The countdown is over! Need something to if you’re not traveling? Here are the top eight activities to do during winter break.

1. Ice skating

Ice skating is a fun way to spend time with friends and family during the winter. If you are not a super outdoorsy person there are both indoor and outdoor ice rinks, and admission and rental for skates are typically very cheap, if not free! Some awesome places to ice skate are Rosemont Ice Rink and the local YMCA.

1. Sledding

Sledding is always a fun winter activity no matter what age. In Elmhurst there are several great places to go sledding, such as Berens, Eldridge, and Crestview Park. Get a group of friends together and go have a great time!

1. The movies and hot cocoa

A lot of great movies come out around winter break, which means you’ll be around for peak movie season. Go see a the newest action, comedy, or drama movie that everyone has been talking about! After the movie you can even go get a nice hot cocoa and discuss your likes and dislikes about the movie.

1. Volunteer

During the holidays, and all year long local charities could use volunteers. Seek out a charity that does work you are passionate about and look into volunteering for them. Not only will this be rewarding for you, but it would also be extremely helpful and could make a huge difference! Just a few hours could help a great cause. Also, there is strength in numbers so try and gather your friends and family to help out too! Sophomore Mikey Lubertozzi said, “My family and I volunteer at our church’s food bank on Christmas every year and it’s really gratifying”

1. Catch up on your reading

Although books may be the last thing on your mind after all these exams, reading for pleasure is a great hobby to immerse yourself into a new world. Winter break is the time to pick up a new book, and if you’re feeling adventurous it is a time to try new genres of books and see what you enjoy and learn from it. This hobby can be done alone or you can invite family and friends to join you around the fireplace and spend some peaceful reading time together.

1. Bake

With holiday parties right around the corner it is the time to show off your baking skills. “Every year, for Christmas, my sister and I bake holiday cookies and it’s so fun,” Said Junior Joy Hernandez. “Gooey chocolate chip cookies at my family parties are gone almost instantly.” Baking is a great way to impress your family, and remember that a family that eats together stays together!

1. Sleep in

Post finals you may be a bit behind on your sleep. That’s why now is the time to catch up on your sleep and relax. Senior Grace Que said, “the first thing I’m doing after my last final is sleeping for a whole day.”  It is important for adolescents to get eight to ten hours of sleep a night. If you have not been sleeping this much then rest up and catch up on your Zzz’s.

8. Spend time with family

Winter break is often a time for friends and family to reconnect. Whether or not your family is super busy during the year with work or school, winter break is a time for everyone to be together at once. This may not happen to often with hectic schedules, so don’t take it for granted and spend time with one another.