The New Year holidays are a great opportunity to try something new and have a fun time. Five exciting ideas that will help make your vacation truly rich and varied. From themed movie marathons to culinary experiments, these activities will provide a lot of excitement and allow you to spend the holidays with pleasure and benefit.
Organize a themed movie marathon
Film series marathon. Immerse yourself in a long saga consisting of several films. You can watch them in order of release or in chronological order to follow the development of the plot and characters from beginning to end.
Marathon by country. Devote an evening or even a few days to the cinema of one country. For example, French art house, Korean thrillers or Soviet comedies. This will help you better understand the culture and mood of another country.
Marathon “book versus film”. Choose a book that interests you and its film adaptation. Read first and then watch the movie to spark a debate about what worked best and what didn't. This is a great opportunity for a lively discussion.
Learn a new cooking skill
Bake something challenging. Not just cupcakes, but, for example, real multi-layer “Napoleon” with custard, delicate meringue or airy eclairs. The process requires time and patience, which is exactly what you have during the holidays.
Learn a new technique. Learn how to properly heat a frying pan, constantly stir ingredients and create dishes with a characteristic “smoky” taste. The stir-fry technique allows you to quickly prepare colorful vegetable side dishes, noodles and meat dishes with crispy vegetables.
Prepare a dish of national cuisine. Choose a country that interests you and prepare the first, second course and dessert at once to fully immerse yourself in its gastronomic culture.
Organize a board game tournament
Choose games from different genres. Prepare strategies, communication games, cooperative games and active “chants”. This way the evening won't get boring.
Introduce a reward system. Come up with funny nominations and prizes for the winners (“Best Negotiator,” “Most Cunning Player,” “Biggest Loser”).
Create an atmosphere. Prepare themed snacks (such as fortune cookies) and drinks to enhance the holiday feeling.
Have a digital detox and nostalgia evening
Set aside one “quiet” day. Turn off notifications on your phone, don't go on social networks and don't check your email. Instead – live communication, watching something and books.
Have an evening of memories. Pull out old photo albums, home videos or letters. Remember the funny stories associated with them.
Go back to your childhood. Turn on the music you listened to in your youth, play old computer games (or retro game emulators), dance. This is incredibly positive.
Do something you've been putting off for a long time
Clear out the rubble. Set aside a few hours and tidy up your balcony, your clothes closet, or your computer hard drive. Sort things into three categories: “keep,” “throw away,” and “give away.” You will feel incredible relief.
Learn what you've always wanted. Take the first step in learning a new skill. Don’t strive for instant results; the main value is in the process itself. Start with 15 minutes of daily language lessons via a mobile app. Try to develop your coordination by learning to juggle. Or take a short online course on a topic that interests you, from the basics of photography to the history of architecture. What is important is not the ideal result, but the pleasure from the process of learning and expanding horizons.
