What To Do During Christmas If You Don't Celebrate

No one can deny that Christmas is a holiday that completely takes over the month of December thanks to Ol' Saint Nick. However, while some may rejoice at the thought of Christmas taking over their lives for a wondrous 25 days, for those trying to figure out what to do on Christmas if they don’t celebrate the holiday, it can be a bit of a burden.

Of course, there are some holidays that occur during December that people celebrate instead of Christmas — such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. They often fall on different days than Christmas does, though, and they last for much longer than Christmas does — so figuring out how to spend Christmas can often be difficult. Everywhere is closed, and, sometimes, marathoning another show on your tablet just isn't enough.

Well, don't fret. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, there’s no denying the fact that you just won a serious day off. Yes, Christmas is on a Sunday in 2016, but it's going to be observed on a Monday — and also, it’s the one day a year that most of the world is cuddled up with their families, so the streets will be empty and therefore the world is kind of your oyster. You can take the day to explore, or to even finally go through all the junk drawers in your apartment. Here are a few other suggestions

See A Movie

It is pretty much a given that numerous much-anticipated flicks are released on Christmas Day, so grab some family or friends and take up that opportunity to go. Some of the movies releases this year include Silence starring Andrew Garfield and Liam Nieson, Live By Night starring Ben Affleck, Gold starring Matthew McConaughey, and Hidden Figures starring Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae.

Bake Cookies

Cookies are obviously an overall winter month staple, so why not make a massive cookie baking list and go crazy in the kitchen on Christmas? It’s also a great activity for when you’re broke, since a lot of cookie recipes call for the same ingredients!

Catch Up On Work

This is probably the one day a year that you know you won’t be disturbed. So, if you find yourself without any plans, then buckle down on that to-do list that has been haunting you all month long.

Clean Your House

On the other hand, if you’re feeling productive but don’t want to hop into your work to-do list, then take this opportunity to clean your house! Not just a simple dust/mop kind of clean, but an actual deep clean — go through your clothes, clean out your oven and microwave, even pull out the bleach for your bathroom.

Order Food

If marathoning television is the mood you’re feeling, then why in the world would you cook? Get your favorite food delivered to your front door … and don’t forget to order dessert.

Go For A Walk

Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, walking outside and seeing all of the decorations and lights from other homes and buildings feels pretty magical. Plus, with everyone celebrating Christmas indoors, the quiet streets will feel serene.

Take A Day Trip (Or A Weekend Trip)

Christmas is a weekend after all, so you may as well plan to take a trip with some family or friends. If you’re feeling up to it, you could even attempt one of the 36-hour weekend guides by the New York Times, which provides readers with a perfectly-planned weekend.

Plan A New Year's Eve Party

If Christmas isn’t a holiday to celebrate, then concentrate on the next important holiday on your list: New Year’s Eve. Take advantage of this empty time in your day to plan the biggest New Year’s party yet.

Celebrate Festivius

Unfamiliar with the term? It’s actually from the famous sitcom Seinfeld, from an episode that was released in 1997. Festivus is a family tradition for George Constanza in the series — every year, on Dec. 23, gets together with his family to celebrate Festivus. The holiday was created for those who don’t like the over commercialization and pressure of the holiday season. To celebrate, you must make an aluminum pole to replace a Christmas tree, and participate in activities like the “airing of grievances.” Basically, it’s the perfect time to let your fam know that, yes, you’re still single.

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