as a way to encourage you to buy that holiday PJ set you’ve been eyeing lately.Â
23. Go caroling
Whether you have a voice like Cynthia Erivo or you sound like a cat screaming, caroling is so fun to do during the winter! Not only do you sing the best festive songs, but you also get to learn more about how to sing, meet new people, and spread the festive cheer in people’s lives!
24. Visit a Christmas tree farm
One of the main activities to do during the winter for those who celebrate Christmas is getting a Christmas tree! Head to a Christmas tree farm, take in the gorgeous smell of the trees surrounding you, and pick the right one for you to take home and decorate!
You may also like: 22 Christmas Tree Decor Ideas to Recreate
25. Get an Advent calendar
As soon as it hits December, the countdown to Christmas is always exciting when you have an Advent calendar. Because who doesn’t love having a sweet treat every day for 25 days?Â
If chocolate really isn’t your thing, though, there are so many different Advent calendars you can have, ranging from wine, LEGO, skincare products, beauty products, tea, or even charms for your Crocs! Whatever your interest is, there’s probably an Advent calendar that you’ll love to have as you count down the days until Christmas!Â
26. Go for a Christmas lights drive
One of the most beautiful things to see during the festive season is the extravagant lights that are put up outside. Whether it’s on a porch, the outside walls of someone’s home, or a specific area at a festive market, seeing those lights is a lovely sight.
Go for a drive around your area to see the gorgeous Christmas light decorations displayed! For me, whenever I see a specific neighbor in my area put up his lights on the walls of his home, I get so excited about Christmas!
27. Get an Elf on the Shelf
I’m a firm believer that Christmas traditions aren’t just for kids. Elf on the Shelf is one of them. As an adult, there are so many different Elf on the Shelf ideas that are funny, ridiculous, and will definitely be appreciated by whoever you’re living with, whether it’s your partner, family, or friends!
You may also like: 50 Ridiculous Elf on the Shelf Ideas
28. Bake a festive recipe
Baking is one of those cozy activities that are also messy but fun to do! If baking is your thing (or you just want to try it out), you can never go wrong with baking a festive recipe. Not only will it get you excited about the season, but whatever you bake will be super yummy! It can be as simple as festive-themed cookies or as rich and creamy as a Chocolate yule log!Â
29. Create a mood board for the New Year
The New Year always feels like a fresh start, so it’s the perfect time to think about the things you desire and want to achieve in the year ahead. Being able to visualise these with a mood board can make it easier to stay motivated and focused! You can create a mood board on your own, or you can turn it into an activity to do with friends.
30. Complete the Year Compass
The Year Compass is a way to reflect on the previous year and look forward to the year ahead. It really gets you thinking about all the things you’ve done and achieved in the previous year, week by week, as well as everything you desire and goals you want to reach for the year ahead.
This is a yearly habit that I believe everyone should do. Actually printing out and writing in your Year Compass with a pen will keep you focused on completing it (as it takes a long while to do). If manifesting, gratitude, and/or meditating is your thing, then you’ll love completing the Year Compass.
Best of all, it’s completely free to download and print out!
