Need a quick advent activity for tonight!
December 19, 2013 6:32 AM   Subscribe

It's my turn to come up with a surprise advent activity, and I'm running out of steam! Help me find a short, seasonally-appropriate thing to do with my fiance.

Asking anonymously because my significant other knows my Mefi username.

My fiance and I do an advent calendar every year. It's mostly filled with daily activities (ranging from 2-60+ minutes); things like "Let's have homemade hot chocolate while watching that TV fireplace thing!" or "Let's take a winter hike!". A few of the days we'll give little gifts (<$10), but mostly it's nice ways to spend time together, even very briefly. We trade off days throughout the month.

I've done a great job of planning out the activities -- except for today. Yesterday I had a day-long, very draining interview. I've got another today. I simply haven't had time to come up with an idea, so I'm turning to the hive mind! I'm looking for:

-Something relatively short (we have dinner plans tonight, so advent activity has to take place between about 6:15-6:45pm or after we return from dinner)
-Hopefully something kind of festive/seasonal?
-Easy. Please, my brain is going to be mush after today.

Just a note: I'm not interested in any suggestive/x-rated advent ideas. Thanks!
posted by anonymous to Human Relations (12 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
popcorn chain? cutting out snowflakes? Making the construction paper chains? Candy cane bubble bath? Writing letters to Santa? 10 min of back rubs for both of you?
posted by Jacen at 6:35 AM on December 19, 2013


Pick your favorite Game of Thrones snowflake (MeFi thread here) and get snippin'!
posted by coppermoss at 6:36 AM on December 19, 2013 [1 favorite]


Cuddle up, drink a glass of wine or more cocoa or whatever, and tell each other a story about one of your favorite memories from this past year, or something good you hope will happen in the new year. Or a favorite childhood holiday memory.

Dramatic reading of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" (or first chapter of A Christmas Carol, or whatever floats your boat) - take turns reading verses. Feel free to be silly.

Leave for your dinner half an hour early and go for a drive or walk through the neighborhood to look at holiday decorations.

Dial up a family member or friend that you both like together just to say hi and wish them a happy Christmas/new year/whatever.
posted by Stacey at 6:45 AM on December 19, 2013


Stacey: Leave for your dinner half an hour early and go for a drive or walk through the neighborhood to look at holiday decorations.

Love this idea. We usually do it at least once a season.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:49 AM on December 19, 2013 [6 favorites]


Prank-call caroling. Pick a random phone number (or a friend) and sing them a carol then hangup.
posted by fontophilic at 6:52 AM on December 19, 2013 [3 favorites]


I would snuggle in on the couch with some wine and talk about your favourite Christmas memories, especially the memories you and he have shared together. Maybe talk about what some of the best advent activities you have done have been.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 7:20 AM on December 19, 2013 [1 favorite]


I'd do the driving through the neighborhood looking at decorations. It's easy, you'll already be on your way somewhere, and it requires NO preparation.

Perhaps roll by Starbucks for a hot cider to sip on your rounds.

When the thing becomes onerous, instead of fun and festive, that's the time to re-evaluate.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:46 AM on December 19, 2013


Watch some really really bad Christmas Songs on You Tube.

I recommend Cliff Richard for the best laugh out loud value.
Start with "Mistletoe and Wine" and finish with "Millennium Prayer"

You'll get a great laugh even if you have NO IDEA who he is. (He's very big in England but North America, not so much!)

It's a Christmas Classic where I come from! Enjoy the first frames of the video - wouldn't be allowed in this day and age!Here you go!
posted by JenThePro at 8:21 AM on December 19, 2013 [2 favorites]


My first thought was Pomander Orange Balls, which are a quick and fun craft that you can give as gifts.

If you'd like silly stress relief though, I think it would actually be pretty charming to get a Christmas coloring book and some crayons for a quick, cathartic coloring session (lots of printable templates available online too if you can't get to a store).
posted by susanvance at 8:22 AM on December 19, 2013 [1 favorite]


Can you share a childhood Christmas treat and watch the half-hour Christmas special of your choice together? For me this means tea, cookies, watching The Snowman, and then ugly crying for a half hour, but there are lots of easily-obtained Christmas specials that are under an hour long--surely one of them was special to you as a child.

Alternatively, hot cocoa, doughnut holes, and driving around to admire/mock Christmas lights is pretty enjoyable. We have a collection of videos of our favorite ridiculously over the top light displays from years past--flashing, singing, moving, etc. It's sort of a fun record: that was the year that those people had the ten-foot tall inflatable nutcracker! That was the year that three hours in a row were piping out Christmas music and apparently competing with each other for volume!
posted by MeghanC at 8:26 AM on December 19, 2013


Some ideas for tonight or another night:

1. Have hot chocolate with marshmallows and candy cane stirring sticks

2. Take a family photo in front of the Christmas tree

3. Make (and drink!) hot toddies

Recipe:
•1 oz brandy, whiskey, or rum
•1 Tbsp honey
•1/4 lemon
•1 cup hot water
•1 tea bag

Preparation:

1.Coat the bottom of a mug or an Irish coffee glass with honey.
2.Add the liquor and the juice of the lemon quarter.
3.On the side, heat water in a tea kettle and add the tea bag to make hot tea.
4.Pour the steaming tea into the glass and stir.

Or, a more labour intensive version: Hot Buttered Rum
posted by valoius at 10:25 AM on December 19, 2013


Give each other a 5 minute hand massage with oil or nice hand cream.

It feels good and is intimate without being too intimate. Plus you've had 2 pretty tough days, it'll revive you.
posted by Youremyworld at 3:51 PM on December 19, 2013


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