By: Vishal Mehta, BPharm, RPh

The Holidays are upon us and we have the opportunity to enjoy some well-deserved fun and downtime, outdoors engaged in our favourite winter activity or cozying up at home with friends and family sipping on hot chocolate and watching a Christmas movie.  Before the year is over, here are a few stress-free, fun activities you can do in December with friends, family or solo.

1. Grab a Christmas tree – if you haven’t done so already. There are lots of local farms such as Tree Lane Farms, Little Creek Tree Farm or Parkway Garden Centre.
2. Feed the kids’ curiosity – at the London Children’s museum, with Free Family Fun Night on Thursdays.
3. Visit the annual Merry Market from December 1^st to December 18 at 100 Kellogg Lane. They have the outdoor Winter Village and the indoor Twinkle Town.
4. Decorate cookies, an age-old favourite. Whether it be simple shortbread cookies or more festive gingerbread shapes, using different coloured icing, sprinkles and toppings – an easy way to spend an afternoon.
5. Check out the neighbourhood lights and decorations – some blocks will go all-out with Hanukkah or Christmas decorations such as Singleton Avenue (south) Guildford Crescent (Westmount) and Ferndale Avenue (south) to name a few.Stroll or drive through the neighbourhood with your kids to admire the show of lights, trees, wreaths, candles, and other seasonal installations.
6. Reflect on the year gone by and make New Year’s resolutions – with the year coming to a close, it’s a chance to celebrate all your achievements and consider fresh goals. It’s time to start thinking about the new year and all the exciting new possibilities.

If you have more fun ideas for the festive season, please send them to our Facebook page (@NeighbourhoodNewsbites). We are a grassroots medium to connect the people, businesses and organizations in Cleardale and Highland and would love to hear from you.