Courtesy of https://bucketlistjourney.net/19-ideas-winter-bucket-list-things-to-do/
1. ✧ Host a Football Party
Tis’ the season for…football! Invite all your friends over to root for your favorite team. Don’t worry about the food because Southern Living’s Favorite Game Day Recipes and Food Network’s Game Day Party Recipes has you covered. From mozzarella sticks to Italian stuffed Jalapenos, even if your team is not victorious at least the food will be good.
2. ✧ Make Homemade Hot Chocolate
There’s nothing quite like sipping some hot cocoa while watching a fire blazing. It’s the perfect way to write your bucket list (hint, hint)! You can make yourself a simple Old-Fashioned Hot Chocolate or spruce it up by whipping up a Red Velvet Hot Chocolate. Don’t forget to sip it in your favorite bucket list mug from our buck & co. shop!
3. ✧ Go Ice Fishing
Bundle up, break out your portable seat and spend a relaxing (albeit chilly) day fishing for your dinner. This popular cold weather sport is done using tools like an ice auger, skimmer and gaff hook to catch an array of fish.
Cottage Life breaks the how-to down in their Beginner’s Guide to Ice Fishing. If you need a prime fishing spot for this bucket list adventure, check out Matador’s article on The World’s Best Ice Fishing Locations around the world.
4. ✦ Perfect Your Chili Recipe
Chili is one of the most loved dishes in the winter season. so now is the time perfect your chili recipe. It will give you the opportunity to wow your guests at your next dinner party, but there’s nothing wrong with eating an entire bowl to yourself.
Here’s the one I spent a year perfecting: Best-Ever Homemade Beef & Mushroom Chili Recipe
5. ✦ Start a Scrapbook
Yes, scrapbooking is still a thing and makes for one of the best winter activities for adults or kids. Besides isn’t it about time that you did something with all those boxes of unorganized photos?
If you think you are not creative enough there are plenty of page ideas on the internet. Check these ones out: Scrapbook Ideas for Beginners: 25 Inspiring Layouts and 33 Cool DIY Scrapbook Ideas You Have To Try. Or for something even easier just buy a page kit that has everything you need.
6. ✦ Build a Snowman (Or Snow Angel)
Escape to a winter wonderland to make a snow angel or build a good old fashioned Frosty. Have fun plopping yourself right into the snow, waving your arms and legs to create the perfect angel or stacking big balls on top of each other for a jolly snowman (don’t forget the carrot nose, hat and stick arms!). Bucket list bonus if you do both!
For help read The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Snowman and just for fun here’s 31 Epic Snowman Designs. For a super easy option just buy a kit.
7. ✦ Keep a Gratitude Journal
A great thing to do is start each morning by listing five things you are grateful for. In the beginning it will probably be a struggle to come up with a mere five, being wrapped up in a world full of fear can disguise the good in your life. Think hard. Did you just drink a deliciously warm cup of coffee? Or did you connect with a friend by text? Or enjoy a heartwarming movie on television? There is always something to be grateful for—always.
Need help with coming up with things to be grateful for? Read my article on Being Grateful: 100 Things to Be Thankful For Today
8. ✦ Binge Watch a TV Series
How about getting in your comfy jammies, grabbing a cup of hot chocolate and spending chill time binge watching a fun TV series? This is an easy way to spend time together with the kids, as a couple or even solo.
From comedy to suspense, Netflix and/or Amazon Prime has everything to offer so you can have fun watching back-to-back episodes! It can be a TV show that you’ve loved and are eager to watch again or maybe you’d like to try out a new one.
Schitt’s Creek, Friends and Grey’s Anatomy are pretty popular series, but if you are struggling to find a show, then the 33 of the best TV shows to binge-watch list will help you out.
9. ✦ Take a Snowshoe Hike
Strap on some snowshoes and hike through the snow covered pines. Snowshoe Magazine can help you out with its First-Timer’s Guide to Snowshoeing and Matador Network gives you 10 Amazing Places to Snowshoe in North America.
