For many of us, this season is a time where we can enjoy winter activities in the snowy outdoors or go on a ski vacation. Unfortunately, many of these favorite winter activities are not options during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it’s important we take what we can get and still try to experience our time in the most enjoyable way. To help get you in the winter spirit, we’ve created a winter bucket list of pandemic-friendly activities.

Come up with new year goals

2020 has been a tough year for everyone, no matter who or where you are. Hopefully, 2021 brings us more luck to make up for the unfortunate year we endured. A great way to start off the year with motivation and high energy is by jotting down a few goals you want to achieve by the end of the year. Sure, we’ve all most likely created one in our heads, but seeing it on paper can be extra motivational. Whether it’s to run a marathon or read 52 books, you’ll be inspired to take the necessary steps to achieve your new goals. Just be mindful that your New Year’s resolutions are reasonable so you’ll stick to them.

Classic winter activities – making hot chocolate

For those who haven’t already, we urge you to stop whatever you’re doing and make yourself a cup of hot chocolate. Take your time with it! Enjoy the process of making it and get creative. You could add vanilla extract, marshmallows, nutella or even the leftover candy canes from Christmas. By the time you finish reading this, you would have already ticked one thing off your list. Just like S’mores go with camping, hot chocolate goes with the winter weather. If you aren’t keen on hot chocolate, your favorite teas can be relaxing and can even help you fend off a cold.

Binge watch a TV show

With platforms like Netflix and Hulu, binge watching TV shows is a regular activity for many. But for some busybodies, binge watching an entire series may be more of a challenge. So, make yourself some downtime and go for it! There is something for everyone from “High Fidelity” on Hulu or to “Unorthodox” on Netflix. Check out our guide to favorite shows that are returning for a new season, and you can get caught up before they are released.

Build a living room fort

Nobody in their right mind would want to go camping in freezing temperatures during the winter months, but we have the perfect alternative. Setting up a tent in your living room or even building a fort out of pillows and blankets can make for a perfect cozy winter night. Sometimes, we all have to release our inner-child and nothing does that better than getting creative by building a fort. You can combine this bucket list item with binge watching a TV show and tick two things off at the same time.

Take an online course

It’s always productive and fulfilling to learn something new. There is an abundance of online learning platforms that offer courses from top and prestigious universities. Learning new skills is something you can do anytime and anywhere thanks to the internet. Since the time we spend indoors has increased due to the pandemic, why not spend that time doing something productive and educational?

Host a game night

Hosting at your own home can be quite stressful but also exciting! Who doesn’t like a good game of Monopoly? Although, we don’t advise inviting a large group over in the current conditions, inviting your close friends will allow a more intimate setting where you can catch-up. If you do plan on inviting people over, it’s good to be responsible and ask about everyone’s travel history, or whether they have been exposed to someone with COVID, just to ensure that everyone is safe. Also, take the recommended precautions of wearing face masks and washing your hands frequently. Or, you can easily still “host" a game night from a distance with a gaming console – just invite your friends to join you virtually!

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