Five fun things to do outside

It can be easy to get caught up in all the things you can’t do this holiday season, but the good news is there’s still a whole pile of things you can do to get out of the house.

The weather over the next few weeks is expected to stay in that -10C sweet spot for the most part. Cold, but very enjoyable if you dress for it. (That means light layers, thick socks, and hat, scarves, and mitts to go with your winter coat!)

So here’s five fun things to do outside:

1. Tobogganing
   Sliding down a hill on a toboggan, crazy carpet, or GT cruiser isn’t a classic winter activity for nothing and thankfully the sledding hills are still open in most communities. While they’re sure to have other people at them, with a very little bit of diligence keeping that personal space is very achievable.
2. Skating
   Outdoor ice rinks abound around the Lakeland. St. Paul’s new skating oval is open to the public and while the surface has a few bumps, especially coming round the curves it is still a fantastic space to use. You can even get some pretty good speed going. Baby? No problem. Bundle them up, strap them in to the stroller and skate around while pushing it. You’ll both love it.
3. Camp fire
   This one does require a fire pit of your own, but with how early it gets dark these days you don’t have to stay up late to enjoy it. Why not get a fire started after lunch? Pull up a lawn chair and sing some Christmas carols with the kids. Ooey gooey marshmallows and hot chocolate are the perfect snack to enjoy in between jingle bells.
4. Christmas light walk
   With all the magical light displays up at this point, the holidays are the perfect time to take an after dinner constitutional. Bring the family along, or go by yourself if it’s just been a lot of together time. You can even turn it in to a scavenger hunt for the kids and keep track of how many snowmen, santa claus, reindeer and nativity scenes you find along the way.
5. Shovel snow
   Hear me out on this! I know we’re not expecting snow until the New Year but there’s lots of people with mobility challenges or other health issues that prevent them from clearing their own snow. In St. Paul, FCSS has their Snow Angels program which provides signs for people who need help with the snow to put in their yards so people know. If you see a driveway or a sidewalk in need of clearing while you’re out on your Christmas light walk, be an angel, make a mental note of where it is and come back with a shovel in the morning.

Merry Christmas!