13 Holiday Bucket List Ideas

#1. Warm Up With a New Coffee Recipe

Chilly mornings (and evenings) call for a warm drink to sip while snuggled under the covers. Coffee fits the bill perfectly! Take your favorite cuppa up a notch by trying a new recipe.

Peppermint Mocha Recipe

Ingredients: White chocolate chips | ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract | 8 ounces of peppermint coffee

Instructions: Pour your coffee into your favorite mug. Add white chocolate chips and stir until melted. Add in the peppermint extract. Enjoy!

If you're not a coffee fan, the holidays are the perfect excuse for hot chocolate.

#2. Go See the Lights

During the holidays, many decorate their homes or businesses to ring in the season. Christmas lights are almost always all aglow, filling the streets with holiday cheer. Experience the magic for yourself by taking a drive to see the lights around your city. Make it even better by inviting your friends or fam to join!

#3. Create a Holly Jolly Roadtrip Playlist

The holiday season is often a busy travel time. If you’re planning on traveling to visit your friends and family, don’t go without a holiday roadtrip playlist! Take some time to curate a list of your favorite holiday songs or those tunes that just make you feel all cozy inside.

While you’re at it, grab a BrüMate Era 40oz tumbler to keep yourself hydrated while on the road. It’s completely leakproof and cupholder-friendly, ensuring you don’t tip and spill as you get jiggy to your new playlist.

#4. Host a Holiday Movie Marathon

Everyone has their favorite holiday movies, from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” to “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Why not load up your favorites, put on your comfiest PJs, and binge-watch? It’s the perfect holiday weekend activity.

Try hosting your friends and asking them to bring their favorite holiday movie and take turns watching each one! If you have a BrüTank (and you totally should) try this chilly weather-inspired cooler buildout as a way to take your marathon up a notch.

#5. Make Some Nom-Worthy Treats

Nothing says “it’s holiday time” like cookies, candy, and other treats. Carve out some time to make some of your favorites. Invite your friends over for a little “make and take” party, where you each get to make and take home a handful of goodies. Or wrap up the treats you create and give them as gifts to your loved ones.

#6. Plan a DIY Night With Your Buds

When we think holiday, we often think of being surrounded by our best pals, sipping our favorite drinks, and spending time laughing and reminiscing. If you think the same, invite your friends over for a DIY night.

For example, make yummy hot cocoa bombs together. Or throw on some Bob Ross and host a paint party.

#7. Cook a Warm & Delicious Meal

The holiday seasons are chilly for many of us, and nothing warms us up quite like a cozy meal. One of our favorites to enjoy this time of year is soup -  it’s hot, delicious, and easy to make.

Need a new recipe to try? We love the sound of chicken tortellini soup!

Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe

Ingredients: ¾ pound of Italian sausage | 1 medium onion, chopped | 6 garlic cloves | 2 cans of chicken broth | 1 ¾ cups of water | 1 can of diced tomatoes, undrained | 1 package of refrigerated cheese tortellini | 1 package of fresh bay spinach, chopped | 2 ¼ teaspoons minced fresh basil | ⅓ teaspoon pepper

Instructions: Crumble your sausage into a large pan and add your onion. Cook and stir over medium heat until sausage is cooked. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the chicken broth, water, and tomatoes, then bring to a boil.

Add your tortellini and return to a boil. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until tender. Reduce your heat and add the spinach, basil, and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes more or until spinach is wilted (Recipe source: Taste of Home).

You can immediately start sipping your soup or start with a wine pairing. A red wine is great with the tortellini soup. Opt for a Wine Chiller to keep your wine perfectly chilled as you enjoy your meal (it makes a great gift too!).

#8. Enjoy a Toasty Bonfire

Do you love spending time outdoors? If so, you don’t have to pine for spring and summer during the chilly months. Instead, enjoy a warm bonfire! You can make s’mores, roast hotdogs, or simply warm yourself by the fire while reading a good book.

Looking to elevate the traditional bonfire? Try some unique s’mores concoctions! For example, swap in peanut butter cups instead of chocolate bars, or swap in chocolate chip cookies instead of graham crackers. You could even host a s’mores bar by laying out your ingredients and allowing your buds to choose how they build their s’mores.

#9. Start a New Wellness Routine

During the holidays, we’re often focused on giving to others. But, it’s also a great time to show yourself some love! Why not give yourself the gift of wellness by starting a new good-for-you routine?

For example, step out of your comfort zone and try a new fitness routine. Download a meditation or mindfulness app and take some slow breaths each day or find a new workout guru on YouTube who practices a style you haven’t yet tried yet! Or, simply vow to start taking in more water each day.

To enhance your new routine, grab a MultiShaker for your hydration companion. It’s 100% leakproof and includes a built-in agitator that doubles as an infuser, which is great for mixing up infused waters, protein shakes, and more!

#10. Cozy Up With a New Read

Hopefully, your holiday season includes plenty of relaxation time. One way to make the most of it is by cozying up with a book you’ve been wanting to read. Grab your book, whip up that new coffee recipe you made, and snuggle under your favorite blanket.

Not sure what to read? Go ahead and grab a title from The New York Times Best Sellers list. You can’t go wrong!

#11. Host a Sustainable Gift Exchange

The holidays are often a time for gift-giving. We’ve all received something we didn’t ever use, right? Unfortunately, those items often get tossed and end up in landfills. If you want to do your part to prevent that from happening this year, try a sustainable gift exchange.

For example, ask those attending the exchange to bring something they made, something that can be consumed (like cookies or another treat), something they own that they don’t use anymore, or an item from the local thrift shop. This ensures everyone receives something unique that they’ll enjoy without doing further damage to our environment.

#12. Donate Something

Speaking of gifts, you’re sure to receive some this season. So, it’s the perfect time to play “out with the old and in with the new.” Spread some holiday cheer and take some time to donate those items you no longer need or use. Others just might need what you have to give!

#13. Show Some Gratitude

The holidays are the perfect time to say “thank you for being here” to those you love. Write a letter to that special someone. Gift your friends a small token of appreciation you know they’ll enjoy. Or simply shoot those closest to you a text that tells them you care about them.

Have the Happiest Holiday With BrüMate

Here at BrüMate, we want to wish you the happiest of holidays and hope this guide inspires you to try something new this season. Whether you’re looking for a special gift that will keep on giving or are looking to gift yourself something to enhance your every day, check out our best sellers to get started.