Christmas day – 24 hours of joy, gift-giving, present-opening, and gorging on delicious grub. Although, even with all the holiday happenings, Christmas chaos, and festive shenanigans, there’s only so much time those activities can take up – even the biggest bash to make St. Nick proud will have at least a couple of hours free on December 25 to spend.
With Santa Claus been and gone, his reindeer fed, presents opened, and guests slumped in chairs struggling to stay awake after inhaling all that turkey and trimmings, how do you fill the lingering void once the dust (or snow) settles?
Play Social Games
If you have people over for Christmas Day (or you’re visiting someone else’s home), organizing some fun games everyone can play together is the ultimate crowd-pleaser and an ideal way to get the party going. Normally, social games are the best for getting everyone chatting and bellies laughing – with classics like Pictionary being long-time favorites.
The objective of Pictionary is simple but incredibly fun (and downright hilarious most of the time!) Basically, a player thinks up (or is given) a word or phrase – even better if it’s a Christmas-themed word – and then has a set time limit (usually a minute) to “draw” said word or phrase on a piece of paper that everyone can see (something like a whiteboard on the wall works best).
The person drawing isn’t allowed to speak, use gestures, or write/draw any words or symbols. Those watching the person creating art must guess the word or phrase being “drawn” within the time limit; whoever guesses it correctly (be it an individual or a team) wins a point. This game is super amusing, given the funny (and often poorly drawn) pictures people conjure to convey the word or phrase!
If terrible art doesn’t sound too appealing, but players’ acting skills are up to the task, a similar game to Pictionary without pen and paper is charades; in this equally funny game, people have to act out the word or phrase instead of drawing it.
Play Video Games
It’s Christmas; you’re sure to have received (or bought yourself) that games console you’ve been hankering after for months (hello, PlayStation 5!) or maybe a sparkling new computer, tablet, or smartphone perfect for gaming. Even if you didn’t welcome a new gaming device into your life, you probably purchased or received a new game if you’re an avid gamer. If so, what better time to try your new titles than during the Christmas day downtime?
After tucking into all that sumptuous holiday grub, opening presents, and mingling with folks, why not spend an hour or two immersing yourself in the games you’ve been waiting until the holidays to try? Whether you want to play a role-playing game, tickle your brain with strategy games, lose yourself in an online MMORPG world for a couple of hours, or create architectural masterpieces in building games like Minecraft or The Sims franchise, a wealth of entertainment across various gaming genres awaits.
What’s more, some of the most popular online games will have tons of holiday-themed titles, especially those falling in the casino bracket. From spinning the reels of the latest top slots in online casinos – many of the games will likely be Christmas-themed during the holidays – to classic table games, casinos (yes, even those online) have always been synonymous with that festive feeling in December. Plus, playing such video games is even better on your shiny new laptop, tablet, or smartphone that you received for Christmas (or treated yourself to).
Go For a Winter Wonderland Walk
It’s Christmas, so there’s likely to be snow on the ground – unless you live in a warmer climate or the southern hemisphere, of course, in which case a Christmas summer stroll or beach BBQ might be more befitting. Still, if you’re blessed with a crisp, cold Christmas Day, what better way to get into the festive spirit than taking a scenic stroll out in nature?
The beauty of this activity is that you can go alone, as a couple, or with a bunch of people – be it friends, neighbors, or anyone else who may be celebrating Christmas with you. You can take a peaceful walk on your own through your snow-covered local park, woods, or nature trail, or bring along friends and loved ones for a pleasant saunter while surrounded by stunning scenery. Plus, it’s excellent exercise and a great workout – handy for settling all that Christmas turkey, chocolate, desserts, and all the goodies you’ve probably indulged in!
Final Thoughts
Christmas day is a time of happiness, fun, entertainment, and togetherness – but even the grandest party suffers from post-excitement blues and the odd boring hour or two once everyone’s burned out (or stuffed to the brim with food and can’t move!)
However, these activities to fill those empty time slots and pump a little festive fun into the day should help grease the frozen cogs, get the party going again, or provide some amusement or relaxation between the day’s hectic plans. Whatever you choose to do, you’re sure to enjoy these ideas. Last but not least, have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
