By @BethanCasee
Image courtesy of Pixabay
As the whole of the country has to adhere to different restrictions, it’s time to rethink old traditions you can do with your partner this festive season.
Whether you are together or apart, in tier 1 or tier 3, these traditions will certainly get you both in the Christmas mood.
First Tradition… A weekly hot chocolate date!
Hot chocolate is definitely a festive season drink (even though we all drink it year-round). When you walk around those Christmas markets and smell the sweet aroma of hot chocolate floating in the air, doesn’t it just spell romantic?! So, if you and your SO are together, enjoy a hot chocolate together.
This year is a bit different and if you aren’t together because of the new restrictions, you could make your own twist on the classic. On Facetime, both make your favourite type of hot chocolate, sit down and chat as if you were in a coffee shop together. Even have a competition and try out different flavours of the warm drink, you could have peppermint, caramel and even chocolate orange.
Second Tradition… Bake off
Now, this isn’t any ordinary bake-off with Mary Berry, this a full-blown sugar rush bake-off with gingerbread houses. Try out your artistic skills by building and decorating gingerbread houses together. This is no friendly competition- so get competitive and smash their gingerbread house to the ground.
The best thing about this tradition is that you can do it separately as well. Bring a prize into the equation so after both of you build one on Facetime- the best looking one at the end wins. If you can’t go out and buy one due to your area’s restrictions, it is easy to find gingerbread recipes to do at home.
Third Tradition… Christmas Eve boxes
A Christmas Eve box came from a German tradition of opening presents on December 24th. However, everyone was not on board with the idea. The idea of giving boxes filled with gifts such as Christmas films, your favourite snacks and drinks, slippers, pyjamas and candles is a good way to start a festive treat before the big day.
With this tradition, you can do it together but if you aren’t in the same place, you can still enjoy! Send each other a Christmas Eve Box, get on Facetime and open them together.
Fourth Tradition… Movie-Marathon Night.
Get your favourite snacks, pour those festive drinks and settle down with all the decorations and enjoy the best of the best Christmas movies. You have Elf, Love Actually, Nativity and even The Grinch. You can watch them on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Now TV, Disney plus and even DVD.
Don’t worry, you can still have a movie night if you aren’t together by using Netflix party. You could even put a film on at the same time while Facetiming and just relaxing together. I know it won’t be the same but hopefully, by this time next year, you will soon be together again.
Fifth Tradition… Naughty or Nice Notes
Now, this might not be a normal tradition you have heard of before but in the past two years, this idea has become very popular between couples. Leave notes around the house where it either says something nice that you love about them, or an encouraging message about certain naughty things you would like to do. You see, naughty or nice notes aren’t just for children.
I know it’s not the same to do this if you aren’t together but instead of notes around the house you could send a naughty or nice advent calendar to each other. Send them all in a box and open one daily like a countdown to Christmas and trust me it will make you feel connected once again.
RELATED: Five Christmas cocktails to get you in the mood for the festive season
As it is the last Friday I will spend in my student house this year, my favourite housemate and I decided to have a Christmas night. This included, Christmas themed food, Christmas songs and Christmas themed drinks. With the help of my housemate, we both rated the drinks, so you aren’t getting one point of view. Here are the 5 Christmas theme cocktails…to read more click HERE
