The holiday season is full of preparation for finals, the end of the semester, and even family get togethers. Although this time of year may be stressful at times, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun and relax. There are still many fun and creative ways that you can spend this winter break with family and friends.
Winter break is the perfect time to relax and spend quality time with family. Try doing a fun craft with your family, such as making a DIY snow globe. All you need is:
- Small jar
- Glitter
- Decorations of your choice, like faux trees and snow
- Glue
First, glue your selected decorations to the jar’s lid. Then, add some of your glitter to the rest of the jar and fill it with water. Once you’ve done that make sure your lid is screwed on tight. Now for the fun part, SHAKE. Shake up your jar and see your fun, easy creation.
Get some snacks and gather your best friends and craft a vision board for the upcoming new year. A vision board is something that can help you stay focused on a goal or what you want the future to look like. All you need is:
- A piece of cardboard or poster board paper (any size of your preference)
- Glue
- Photos, quotes, etc. from magazines, newspapers, Pinterest, etc.
Create a beautiful collage of things that capture your goals, motivations, desires, and even dreams and memories.
Alondra Alvarez Cortez, a freshman at Grayslake Central, said she likes to bake during the holiday season, preferably “cookies and cake.” Here’s a fun, festive recipe for peppermint sugar cookies:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup crushed peppermint candies
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, coat in sugar, and place on sheet. Flatten slightly. Top with crushed peppermint. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden at edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
