What is your favorite way to get into the holiday spirit? Our Southern California winter might not have sleigh-rides through the snow (except for in Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead), but there are still ways to feel festive!

Here are 10 ways to feel FESTIVE this holiday season:

1. Watch a Christmas Movie – Elf, Miracle on 34th St, A Christmas Story, Home Alone, or It’s A Wonderful Life. Choose 1 or do a movie marathon after a long day of shopping. We recommend caramel popcorn and hot chocolate as a snack! 

2. Gift Wrapping Party – Bring out the wrapping paper, scissors, tissue paper, and tape and get it all done at once! Invite a friend to help! 

3. Christmas Lights – Look at Christmas lights in Hastings Ranch in Pasadena, Thoroughbred in Rancho Cucamonga, or Naples in Long Beach. Where is your favorite spot to look at lights? 

4. Ugly Christmas Sweaters – Find your holiday sweater and have a contest with friends & family. Ugliest sweater wins! We just had this type of party at our office + it was fun! 

5. Holiday Music – Whether you listen on Spotify, Apple Music, or Pandora, listen to Christmas music during the workday or when wrapping presents. We like Frank Sinatra or Michael Buble Christmas albums! 

6. Drive Up to the Snow – Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, Idyllwild, Mount Baldy are a short drive from LA and San Bernardino residents! Bring a jacket & sled! 

7. Chocolate Advent Calendars – Pick up a 24 day countdown calendar at Aldi, Trader Joe’s or Target and enjoy a piece of chocolate every day before Christmas. It’s okay if you have to catch up on a dozen days of chocolate!

8. Gingerbread House – Use a gingerbread kit, make homemade gingerbread, or use graham crackers and build the best house you can! Decorate with candy canes & gum drops!

9. Outdoor Ice Skating – Bundle up and go ice skating outside in a local rink, mall, or pop up rink! 

10. Enjoy Hot Chocolate – Experiment with different ad-ins (candy canes, cinnamon, or if you are brave enough for the bone broth hot chocolate) and host a sampling of the different flavors. Make the best flavor a holiday tradition!

This December has been BUSY in our office! New listings are hitting the market each week from San Gabriel to Glendora to Menifee — it doesn’t seem like the market is taking a Christmas vacation this year. 
As always, I appreciate when you pass my name onto your friends and family.

Enjoy your egg nog, hot chocolate, or apple cider!

This content is not the product of the National Association of REALTORS®, and may not reflect NAR's viewpoint or position on these topics and NAR does not verify the accuracy of the content.