Bake some holiday-themed goodies
Start the day by preparing some sweets! You’ll need lots of fuel to keep you active for the day, and nothing’s better for the holiday spirit than a cute batch of festive baked goods.
Looking for a good recipe that’s easy to make? Popcorn festive wreaths are fun activities for kids and can be made in under a half hour:
- Pop your popcorn and set it aside. We recommend 12 cups.
- In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of butter over low heat. Add 300 grams of marshmallows and stir constantly until they are completely melted and smooth.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and green food colouring until you reach your desired shade of green. You can also add different colours or flavours based on your preference!
- Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and stir gently until all the popcorn is evenly coated.
- Take a handful of the popcorn mixture and form it into a ring shape, about 8-10 inches in diameter. Tip: Spray your hands with cooking spray to prevent sticking!
- Decorate! Press red or green sprinkles or whatever decorations you have on hand onto the wreaths while the marshmallow mixture is still warm and sticky.
Go gift shopping
Make sure you find time for some last minute gift shopping! We won’t judge; everyone’s got a few items left on their list.
If you need help finding where to shop, check out our Shop Locally in the Waterloo Region blog for our favourite stops in the area!
Hit the local skating rink
After you wrap up shopping, dust off your skates and hit the rink with some friends and family to relax and unwind!
There are lots of amazing skating rinks in Waterloo Region, but our favourite is, of course, the Activa Sportsplex! Public skating is available throughout the week and on weekends.
Put on your favourite holiday music playlist and finish wrapping presents
Once you return home, don’t forget to wrap your new presents! We understand if it seems like a chore, but throw on some holiday tunes, clear some space on the nearest table, and it’ll be over before you know it.
Prep some hot chocolate to go with your favourite holiday movie
Let’s be honest, is it really the holidays if you haven’t watched a classic holiday movie yet? Bundle up with a warm blanket, a few of those popcorn wreaths, and make a fresh batch of something warm to sip on.
If you want to try something new, this gingerbread hot chocolate recipe is one of our favourites:
- In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of milk, 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is hot and the sugar and cocoa powder have dissolved.
- Pour into mugs! If you have them handy, now would be a great time to add some whipped cream and gingerbread cookie crumbs.
Get Social With Us
The holiday season is a truly unique time of year to spend in Waterloo Region, even if you spend the whole time tucked into bed! If any of these activities caught your eye, be sure to let us know on @builtbyactiva on Instagram or Facebook for a chance to be featured.
See what else is happening on our inspiration page to learn more about Activa!
