3 Alternative Ways to Spend Christmas

By Lewis Humphries,
Editor at online-gambling.com

Lewis Humphries Editor at online-gambling.com

Lewis has written professionally for 10 years and is fortunate to have written for several market leading agencies and betting brands in the UK, Ireland and even Canada. His sports writing has also featured in popular publications such as Yahoo Sports, The Boot Room and Give Me Sport.

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

More About Lewis Humphries

Last updated: December 10, 2024

It’s fair to say that the festive period means something different to each and every one of us. For some, it’s a highly commercialized holiday where the exchange of gifts is central to the whole experience. From the perspective of others, Christmas is a time for gathering loved ones together and spending quality time together.

However, not everyone enjoys the same circumstances when preparing for Christmas. You may not be surrounded by family during the festive season, for example, or you could have a desire to visit more exotic (and warmer) corners of the globe. In these cases, you may want to seek out alternative ways to spend Christmas, whether this involves volunteering overseas or playing your favorite games at the best slots sites!

• Being Charitable Overseas – One of the More Unconventional Christmas Ideas
• Spending Christmas Alone – Exploring Unusual Christmas Ideas Solo
• Do You Have a Young Family? Alternative Ideas for the Festive Period
• The Last Word – Making the Most of Every Single Christmas!

Being Charitable Overseas – One of the More Unconventional Christmas Ideas

If you’ve reached a point in your life where you want to give something back to society, there may be several reasons for this. You may have accumulated significant wealth, for example, or simply have endured some difficult experiences that have changed your outlook on the world.

Regardless, Christmas is the ideal time to indulge your philanthropic tendencies, as there are many charitable drives and communities that require help all around the world. So, let’s take a look at some of the more interesting and unusual Christmas ideas if you want to give back and volunteer this Christmas!

• Volunteer with Monkeys in South Africa: For those of you who want to give back to the animal kingdom, why not volunteer at a primate rehabilitation center in South Africa? This is a thrilling and unusual volunteering program that runs throughout the year, but December is the summer season in SA and brings temperatures as high as 33°C. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one of the more non-traditional ways to spend holidays!
• Roam with the Elephants in Sri Lanka: Similarly, visiting Sri Lanka on the subcontinent and volunteering with elephants here is another of the alternative ways to spend Christmas this year. These magnificent creatures are endangered in Sri Lanka, so instead of enjoying a traditional festive period, why not travel to Asia and join a critical initiative to help preserve current and future generations? This also enables you to immerse yourself in local communities and understand how elephants interact with the locals!
• Visit and Work at an Animal Sanctuary in Thailand: On a similar note, you may also want to visit nearby Thailand and volunteer to join one of the region’s wildlife sanctuary programs. Here, there are specific volunteering projects operating in the dense forestland of Kaeng Krachan National Park, which is home to various species of monkeys and birds. Some of these are also endangered. Interestingly, there are also neighboring initiatives that start in Bangkok and enable you to travel to Chiang Mai, Laos and Vietnam.

Spending Christmas Alone – Exploring Unusual Christmas Ideas Solo

If you go volunteering overseas at Christmas, you can do this either by yourself or in a larger group. But what happens if you live alone and have to navigate the festive period solo, but don’t like the idea of travelling overseas? In this instance, you may want to consider unconventional Christmas ideas and pastimes that are a little closer to home! Here are some ideas to keep in mind!

• Invite Friends and Serve a Non-Traditional Dinner: If you don’t have a loved one or family members close by, the chances are that you may not be the only individual in your circle who faces spending Christmas alone. So, why not consider inviting friends who are in a similar position over to your home for Christmas day? You could also spice up the occasion by serving up a non-traditional dinner, whether you cook this yourself or order in from a fancy restaurant that serves exotic cuisines. You could even serve a potluck soup buffet, or even put only vegetarian or vegan foods on your table!
• Host a Virtual Party or Gathering: If distance or scheduling is an issue and your friends cannot make it over to your home this Christmas, why not host a virtual gathering? You can use advanced communication tools such as Zoom or Skype to organize this, while you can leverage this technology to host quizzes and interactive party games too. We’re also fans of the innovative ‘Netflix Teleparty app’, which allows you to watch a classic Christmas movie or two wherever you and your friends may be in the world!
• Consider Hosting a Virtual Games Night!: Similarly, you could consider using the same technology to host a virtual games night! This enables you to play classic interactive party games remotely, or even engage in video gaming marathons. If you’re a fan of real money gambling, why not access your favorite slots online and bring one of the more unusual Christmas ideas to life? Of course, you can also host this type of games night and gathering in person if you’re able to.

Do You Have a Young Family? Alternative Ideas for the Festive Period

Even if you’re enjoying a more conventional setup and spending the festive period with your young family, there are still a number of alternative ways to spend Christmas. Of course, these will vary depending on the precise size and age of your family, alongside the typical activities and pastimes that usually characterize your Christmas.

While age and cost restrictions may limit the number of unconventional Christmas ideas that you pursue with your young family, the imaginative minds of children can also unlock an array of creative and cost-effective activities! So, we’ve prepared some ideas to help you enjoy a unique and interactive festive period.

• Think Beyond the Traditional Christmas Tree: It was the German Lutherans who first decorated Christmas trees during the 16th century, but this is now a focal point of the festive period throughout the western world. However, there’s nothing to say that you have to decorate a tree, so why not consider sprucing up a completely different item or object this year? This could be a ladder, coat rack or any table that serves as a focal point of your interior, while you can use as many festive decorations as you like to achieve your goals!
• Go All Out on a Festive Family Photoshoot: Time flies when you have a young family, so it’s important that you cherish your time with your children while they’re youthful. Making and documenting memories is key here, so why not go all out and book a lavish family photoshoot this Christmas? You can book an indoor shoot or even have one done outdoors, against the backdrop of snow laden hills and the wonders of nature. You can book expensive packages that allow for a huge selection of images, while there are natural and creative shoots that capture the real essence of your family.
• Set Up a Hot Chocolate Bar: Amid all of these surreal and unusual Christmas activities, there’s still nothing better than sitting back and enjoying a rich hot chocolate during the festive period. But why not take your love of hot chocolate and sugary syrups to a new level this Christmas, by opening up a full-scale hot chocolate bar in your home? You can introduce different flavorings, trimmings and toppings, while even investing in some fun, festive mugs. You could even set this up as part of an outdoor winter barbeque this Christmas!
• Participate in a Great Santa Run: Have you ever heard of a so-called “Santa Run”? This is an occasionally competitive and often charitable run that takes place every festive period, with participants required to race while dressed in a full Santa Claus outfit. Of course, most people race for fun, while it’s not uncommon for entire families to race against one another and compete for household bragging rights. There’s even a ‘Reindeer’ run hosted too in some locations, while you’ll have the opportunity to collect sponsorships and raise funds for a charitable cause!

The Last Word – Making the Most of Every Single Christmas!

No matter what your circumstances, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy a fun and engaging festive period! As you can see from the unusual Christmas ideas listed above, there are plenty of options, whether you’re flying solo during the festive period or have a young family to entertain.

Some of these ideas may also move you away from the commercialized idea of Christmas. Instead, they encourage you to do something meaningful with your time, or focus on the friends and loved ones that make your life complete. This can actually help you to discover the true meaning of Christmas and its unique magic!