With Christmas less than a month away, I can officially tolerate hearing the odd Christmas song on the radio or walking through the mall and grocery stores.

Although I feel less than jolly with a to-do list larger than Santa’s belly, I have been trying to get into the festive spirit.

How, you say, does a student during crunch time make time for almost-holiday fun? Here’s how!

1. Watch seasonal movies.

Movies are a nice way to relax for a short time and to get your mind off the books and into the holiday season.

Movies I love are Elf, Santa Clause and the Polar Express. These movies are great enjoyed in PJs, with a cup of hot chocolate, and napping is of course optional and encouraged!

2. Indulge – a little.

Being really busy can make you a walking zombie, but with the proper motivation your end of the term crunch can be made much easier. Why not splurge on the Holiday Blend coffee at CBU? Or purchase a delicious gingerbread man from Caper Convenience?

Personally, I have my eye on an ultra-comfortable looking CBU hoodie. My goal is to finish all of my assignments, and then to buy it as a Christmas present and as a reward for getting through the busiest time of the year.

Little indulgences here and there make things less stressful, and can offer glimpses of the long, wonderful Christmas vacation that is oh so close.

3. Participate (even briefly) in holiday-inspired events.

Another way to get your mind off of your studies for a short while is to attend a holiday event in Cape Breton.

On my agenda are the “Holiday Spirit” event put on by the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design (capebretoncraft.com) on December 1^st, and the local artisan market at CBU on December 5^th in the Art Gallery – beginning at 11AM.

Spending an hour or two away from your studies is necessary, and will probably improve your mood and general merriment quite a lot.

4. Plan out your break.

Daydreaming the recipes you’ll cook and the cozy sleeps you’ll be able to sleep during Christmas break is surely enough to make you work a little bit harder on completing your December to-do list.

Make plans ahead of time that you can look forward to now. Invite friends you never see over for tea and treats, or start styling your New Years Eve party outfit.

The excitement of things to come will make you 100% feel better about getting things done, and as you cross things off your to-do list, you’ll be one step closer to your awesome plans.

That’s everything I’m doing to enjoy the festive time of year – while remaining focused on my academic deadlines.

How are you balancing work with play this holiday season?

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 27th, 2011 at 2:56 am and is filed under Lucy's Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.