Shh. Do you hear that? It’s Santa’s sleigh bells, and that can only mean one thing: a chaotic holiday season filled with travel and an undeniable cold! As much as we love Christmas, we can’t help but groan every time it sneaks up on us. Loved ones quickly race to fill our calendar, and soon, our entire December becomes a write-off. Toss in the woes of Christmas spending, and soon, the holly jolly season turns pretty sour.
There’s nothing wrong with spending time with loved ones, but there’s something to be said for a nice staycation done your way. This year, instead of saving your vacation days and budgeting your work bonus, let’s dive into how you can make the most of a vacation right at home.
Should You Opt for a Vacation at Home?
When Old Man Winter comes calling, we all dream of sunny beaches and warmer weather—but we also dream of enough money to actually plan our escape. We don’t know about you, but the holidays usually bring about that creeping Christmas stress: bills are due, the kids want toys, and we have a dozen dinners planned with family. It’s hard to remember the value of a dollar when we don’t even have one in our savings account.
Throwing Christmas vacations on top of all that only dampens our mood even further. Even a weekend getaway can easily rack up past the $500 mark, leaving us stranded for ideas on how to properly celebrate. Well, staycations are a lot more fun than people make them out to be, so long as you plan ahead!
Staycations don’t have to mean two weeks inside your home. It can mean exploring new restaurants, attending winter festivals, and becoming a tourist in your own city. You’d be surprised just how many hidden treasures lie beyond your favorite haunts, and now’s the perfect time to explore.
It’s Time to Reset Before the New Year
Before you do anything, no staycation is complete without disconnection. Step away from your phone and don’t even think about checking in at work—now’s the time to detox from all that blue light. You don’t need to quit the screen cold turkey, but you should aim to spend more time doing what truly matters.
With that phone safely stashed in your pocket, you can head out and enjoy your city! Every town has a plethora of winter activities this time of year, and when you have the day off, there’s no time limit. Look at those ice sculptures. Go hiking. Bring a pillow to the firepit and enjoy the fresh air.
Restaurants also scramble for your business at Christmastime, which means limited-edition menus and maybe even some winter deals. Do a little online research to see which places speak to your palate. If you don’t want to splurge on a new place every week, you can always visit new coffee shops or bakeries.
Celebrate With Your Loved Ones
There’s no guarantee that your loved ones will have the same time off from work, but everyone gets something off before Christmas. Invite them over for a few drinks. Take them to a new restaurant. Keep things low-key and head to a movie.
The kids can also have fun at home! There’s no shortage of paper crafts you can do with them, like snowflakes or handmade garland from construction paper. You can make gingerbread houses together, take them to the library for family events, or schedule an at-home movie night—complete with blanket forts and homemade snacks.
Remember that plenty of “kids’ activities” also apply to adults. Who said you can’t make cookies together? What’s stopping you from whipping up some hot chocolate and curling up in front of the fire? Let’s not forget about board games, either. It’s already fun enough to spend time with your friends, but when you have the whole day ahead of you, it’s easy to recapture the magic of Christmas.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Staycation
As adults, we all hunger for a little time away from it all—and as adults, we know how expensive that can be. Rather than let your wishes wither away, you can turn those few days off into an activity-filled weekend with everyone you love. You won’t spend as much money as you would on a vacation, but you will spend more time doing what you love.
Plan what you’d like to do before you schedule anything. Just because you’re staying at home doesn’t mean you should go over budget! Take a look at free events in town, or pick restaurants that won’t demand your firstborn as payment. Of course, don’t forget your local library, either; they often have passes to all sorts of fun things in the area.
People often dismiss staycations as the ugly duckling getaway, but it doesn’t have to be that way. With a bit of budgeting and a few hot chocolate packets, you can make the most of what’s right in front of you.
