🎄 The Ultimate 2020 Christmas Bucket List 🎄

This year I'm celebrating Christmas my way! 😎

Hi, everybody! I hope you had an awesome weekend. This is truly the most wonderful time of the year and I’ve been looking forward to it all semester long.

Christmas is my favorite season for many reasons: the decorations, lights, music, holiday spirit, festive activities, family time, movies, and because it’s the only time of the year where you can be unapologetically extra. Haha!

For the longest time I’ve wanted to celebrate Christmas my way, but, since the school semester usually ends pretty late in December, that kind of sucks the life out of me. I don’t know about you, but, after Thanksgiving, I’m in between oral presentations, essays, group works, projects, and work, while preparing for finals. When I finally get a break, surprise! It’s Christmas eve and I didn’t enjoy the holiday season.

Well, I made a commitment to myself to have the best Christmas I’ve ever had and end this year on a high note. So, today, I’m so enthusiastic to share with you my ultimate Christmas bucket list. (A little secret, I’ve been planning and preparing for Christmas since September! #UnapologeticallyExtra 😉)

Remember to subscribe to be notified every Monday when a new blog post is up and to follow me on Instagram to witness my Christmas festivities or to get ideas of what you can do in yours. I’ll be posting everything I cross off my list, which you can find at the end of the post and save. Now, let’s get into the bucket list. 🤩

1. Put up the Christmas Tree

I know this might seem obvious, but last Christmas, my family and I went through a Grinch phase and we didn’t put it up. Well, I can proudly check that one off my list. 🥳

2. DIY Advent Calendar

An advent calendar is a special calendar used to count down the 25 days of Christmas. I wanted to be creative with mine, so I mixed it with a secret Santa. (Again, be sure to follow me on Instagram to know more about how I did it.

3. Make DIY ornaments

I wanted to get back to my crafty self and I chose this Christmas to start. You’ll notice there are a few crafty activities in this list that can be used as holiday decor. 🤭

4. Family Game Night

This is a fun way to spend quality time with one’s family, which is something I wanted to be mindful about. Choose games you all enjoy and can all be a part of.

5. Make a Homemade Candle

The idea is to make it Christmas-like, but you can choose the colors, scents, and jars that you like. I bought my candle-making kit on Amazon. (Honestly, Amazon has become my go-to for everything during the pandemic.)

6. Drink Hot Chocolate

This is very self-explanatory. Have fun with it, though. 😎

7. Make a Donation

This holiday season is a reminder to give back. Take a moment to count your blessings and see how you can be a blessing to others.

8. Build a Gingerbread House

I’ve always wanted to build a gingerbread house and never have. That changes this year. You can either make it from scratch or buy a pre-made kit.

9. DIY Snow Globe

Snow globes are so beautiful and it’s a fun little way to be crafty and creative.

10. Meet Santa / Write him a letter

Meeting Santa is not as easy as it used to be due to the pandemic. Now, you have to make reservations, which most are already filled. If you can meet him and have a picture taken with him, that’s great. If not, you can simply write him a letter. 🎅

11. DIY “ugly” Sweater or T-Shirt

Honestly, I’ve never understood why they’re called “ugly sweaters”. I think they are so fun. I’m making a t-shirt because Puerto Rico’s weather is quite toasty all year long. 🥵

12. Christmas Lights Tour

This is exciting because I love seeing how creative people get when decorating their houses. I’ll be sharing the places I go to on Instagram and Facebook.

13. Bake Christmas Cookies

Those who know me know that I’m not a fan of cooking or anything related. However, I do want to learn and I’m starting with baking fun goodies. Haha! I think it’s a terrific place to start. Besides, I’m mostly looking forward to the creative process.

14. Write Letters

Another way to give back during this season is by writing letters to people you don’t know, like veterans, children at hospitals, sexually abused survivors, etc. Here’s an article where you can find options to send letters electronically or in paper. Here is another one. ✍️

15. Wear Christmas Socks or Outfit in Public

What’s my hashtag for this holiday? #UnapologeticallyExtra! Wear whatever makes you happy. Own it and have fun with it!

16. Christmas Movie Marathon

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays, and all year round, is watch movies. I made a 25 Days of Christmas Movie Watchlist of some of my favorite films, plus some I’ve never seen before. You can download my list here or you can screenshot it on Instagram and Facebook.

17. Christmas Cards

There is nothing more thoughtful than giving your loved ones a handmade-personalized card. Many misinterpret this act as being cheap, but it’s the complete opposite. Think of the fact that someone is actually taking their precious time to make something exclusively and specifically for you. That’s irreplaceable.

18. Read a book

One of the New Year’s Resolutions I make every year is to read a book. Most of the time I start and never finish because I read so much in school that I don’t have the energy or the desire to read more. However, I definitely want to create the habit. I used to read cheesy romance books before college, and this season I’m reading one of those. Lol! 📚

19. Volunteer / Community Service

Again, this is another way to give back to your community. You can feed the homeless, help rebuild someone’s house, read to children, clean beaches, work at a shelter, or entertain the elderly, etc. as a way to bring love and joy to others.

20. Make Coquito

Christmas in Puerto Rico calls for coquito. My hope is, not only to drink it, but make it. Wish me luck!

21. Complete a 500-1,000 piece puzzle

This is another activity you can do with your family. I bought a 500 piece puzzle, but if you’re up for the challenge, go ahead and find one that has 1,000 pieces. 🤪

22. Christmas Scavenger Hunt

This is a fun activity you can do by yourself, with family or with friends. You can also turn this into a friendly competition between teams. The first team to find all of the items in the list, and document it with a photo, wins a prize. 🔍

23. Christmas Family Photo

Whether in red or white clothes, with Santa Clause or a Santa hat, in matching pajamas, or glammed up on Christmas Eve, a Christmas family photo is a must during Christmas.

24. Read Luke 2

Let’s not forget the reason for the season. Luke 2 tells the story of Jesus’ birth and which better day to read it than the night He was born.

Adjust this to your particular beliefs or switch it for some other activity.

25. Sleep by the Christmas Tree

More like wake up by the Christmas tree. Sleep next to it on Christmas eve and wake up to a wonderful Christmas day. Have a wonderful and merry one, friends!

I hope you enjoyed my bucket list. If you use it, tag me @findingourbeat so we can do it together and see how many we can cross out.

Have fun, spend time with your loved ones, and end this year in wonderfully. I’ll meet you here next Monday with a Spanish blog post on Puerto Rican Christmas Traditions. A warm virtual hug for all of you! 🤗