Happy Holidays, Pascack Valley! It is almost winter break, and students could not be more excited. However, how will you spend your long-awaited time off? To ensure PV students make the most out of their holidays, here are 10 things for you to do this winter break!
1) Ice skating
Ice skating is a winter classic for a reason, and, no matter your level of ability, it’s always tons of fun! Grab a pair of skates, and celebrate the winter weather at Van Saun Park, the Palisades Mall, the Ice House in Hackensack, or Montclair State University Ice Arena! Also, come out and support the PV Hockey Team on Dec. 29 for its annual Holiday Skate at Sport-O-Rama from 8-9:45 p.m.
2) City trip
Whether you go to see the Rockefeller Tree or visit the Winter Village in Bryant Park, New York City never disappoints. For dance lovers, grab tickets to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall or the New York City Ballet’s Nutcracker at Lincoln Center! If you want to save money, simply admire the holiday window displays on 5th Avenue or reserve free tickets for the six-acre light installation at Freedom Plaza.
3) Craft
Utilize the time off to express your creativity! DIY holiday cards and ornaments can make personal and thoughtful gifts. Maybe it’s time to take your knitting needles out of retirement too! To get your house in the holiday spirit, decorate with paper snowflake garlands!
4) Bake
Break is a great time to break out that baking equipment and make some classic holiday cookies, like gingerbread or snickerdoodle! To maximize cookie-tasting, organize a cookie-swap with friends and family. If you live by “pictures or it didn’t happen,” below are Instagrammable Teddy Gram beds, cookie bowls, and puff pastry pinwheels! Less of a baking enthusiast? A snowman cookie from Starbucks always hits the spot.
5) Sledding
As long as there’s snow, there is no excuse not to go sledding. All you need is some sort of sleigh, a hill, and a good attitude. If there’s no real snow this winter break, Campgaw Mountain offers mountain tubing featuring man-made snow.
6) Caroling
‘Tis the season to engage with your community and show off your singing voices. Caroling doesn’t have to just be something you see in the movies. Gather up your friends, and share the gift of music. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even get tipped with holiday cookies!
7) Look at holiday lights
Brighten up this dark season by seeking out the best holiday lights. Drive through the local neighborhoods and find the best-decorated street or visit the Orchard of Lights at Demarest Farms for a guaranteed great show.
8) Do something nostalgic
With another year under your belt, take a look back on all the ones before it! Take a trip down memory lane, and reread your favorite childhood books and movies. Embrace your inner child, and make slime or play board games!
9) Make a 2023 scrapbook
To reflect on the year, compile your favorite pictures and mementos to make a 2023 scrapbook! Get creative with cutting pictures into different shapes and drawing on top of them! If you aren’t artistically inclined, a great alternative is to simply make a memory box or time capsule.
10) Make a vision board for 2024
Get geared up to make 2024 your best year yet. Celebrities from Beyoncé to Jim Carrey attribute all their successes to their vision boards, so why not try it out? Cut out any inspiring words or pictures from magazines and newspapers and watch your dreams come true!
