Best Cures to Boredom: Holiday Edition

By: Kate McCallum

While the winter holidays are a great opportunity to spend quality time with friends and family, and take a much needed break from our hectic day-to-day lives, you may find yourself with too much spare time on your hands. This might seem like a curse, however, I believe boredom is a gift in disguise - if only you’re creative!

In the event that you find yourself overwhelmed by a lack of items on your to-do list, we've prepared a curated list of genuinely entertaining activities to try this holiday season.  

Enjoy the Weather

Regardless of whether you spend the holidays on a humid beach, or in a snowy winter wonderland, there are tons of unique aspects of your local weather that can be extremely fun. 

While a tropical climate is easily enjoyed, the special beauty of a snowy backyard is often underappreciated. If you find yourself in a colder environment, do not feel discouraged by the frost on your windowsill - instead, I urge you to bundle up in your warmest coat and boots and try out some authentic winter traditions. It is likely that you live near a local skating rink which offers recreational skating hours. Encourage a friend or family member to join you in strapping on some ice skates, and attempting to skate a few laps around the rink (look into renting skates at the local rink if you do not own any yourself). Don’t be intimidated if you are an amateur skater! A slight tumble on the ice is nothing a warm, rewarding hot chocolate can't fix. If ice skating doesn’t appeal to you, I suggest you consider a snowy winter hike or going tobogganing down a nearby hill.

Decorate Your Bedroom

Have you ever felt envious of the beautifully assembled and rigorously organized bedrooms that you come across on your social media feed? While you may not otherwise have had the time or inspiration to tackle such a large design project, the alone time spent in your room during the holidays can now be put to good use. I encourage you to treat your holiday boredom as an opportunity to turn your ordinary room into your dream sanctuary!

This room transformation does not need to be expensive, in fact some of the most entertaining decorations can be simple DIYs. A great way to begin elevating your wall space is by assembling a photo wall. This may look like a small cluster of printed photos on part of your wall, or a spread of your favourite pics that cover your entire room. All you will need to create this decoration is a printer, a folder of your best photos of friends, family or your favourite musician, and removable mounting putty or two-sided tape. You can arrange these photos to your liking, but can draw inspiration from some examples below.

Another fun way to decorate your room is by taking a string of Holiday lights or twinkle lights that you may already own, and string them along your walls, behind your bed, or around door frames. These lights are best mounted on hooks, or using paint-friendly tape. While it is a simple decoration, it can make a huge difference in illuminating the space, and adding a more calming lighting option than harsh overheads. See some cute ways to light up your room below!

Create a 2022 Lookbook

While the winter holidays are a common time for clothing items to be gifted and purchased, I encourage you to look inwards at the existing outfits that you draw from your closet. It is far more sustainable, cost efficient and creative to make exciting new clothing combinations from your current closet, than spending money and resources on new clothes. 

If you find yourself with free time and an imaginative mind, it can be super fun to play your favourite music and try on dozens of outfit combos that you have never before considered, and take photos of your favourite options. Assemble these pictures in a folder, and treat this as a “look-book” that you can refer to throughout the coming year when you're feeling uninspired by your seemingly bland closet. You will be surprised by the exciting outfits you will come across!

Reflect and Set Intentions for the New Year

While the idea of journaling may seem daunting to those who have never tried it, it can be a meaningful way to use your free time, and is a perfect canvas for self-reflection before starting the new year. It is truly worthwhile to sit down with a blank page of paper and take a few moments to look back on 2021, celebrate your personal successes, whether large or small, recognize the progress you have made towards tackling challenges you may have faced, and listing some of your highlights of the year. This can be a great documentation of fond memories, or a space to exercise gratitude. 

After reflecting on the ups and downs of your past year, it is a great time to set your goals and intentions for the coming year. What do you want to achieve in 2022? Are there any positive changes you would like to make in your daily life? Do you have any ideas for new activities or hobbies you would like to try out? You can answer these questions in written form, but another fun way to visualize the coming year is by making a vision board.

A vision board is essentially a collection of photos that are collaged together, whether by printing pictures and glueing them to a piece of poster board, or by assembling a collection of photos online (such as using Pinterest boards). Some great features of your vision board could be photos of activities you would like to try, places you would like to visit and positive affirmations for the new year, such as; “I am smart, I am beautiful, I am loved” etc. Below are some examples of vision boards that may influence your personal board. Have fun with this - there are no rules to your 2022 vision, you have complete creative freedom.

I hope these boredom busters spark joy during your available moments this holiday season.
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About the Author

Kate is a business student at Western University, who enjoys hiking and canoeing in her free time. As the oldest of three sisters, Kate has a passion for sharing advice, and helping girls build a sense of self-confidence.