The holidays can be a crazy, busy time of year, making it difficult to fit in friend time. One way to make sure you see your friends is to create an annual tradition. Activities you look forward to every year are a good way to bond with friends and get to know each other. At the holidays, they’re especially good for connecting to what’s important.

Volunteer, Give Back, and Give Thanks

Start with gratitude and you’ll never be sorry.


At the holidays, take turns doing volunteer work or giving back in some way to your friend’s favorite charity. You can each choose a day to do something for your favorite organization or cause, and then tell your friends why it’s so important to you. This helps your friend support you and know you on a deeper, more personal level, and allows holiday time something you can look forward to and be proud of.

Too often at the holidays, it’s all about spending and eating too much. Volunteering is the opposite of that, where you give of yourself and get self-satisfaction and good vibes in return.

A Silly Movie Night or Party

The holiday’s equal stress for some people, so lighten the mood with an annual tradition that brings out your silly side. How about an ugly sweater party? Or a white elephant gift exchange? Or better yet, have a movie marathon of all your favorite comedies.

Go Caroling

Gather up some friends to go caroling door to door in your neighborhood, or arrange to sing at a nursing home or hospital.

Besides that, singing is good for you, especially the kind you do in a group. A recent Time Magazine article talked about the benefits of group singing, stating that the act of raising your voice and allowing the sound to move to you a more beneficial place can release endorphins and lower stress.

Do a Round Robin Christmas Set Up Day

You’re probably familiar with the round robin, where a group of friends go from house to house for dessert or drinks during the holidays. Instead of that, why not make it a day activity and use the time to help each other get prepped for the holidays? Choose a day and help decorate each other’s places or wrap gifts.

Set a limit on the time you’re at each house, and have the host prepare hot chocolate, sandwiches, or cookies. Play some Christmas music in the background and you’ll be surprised at how fast a day of prep goes when you spend it with your friends.

Enjoy the Outdoors

With all the prep required for the holidays (plus the nasty weather that tends to set in), people have a tendency to hibernate during the winter. All the more reason to gather friends and get some outside activities in like ice skating, cross-county skiing, or hiking. It’s also a good way to get the whole family involved.

Visit Santa Together

The line can be long when visiting Santa, so get your friends together and take all the kids one Saturday. This is a good idea for friends with kids, or even as a yearly tradition with just your pals. Come on, who doesn’t want a picture with Santa, no matter how old they are?

Check Out the Holiday Lights

Rent a limo and drive around your town enjoying all the holiday lights. Some towns have displays where they take donations and those are usually the best to see and the busiest. Look up “holiday lights” or check with your local paper to see if there’s an event centered on holiday lighting. But if not, a drive around each of your neighborhoods can also be fun.

Get Your Craft On

Add a personal touch to the holidays by making or giving gifts to each other. You could create a homemade advent calendar, make holiday cards together, or pick names and show off your crafty skills. Homemade gift exchanges can be fun, heartwarming, and silly, so they’re sure to lift your spirits. It will be an annual tradition you and your friends look forward to.

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