But if you do happen to be tied down at this tradition-heavy time of year, you are in luck. Even if you and your partner aren't totally gung-ho about Christmas, you can use the holidays as an excuse to repurpose some of those tried and true Christmas activities and have some real fun. Here are some ideas.
The traditon: Making a gingerbread house (read: toiling over heavy-duty royal icing and brittle cookies)
The spin: Making a zombie-overrun gingerbread house. This house of horrors version is much more interesting and allows for a more diverse range of easy-to-work with materials (think: jam for gore, oreo cookie crumbs for dirt). And you don't have to worry about making it perfect. It's a zombie apocalypse after all.
The tradition: Buying each other advent calendars
The spin: Making each other personalized DIY advent calendars. As this round-up of unique DIY calendars proves, advent calendars are full of potential for those who love tiny things. This way, you can give your lover a small trinket each day of the month, rather than a big one on the 25th.
The tradition: Sending out cards to loved ones
The spin: Snail mail rules, and there is something unexpected and fun about getting a card in the mail. But if you fancy yourself a digital savvy artiste, take a more multimedia approach. You can create a little video on your phone or computer for free at Animoto.com (or any another site of your choice – ask your blogger pals) and personalize it with your own message for a much more engaging holiday greeting.
The tradition: Going on a sleigh ride
The spin: If you have the opportunity to actually go on a sleigh ride, I urge you to take it. However, if you are allergic to horses or simply can't muster the enthusiasm to feign Christmas spirit on a freezing cold horse-drawn carriage, there are other ways to celebrate a winters day. For example, DIY snow tubing. Find the highest hill near your house and propel down it on a blow up tube or raft. Exhilarating.
The tradition: Baking cookies for neighbors
The spin: Bake cookies and give them to homeless people.
The tradition: Decorating a Christmas tree
The spin: The cost of a Christmas tree is roughly the same as a week's worth of groceries and is a nightmare to clean up. Erect a tree using materials you already have on hand, like this tree of stacked books or this string wall art tree.
Most importantly, Christmas is about spending time with people you enjoy, not spending mass amounts of money on things. It's about making memories, doing it your way, celebrating however you want. If that involves opting out of gift swapping, fruitcake, and eggnog, so be it. You're a grown ass woman.
