My Christmas Break To-Do List

Christmas Break is a time to relax, spend time with people who you haven’t seen in ages due to the busy semester, and eat as many Christmas cookies as your stomach can handle.

But with a 2020 Christmas and Covid-19 putting a restriction on how many people we should be seeing and spending time with, this has freed up a lot more of my time than I originally thought.

Therefore, here is the Christmas break 2020 to-do list I have created to not go insane in these three weeks away from school.

1. Deep Clean my Room

Who knew spending so much time at home this semester would actually make me WANT to clean my room?

2. Visit Victoria Wonderland

I was lucky enough to buy tickets for my family to visit Victoria Wonderland, a drive-through, contactless event, before they sold out.

While this is the first year of the event, which is taking place at Ogden Point, I’m picturing it’ll be like Butchart Gardens but without all the walking.

****While due to Dr. Bonnie Henry’s recent provincial health orders Victoria Wonderland has been postponed indefinitely, here’s to hoping that they can make it work before the end of Christmas. If not, at least everyone is being safe — and instead we can just drive around and look at Christmas lights! 

3. Donate to Women in Need

Victoria’s community cooperative Women in Need is trying to reach a goal of $25,000 during their Community Cheer campaign.

Ways you can help include donating directly or through a gift certificate, organizing a donation drive in your neighborhood, and spreading the word on social media.

More information can be found at: https://www.womeninneed.ca/cheer

4. Have an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest

I suppose this would’ve been more successful with a big group rather than my four-person family. But I already bought the pins and sashes for the winner- so it’s happening!

5. Christmas Shopping: small and local

Small businesses are struggling in Victoria more than ever, so I’m setting a goal for myself to buy Christmas presents for my friends and family at some of these local businesses.

One way I plan to do this is to attend the Westshore Holiday Artisan Pop-Up at Westshore Mall between December 4th-13th. If you’d like to attend, there’s more information at: https://www.facebook.com/events/683638782283531

6. Decorate a Gingerbread House

Thanks to Costco, we found this gingerbread house kit where the house is actually pre-made.

My family needs this as our gingerbread houses have faced some architectural struggles in previous years.

7. Catch up on Grey’s Anatomy

Who am I kidding, I do this pretty much everyday when I avoid my schoolwork.

8. Donate to Belmont and Royal Bay’s 10,000 Tonight Drive-through food drive

This is a fantastic event I was lucky enough to be involved in when I went to high school at Royal Bay.

Each year, these schools in Sooke School District’s #62 put on the 10,000 Tonight Food Drive with the goal of collecting at least 10,000 non-perishable food items in a single night. These are then donated to the in-need Goldstream Food Bank.

In a normal year, students would be canvassing neighborhoods across the Westshore to get door-to-door donations.

Unfortunately, because this is not Covid-safe, this year they are counting on cash donations and donors coming through their drive-through drop off events on December 1st, 3rd, 8th, and 10th from 4-7pm.

I know I’ll be there donating! For more information, follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/events/187083799678115?active_tab=about

9. Send out Christmas Cards with Pictures

My family has actually never done this, but because we can’t see anyone face-to-face this year, 2020 will be our inaugural Christmas Card year.

We’ve even bought matching flannels!

10. Buy a Christmas Tree

This year, we decided to support the Happy Holidays Christmas Tree Co., located at the Luxton Hall in Langford.

They have BC farmed Christmas trees, photo sessions with Santa, and a local farmer’s market, all Covid safe.

A portion of their profits also support the Goldstream Food Bank, and they’re open from November 28th-December 21st 7 days a week.

Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/happyholidaystreeco