Now that classes are drawing to a close for the semester, we’re all about to have a lot more free time. Here’s a short list of holiday activities to fill up your newfound time.
We all need a little extra rest after finals, so start off your break with a night indoors. You can invite your friends over for cocoa, cookies and a Christmas movie. You could even try building gingerbread houses and baking gingerbread men. Tell everyone to wear Christmas pajamas.
If you’ve been sitting and staring at your laptop for too long this semester, you should go on a winter hike. Bring some hot chocolate in a thermos, pack several blankets, and bundle up in your coziest winter coat to hike to the summit of Max Patch or Buffalo Mountain. This is a short hike, and the views are incredible.
Give back this holiday season by spending some of your free time volunteering. Some great places to volunteer in Johnson City are One Acre Cafe, The Humane Society of Washington County and Good Samaritan Ministries. Bring your friends with you to share in the holiday spirit together. Sometimes people struggle through the holidays for a variety reasons, but everyone deserves to feel like they can celebrate too.
For a fun night out, you can see “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical” at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville on Dece. 11 at 7 p.m. This show will have all of your favorite characters from the classic movie, including the Abominable Snowman and Yukon Cornelius. You can go out for a fancy meal at Brumley’s restaurant at the General Morgan Inn before the show to make it an evening to remember. Other venues for Christmas plays include a short trip to the Barter Theatre or local theaters like the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre and the Johnson City Community Theatre.
One of the most classic Christmas traditions in Johnson City is to see the Speedway in Lights at the Bristol Motor Speedway. With over two million Christmas lights over a 4.5 mile drive, it’s the biggest holiday light show in this area, and it raises money for children’s charities in the Tri-Cities area. BMS also has an ice rink for some winter fun.
Have a wonderful winter break.