10. ✦ Go Tubing or Sledding
Who doesn’t love sledding down the mountain? It’s one of those winter activities that’s fun for the whole family. So, find a snowy hill (or ski resort who offers other activities besides skiing) and take a fun ride down!
11. ✦ Read by the Fire
The fire is even better when you have a great book to read. Amazon even has hundreds of free books to download to your Kindle. Don’t have a Kindle? No problem, just download the Kindle app to your smartphone or tablet (you can even download my book on Amazon—shameless plus!). Like to flip the pages of a book? Hit up your local thrift store where you can typically pick up a paperback for under a dollar.
If you love the classics then check of the Classic Books Bucket List: 25 of the Best Must-Read Novels
12. ✧ Do the Polar Bear Plunge
The Polar Bear Plunge is an event where you submerge your entire body into a chilling water, typically to raise money for a charitable organization, but sometimes just for “fun”. Why not be a brave do-gooder this Winter, strip down to your skivvies and jump into freezing cold water for a good cause.
13. ✧ Camp out in the Family Room
How fun would it be for the whole family to have an evening camping in the living room? Move the furniture out of the way and set up a pop up tent right in the middle of the room. Then gather up you pillows, blankets, snacks, books and any other for activities you want to do while you are disconnected.
For extra special fun with the kids, get an indoor teepee! Esty has a ton of adorable ones. Check them out here.
14. ✦ Knit a Scarf or Hat
For beginner knitters, scarves make easy projects and can be worn in a variety of ways to cover up any silly mistakes. Plus, those who master the art, won’t ever need to buy Christmas presents again!
You can find several different How-To videos on YouTube, but this step-by-step video on How to Knit a Scarf for Beginners is one of the best.
For an uber-soft scarf use this alplaca yarn or this chunky chenille!
15. ✦ Take a Cooking Class
Being a restaurant owner and chef, I enjoy taking cooking classes when traveling around the world (but, you could also find some close to home).
I have learned to make pierogi in Poland, pad thai in Thailand and macarons in France! There’s nothing like learning tricks and techniques from the experts at creating a dish.
If you are looking for the best class in a different country or for a cooking school vacation, check out these articles:
16. ✦ Ice Skate on a Lake
Frozen ponds, lakes or rivers can provide you with some of the most scenic ice skating rinks around the world. Glide along, enjoying the fresh air—score some bonus bucket list points if you can learn to ice skate backwards.
If you can’t find a lake or such, outdoor ice skating rinks start popping up everywhere during the winter season-even in places that have no snow! Put on a pair of blades and glide around the rink. Don’t forget to follow it up with a cup of hot cocoa.
17. ✧ Make Apple Cider
Only second to hot chocolate, apple cider is a great way to stay warm when the weather is not. It only takes a few ingredients and this easy hot apple cider will give you a cup in less than half an hour.
18. ✧ Have a Bonfire
Who doesn’t love sitting next to a warm fire pit when it’s cold outside? Call your friends and gather your family for an exciting outdoor bonfire experience. You can sit around the flames, tell ghost stories, and enjoy your favorite food at the same time.
For an extra bucket list worthy experience, you can do some outdoor camping at the same time, and enjoy a starry night.
19. ✧ Have an Indoor Picnic
Picnics aren’t just for the outdoors—clear a space on your living room floor and recreate a memorable dining experience. You can even pack a traditional wicker basket with your favorite picnic foods and enjoy the feast without going too far.
Real Simple magazine can help you out with their Picnic Packing Checklist. If you want to set up an Instagrammable picnic, here’s a cute red checkered picnic basket you can use.
Decorating sugar cookies will be the perfect thing to do with your kids, though my husband and I had a blast doing it on our own! Just follow Alton Brown’s perfect sugar cookie recipe, then pick any cookie cutter shape you desire. The best part is that you can eat the outcome of your activity. Fun!
