4 Unique Ways To Celebrate The Holidays With Your Chosen Family

The fall and winter holidays are an undeniably festive time of year, but for people who can’t (or choose not to) spend them with family, it can be hard to figure out how to celebrate. Being alone on the couch with a takeout container and a binge-worthy show can absolutely be self-care, sure. Add decorative lights or a tree, and suddenly you risk feeling like the sad main character in a seasonal made-for-TV movie. Luckily for many of us, there’s our chosen family (aka the squad) that can feel just as warm and welcoming as the real thing. Here are four ways to celebrate this year with your kith and kin, with a little help from Amazon, your one-stop shop that’ll bring you deals on all the things you need to ring in the holidays in your own unique style.

Throw A Potluck Dinner Party

‘Tis the season to have your nearest and dearest over for a night of food, drinks, and general merriment, and Amazon has literally everything you could possibly need to take your festivities to the next level. No matter what you and your chosen family are celebrating (maybe it’s a shared tradition, or maybe it’s a melange of multicultural celebrations), you can find a diverse selection of home decor at unbeatable prices (and two-day or even same-day delivery for Prime members). Planning a cozy meal by the fire? Order anything — seasonal tableware, cozy throw blankets, even logs (yup, really). Ready for a raucous gathering after a few years of quiet lockdowns? Get yourself a karaoke machine, a disco ball, and maybe some soundproofing panels so your neighbors don’t put you on the naughty list.

Host A Secret Gift Exchange

You don’t need to believe in a big bearded guy to organize a hush-hush gift exchange that’ll be remembered in your inner circle for years to come. Whether you pick names out of a hat or choose chaos with a white elephant party, where guests can steal each other’s presents, Amazon has an unparalleled selection of affordable gift ideas, including electronics, home goods, beauty, fashion, jewelry, and fitness accessories. (Just be careful: Barbells are notoriously hard to wrap.) Oh, and I think there’s even a way for guests to share their Amazon wish lists with each other beforehand so that everyone walks away with something they’ll love. The fact that you saved a ton with Amazon’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals can be your little secret.

Bake Cookies And Deliver Them To Neighbors

Two common holiday themes are eating sugary foods and participating in the spirit of giving, so why not knock out both with the one-two punch of baking festive sweets and delivering them to neighbors (or a local community organization or soup kitchen)? Have each friend bring a favorite recipe for a seasonal dessert, and find out if the idiom “many hands make light work” checks out — or if you just end up hysterically laughing and covered in flour. Either way, you can find cookie cutters, oven mitts, aprons, gift tins, and much more on Amazon, as well as matching scarves or even Victorian costumes for caroling if you decide to go the extra mile during delivery (which is totally optional but obviously encouraged).

Plan A Holiday Getaway

If you and your friends don’t go home for the holidays, why not go… someplace else? A winter trip with friends is a great way to stave off seasonal affective disorder while simultaneously giving yourself the unforgettable gift of travel with your favorite non-genetically-related people. And if you need some resort wear, ski suits, or accessories for your jolly jaunt, Amazon offers an incredible array of fashion, including many women-owned, Black-owned, and environmentally-friendly designers so you can support up-and-coming labels in addition to the brand names you already know and love. (You can also get luggage, sunblock, and every travel gadget you could ever want or need on Amazon. Just saying.)

However you choose to celebrate this year with your chosen family, Amazon has everything you’ll need to make this season special, with stress-free shipping that will make last-minute panic-shopping a ghost of holidays past.