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Christmas is now only two days away! Due to the pandemic, many Austin residents are facing a holiday season unlike any other. Although some annual events are still in place, there are plenty of other ways to form new traditions for this year's Christmas.
Here are six fun things you can do while social distancing to feel the Christmas cheer:
Play virtual board games
Pexels
Traveling is already a challenge during the holidays, but with the pandemic it's even tougher. If you and your family are choosing to stay close to home this year, consider playing virtual board games with out of state family members for a fun night in. This favorite holiday tradition might look different this year, but playing online games can be fun for the whole family and lets you avoid exposure to COVID-19. Trivia Royale, Song Quiz, Tabletopia and House Party are new multiplayer online games that can help you stay connected with friends and family. Even if you're a fan of classic games, you can play Scrabble, Monopoly or Game of Life online. Try playing a virtual board game this holiday season to form a new tradition for all family members, near or far.
Virtual fundraiser
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Although holiday game nights can be fun and harmless, some families get a little more competitive. As an incentive, consider adding donations to a virtual fundraiser to your virtual game night as a way to stay connected with loved ones and give back to the community. Adding a sprinkle of competitive spirit to your holiday game night can turn into a tradition for years to come. When you start playing a virtual game, set rules on who will have to contribute to an online fundraiser. Whether you choose if the winner or loser has to donate to a fundraiser, set fun and creative rules by adding game privileges to those who donate.
Baking
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Since the pandemic hit, many Austinites have tried to master the art of cooking and baking. If you haven't become the baker of your dreams yet, the holiday season is the perfect time to try out new recipes and spice up your holiday desserts. Try making a unique holiday-themed dessert recipe this year to have your home smelling like cookies and feeling like Christmas. This activity is perfect for any family with younger kids or friends who are cooped up together during the holidays to add a new tradition to your holiday season.
Cruise through light shows
(Isabella Lopes/Austonia)
Annual beloved Austin events such as the Austin Trail of Lights and Mozart's Light Show are still happening this year, despite the pandemic and with added safety measures. Although these events are perfectly enjoyable while social distancing, try switching up holiday traditions by grabbing some hot chocolate and looking at lights from your car, for free. Families with children can enjoy this activity all holiday season and add a sparkle of Christmas cheer to anyone seeing lights around town. You can choose to visit a holiday event around town or drive through a decked out neighborhood to see streets filled with lights.
Binge watch your favorite Christmas movies
Holiday cheer can be spread in many ways, but nothing beats cozying up on the couch and watching your favorite Christmas movies with your loved ones. This year's Christmas already looks different than most, so no judgement if you want to spend the day eating your holiday-themed desserts and watching one Christmas movie after the other.
DIY projects
Adding a low-cost and family-fun activity to your holiday season might be just what you need after facing the challenges of 2020. Crafting is a fun activity to do with family and friends and can be an easy way to stay connected with family members. You can place a video call with family members from out of state and craft together, for a fun holiday experience with all your loved ones. If your family is competitive, try having a competition on the best craft in the house, or share the results on social media so your loved ones can choose a favorite. Check out these DIYs for a crafty holiday season.
This is part of a holiday series counting down to Christmas so make sure to visit Austonia tomorrow, as we reach one day until Christmas.
- Old Christmas traditions in Austin and their history - austonia ›
- Don't miss these 7 Christmas movie showings in Austin - austonia ›
- Countdown to Christmas: Holiday themed bars in Austin - austonia ›
- Countdown to Christmas: Dogs of Austin are ready for the holidays ... ›
- Countdown to Christmas: Holiday light displays around Austin ... ›
- Countdown to Christmas: Christmas songs by Austin musicians ... ›
- Countdown to Christmas: DIY crafts for the whole family - austonia ›
- Countdown to Christmas: Why Christmas in Austin is better - austonia ›
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(Laura Figi/Austonia)
So far, there have been 14 100-degree days in Austin this year, and that's been before the official start of summer is this week. Texas usually ranks as one of the hottest states in the U.S., outside of Arizona’s dry heat, while Austin easily ranks as one of the top 10 hottest cities.
Austin hit its all-time high temperature, 112 degrees, in September 2000 and again in August 2011, but if you think it’s hot here, try spending some time in these cities.
Death Valley, CA | Record temp: 134°
Less than 600 people live in Death Valley and for good reason—its long basin and elevation of 282 feet below sea level make it the record-holding hottest place on Earth. The aptly-named Death Valley had 154 days above 100 degrees in the summer of 2001 and rarely has more than two inches of rain per year. It’s typical for Death Valley to have 120-degree days or higher in the summer, which has never happened in Austin and is the highest temperature ever recorded in Texas.
Kairouan, Tunisia | Record temp: 122°
The capital city of Tunisia set a new record high temperature in December 2021 when it hit 122 degrees, smashing the previous record of 118 set in 1982. On average, the hottest months tend to fall between June-September and with 60% humidity or above, it makes it feel much hotter.
Phoenix, AZ | Record temp: 122°
Few places on Earth are hotter than Phoenix, which consistently tops the chart as the hottest city in the U.S. According to Accuweather, Phoenix reaches triple-digit temperatures on a near-daily basis from late May to mid September, which is well over 100 days out of the year. The city usually hits 90 degrees or higher for half of the year. Anyone living on the border of Arizona and California, like the Yuma or Lake Havasu area, is liable to see similarly sweltering heat.
Austin has much more temperature variability year over year—the city hit 100 degrees 12 times in 2021, 49 times in 2020 and 57 times in 2019. Like Austin though, Phoenix is known for extremely mild winters that rarely dip below 60 degrees.
Las Vegas, NV | Record temp: 118°
The fabulous Las Vegas shares a record temperature with Tucson, Arizona, and sits just over 100 miles from California’s Death Valley, so it shares some of its heat waves. Residents of Las Vegas spend over a third of the year, around 135 days, weathering heat that is above 90 degrees, though Austinites fall right behind with 123 days above the same threshold. Just an hour and a half south in Laughlin, the record high temperature reached 125 degrees.
Athens, Greece | Record temp: 116°
Athens leads the charge on Europe’s hottest country but you’ll still find that Austin is hotter on average: Athens has an average high temperature of 85 degrees in June, while Austin’s average is 92. However, Athens broke Austin’s record high-temperature last August when it reached 116 degrees, making the city so hot they had to start shutting archaeological sites down.