There’s nothing wrong with sticking to the traditional gingerbread cookie cutter, but there are also tons of other fun shapes—like these:
20. ✧ Do a Family Winter Photo Shoot
Any time you can get the entire family together it is a blessing, but a photo memory of the event is even better! If you are stumped for theme ideas check out 50 Family Photoshoot Ideas and 100 Fun Family Photo Ideas.
21. ✦ Do a Random Act of Kindness
Random acts of kindness are some of the most fulfilling and most humane and human things you could ever do. Especially when it is done for a complete stranger.
- Donate some food
- Pay the bridge toll for the person behind you
- Go to an animal orphanage and help out for the day
- Feed someone’s parking meter.
The possibilities are endless. The best way to approach this is to look at your local community and see what it is they need the most. Or check out my post for ideas: 75 Random Acts of Kindness Ideas: Examples of Kind Things to Do.
22. ✧ Drive a Snowmobile
Do you love speed and exciting activities? Driving a snowmobile can help with that, and will serve as the perfect addition to your winter bucket list.With thousands of miles of snowmobiling opportunities around the world, find your perfect location to hop on and tear through the snow-filled, rolling hills.
23. ✦ Have a Game night
Stay in for the evening, get cozy in your jammies and have a game night marathon. There are different games for all ages, but Bingo and Scrabble are favorites for almost friends and everyone in the family (this bingo set comes with everything you need!).
You can make it even more fun by adding prizes for the winner, like store gift cards, candies or extra TV time for the kids.
My favorite adult game night involves a few fierce rounds of Cards Against Humanity, but Smart Ass and Drink-A-Palooza will also make it a lively night. If you want to make your game night more family friendly for the kids then look at these family games. Still unsure of which games to play? Check out this list: Board Games Bucket List: 50 of the All Time Best Ones to Play
24. ✦ Bake a Pie
There’s an art to making the best homemade pie. It’s all about the fruit inside, creating the perfect pie crust and making it with a touch of love. It doesn’t matter if it’s apples, lemons or peaches – choose whatever is sure to make your mouth water.
You can always find great pie recipes on All Recipes, but for something extra special Saveur created a list of the best pies to bake right now.
25. ✦ Go Bowling
Yes, you can go bowling anytime of the year, but bowling during the winter season is a great way to escape the chilly weather outside. You can enjoy removing your layers of winter clothes, putting on those oh-so-cute shoes and taking your best shot at getting a strike. Bonus bucket list points if you bowl a turkey—three strikes in a row!
26. ✧ Volunteer at a Food Kitchen
There is nothing better than giving back to society, and the cold winter season is the perfect time to volunteer at a food kitchen and help those in need. You can also donate winter clothes and items during the season, but volunteering at a food kitchen will let you connect with society and do your part in making it better for everyone.
You can serve hot soup and delicious food to those who do not have anyone to care for them. Do a good deed this winter season.
27. ✦ Relax at a Spa
Whether you have had a long and exhausting day or an easy breezy one, relaxing at a spa is the perfect solution. You can not only relax your tense muscles, but the steam-filled spa experience will also offer a comfortable sensation amidst the winter season. You can get glowing skin, sweat out impurities, relax your muscles, and let the steam take your mind off the winter season.
28. ✦ Visit a Museum in Your Town
Sometimes we take for granted what is in our own backyards. I am definitely guilty of this—don’t be like me! Do some research of local museums and then make a plan to visit one. You can roam through the rooms discovering new things on your own or participate in an educational tour.
29. ✦ Do a Jigsaw Puzzle
So you’re indoors and it’s cold outside. Brainteasers are the perfect winter activity for those who enjoy a challenge, and completing a jigsaw puzzle is one of them. Grab some apple cider (or a bottle of wine) and spend some quality time sitting around the table looking through and joining the tiny pieces.
Not sure what puzzle to complete? Check out the best 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles for adults (& tips to complete one)
30. ✦ Catch Snowflakes on your Tongue
Who doesn’t love watching the snowfall? Awaken your inner child and try catching a snowflake on your tongue!