The holidays bring a little magic to every city, home, village, you name it. The lights, cold air and cheery feelings spreading around are bound to warm up anyone who celebrates and even extends to those who don’t. Whether you’re planning a marathon of Christmas movies or looking for a way to get out of your house this weekend, here are some festive Christmas and Holiday activities for you to check out this year, both around Charm City and within your cozy home.
Miracle on 34th Street Lights
Down in Hampden on 34th St., there is an expectation of all who live along a small strip by Chestnut Ave. to deck their houses out and fill their lawns with holiday cheer. During the weekends in December, these lights are a free, public spectacle where you can walk by, take pictures and interact with the community. After watching the lights, students are known to head to the Charmery for hot chocolate or a cold scoop of their new holiday flavored ice cream. Their website boasts a 73rd year mark this upcoming season, and Loyola will be offering shuttles back and forth from the lights. They will be picking up students at Boulder Garden Café on Friday, Dec.6 from 6 p.m. -11 p.m. For more information, check out http://www.christmasstreet.com/.
Monument Lighting
Mt. Vernon is an eclectic neighborhood full of character and homages to history. This year, like every year before, the neighborhood will be lighting up the George Washington Monument on Dec. 5 and will feature a festival of food and pop-up shops by all local venders. Performances throughout the event, held from 5 p.m. -8 p.m., will also add to the ambiance and create an innovative way to learn about Mt. Vernon! The website provides details on food and other vendors, as well as further details about the event.
Ice Rink at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor
The Meyerhoff Family’s kind donation to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Ice Rink has recently come to fruition! Students have already been checking out the ice rink, but the rink will stay between the Amphitheatre and Pavillions until Jan. 20. Prices can be found at http://www.innerharboricerink.org/.
“Let It Snow”
Netflix has been gearing up for the holidays with new seasons of our favorite shows, ready for a snow-day marathon. One of their newest original movies, “Let it Snow,” has already hit the site and proves to be a sweet, modern option for entertainment this winter. Starring Netflix regulars Kiernan Shipka and Liv Hewson, the movie is based on the book “Let It Snow” by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. Stay tuned for a movie review on the Greyhound Ops page!
Jonas Brothers “Like It’s Christmas”
Turn on your speakers and queue the new Jonas Brothers Christmas song, “Like It’s Christmas” this season! Their latest album, “Happiness Begins,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 within its first week, and since then the band has rekindled its huge fan base all over the globe. This new song, which has already hit Spotify and Apple Music, is sure to get you in the Christmas Spirit! A link to the YouTube video can be found here.
Starbucks Cups
Starbucks recently came out with what we all have been waiting for: the holiday cups. This year, the disposable cups feature letters spelling out “Starbucks,” while the reusable cups feature glitter and sparkle in addition to the winter-themed text on other models. They have also brought back their traditional seasonal drink lineup complete with the Peppermint Mocha, Chestnut Praline Latte, and the Gingerbread Latte. The Eggnog Latte is the newest drink to the menu this year and is meant to replicate a hot cup of the holiday favorite. Other treats Starbucks has added include the Gingerbread Loaf, the Holiday Cranberry Bar, Peppermint Bark, and the Turkey and Stuffing Panini. Hop over to Starbucks this season to spend your meal points on a holiday classic or even a new flavor or cup.
Photo of Hampden Lights courtesy of 123RF.com
