Welcome to Ella’s Essentials: Christmas Edition! For my second piece, I decided to discuss all things Christmas, my favorite holiday.

I am still open to collaborating with many different members of our community. So, if you have an idea for an essentials list, feel free to email me at [email protected].

Essential Christmas List Items

If you do not know what you want for Christmas, I would definitely recommend going on Youtube and searching “Christmas gift ideas 2020”. So many videos will pop up that have great ideas that you may not have thought of!

• Gift cards/money: Gift cards and money are a staple option that I ask for every year. Therefore, you can buy whatever you want for yourself.
• Nike Air Force 1s: Air Force 1s go with any outfit, and I wear mine all the time. You could also ask for custom ones that could take your style to the next level. I would recommend drip creationz for these.
• Disposable Camera: Disposable cameras produce unique photos that are fun to see and develop. They are a great way to capture memories in a physical form.
• Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone: Jam session in the car? A karaoke mic is great to have while driving with friends, and you can even sing-along to your favorite Christmas songs!
• Oversized Sweatshirts: I honestly have way too many oversized sweatshirts but always seem to want more. They are just so comfortable to wear, especially during Zoom classes. Kaylee Doughtery ‘21 said, “Oversized sweatshirts are always the mood. For the winter, I have always thought it’s important to have at least one big sweatshirt to ensure the best comfortability.”

Essential Christmas COVID Activities

Yes, COVID has taken a lot from us, but there are still various ways that we can celebrate Christmas that are covid safe!

1. Decorate house: Though self-explanatory, decorating my house is probably my favorite way to get into the Christmas spirit. My favorite thing to do is decorate my tree with lights, garland, and ornaments. We have so many sentimental ornaments that include ones I painted when I was little, ones with tiny photos in them, and ones from when we visited various places. Putting up these ornaments allows me to look back at all these memories and feel sentimental. Everyday, you see those decorations and they instantly brighten your day. 
2. Bake Christmas cookies with your friends on zoom: Amilyn Thomas ‘22 loves baking with a Hallmark Christmas movie on in the background. “I love that everyone can get up and do something interactive and we can all enjoy seeing each other’s end product and of course indulge in some wonderful cookies!”
3. Driving around and listening to Christmas music: Driving around and listening to Christmas music is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. I made a Christmas playlist on Spotify that I love to listen to every year! 
4. Drive-thru Christmas light shows: Margaux Rawson ‘21 enjoys going to Christmas light shows with her friends. With COVID this year, she finds this to be a super safe way to enjoy a fun Christmas tradition. “It makes it feel like Christmas to me. I know I am in the Christmas mood when I see all the beautiful lights!”
5. Online shopping for gifts: Online shopping is a great way to find all of your gifts in a safe way. It allows you to easily search for anything you would like and compare prices from different stores.
6. Watch Christmas movies: Classic Christmas movies are a great way to get into the holiday spirit! Kendall Bocklet ‘22 said, “This year, we started a new tradition for movie watching. Each member of my family picked three of their favorite Christmas movies-whether they be classics or just any movie with a holiday scene. For the nights leading up to Christmas, we randomly pick one of the movies out of a hat and the whole family watches together. One of my picks,  “A Muppet Christmas Carol,” has been my favorite since I was little.”
   • “Elf”: Buddy was accidentally brought to the North Pole as a little boy and raised with Santa’s elves. He travels to New York to find his father. Elf is my favorite Christmas movie because it always makes me laugh!
   • “The Polar Express”: A doubting young boy takes a remarkable train ride to the North Pole and learns that he must believe. This movie was shown to us every year in grade school, and it will always be a classic for me.
   • “Home Alone”: The McCallisters mistakenly leave for their family trip without Kevin. He is left home alone and must protect his house against two con men who plan to rob them. This movie is now playing on Disney Plus.
   • “Miracle on 34th Street”: In Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade, an old man going by the name of Kris Kringle fills in for Santa. Claiming that he is the real Santa Claus, Kringle surprises customers and employees. It leads to a court case to determine his mental sanity and, more importantly, his legitimacy. My family has watched this movie since I was little, and it has always been sentimental to me.

Merry Christmas!