How to Enjoy the Perfect Holiday Staycation

By: Kate McCallum

After concluding your first semester at school, and growing tired of chilly December weather, it goes without saying that a warm holiday vacation would be the ideal reward. While this ideal sounds enticing, most families stay in their hometowns during the holiday season. Instead of feeling underwhelmed by the offerings of your local neighborhood, I suggest you leverage the opportunity to personalize your dream staycation. While family vacations often involve considerable compromise, your personal staycation can take on any form you choose! All you need to bring along on this vacation is your creativity, and maybe some buddies to tag along. Apricotton has compiled a handful of suggestions to incorporate into your ideal holiday escape. 

Unplug 

The most surefire way to achieve relaxation is by unplugging from school work and other tasks that occupy your to-do lists and act as a source of stress throughout the year. By taking a step back from high-stress activities, you will finally be able to recharge your battery and combat feelings of burn-out that are commonly experienced around this time of year. While your workload may make this an unrealistic goal for the entire holiday break, I suggest you dedicate at least one day to complete rest and relaxation. 

Turn your Bathroom into a World-Class Spa

With the proper fragrances, music and self-care items, you would be surprised by the ambience that can be created in your average bathroom! Draw a warm bubble bath, light some candles and apply your favorite face mask - your serene oasis awaits. This spa can be meticulously tailored to your personal needs. This may involve painting your nails, exfoliating your body top to bottom or applying a much-needed hair mask. To elevate the experience and cut costs, consider making your own DIY face mask with items commonly found in your kitchen (my personal favorite is an oatmeal mask!).

Escape through Film and Books

While you may not be able to swim in the ocean this Christmas, you can experience the beach vicariously through your favorite film or book character. We are so lucky to live in a generation filled with such a diverse selection of media. I suggest that you seek out a new book or movie which suits your interests, get comfortable and let your imagination run wild!

Tour Your Hometown through the Eyes of a Tourist 

Throughout our time spent living in the same city or town, we lose our sense of wonder and appreciation for the landscapes, architecture and one of a kind activities that surround us. I challenge you to explore your home city through the lens of a tourist, visiting the landmarks and monuments that you have previously been too preoccupied to appreciate. No activity is too cheesy! Ask your friends to join you on a local’s tour of your city’s most popular attractions.

Travel the World Through Cuisine

The most accessible (and tastiest!) way to replicate the experience of worldwide travel is by sampling traditional cuisines from a range of countries. If you are willing to invest more time into the experience, I would recommend joining a guided food tour, which allows you to dine at multiple restaurants in one day, and provides global context for each food you try! Whichever approach you choose, sampling new dishes is an excellent way to channel the experience of traveling abroad. 

Have any questions? Contact Apricotton through our website or Instagram.