It’s that long week after Christmas but not quite New Year’s Eve yet, the kids are out of school and you’re looking for activities and crafts the whole family can enjoy, we share ways to continue the festivities.
SKATING & S’MORES
Stay in the wintry spirit and glice skate… yes, you heard it right, glice is an eco-friendly way to ice skate at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar rink. It’s the same feeling and experience except for not as cold and when you fall you don’t get wet. This is especially great if you have anyone in the group, young or old that are learning how to skate. They also have little whale pushers for kids just learning. You can rent skates or bring your own. Fairmont Grand Del Mar has created a beautiful ambiance to skate or watch your friends and family skate. Lights hang over the rink and the rink is surrounded by fire pits and cabanas. We loved watching our kids skate with each other and of course the dads got into the fun by pushing the kids around too.
The fire pits and cabanas are an amazing spot and great option too if you have people in the group that don’t want to skate or need a break. We enjoyed roasting marshmallows and make s’mores. They even have a bougee s’mores kit complete with artisan chocolates and dipping sauces. The Grand Del Mar Social Club has lots of festive food and drinks too. Our favorites include the Short Rib Chili, Charred Brussels sprouts, Fire Roasted Brie, and Wagyu Dog. And we just had to try the Reindeer Tears and Mulled Wine too. Live music and characters roaming make this a great family spot. The Social Club and Glice rink are open to the public. Consider making reservations in advance as this is a popular spot!
WINTER WONDERLAND
San Diego is just a quick trip to the snow and Big Bear has everything your family needs for winter wonderland fun. From skiing and snowboarding to lessons and more Snow Summit (peak 8,200 feet) and Bear Mountain (peak 8,805 feet) offer the best snow conditions, longest season, and most rideable terrain in Southern California.
If your little shredders have never been on the slopes, or it’s been a while since their last visit, Big Bear Mountain Resorts has a Parents’ Guide to Skiing with Kids to make sure your next trip to SoCal’s snow capital is filled with alpine good times from first chair to last laps.
A couple great options for families and friend groups are trying a smartphone-led walking tour, where you solve clues around the village and move from destination to destination while learning about Big Bear history along the way or Grizzly Ridge Tube Park. Skip the hiking and take a magic carpet to the top of the tube park, then slide down one of their four 300-foot tubing lanes as fast as you can in a high-speed tube.
With the New Year approaching, Snow Summit’s Torchlight Parade is a great option for New Year’s Eve. It’s the 58th annual parade, admission is FREE and open to all ages. Watch 200+ skiers and snowboarders light the night as they make their way down the face of the mountain in the dark with torches to create a spellbinding spectacle of light before the (Snow) ball drops. Starts at 7pm, DJ and more.
PAINT YOUR OWN CREATION
An annual tradition for our families is painting ceramics and bringing home the keepsakes. We love CeramiCafe because it’s such a fun environment and they have so many pieces to pick from, or you can completely come up with your own design. We get creative with handprints, let the kids fully takeover their items with ideas and paint. Be sure to date the bottom as it’s so fun to look back as you display throughout the year in their rooms or your home. From piggy banks of their favorite characters to plates, mugs and more, the kids love finding a piece to make their own. We enjoy watching them use their creations. CeramiCafe is such a fun spot for a rainy or cold day too. There’s plenty of table space to spread out and paint with your group. We always love being creative with the kids and love how CeramiCafe inspires that.
CRAFTY COUNTDOWN TO THE NEW YEAR
New Year’s Eve is this Saturday and get your kids crafting and helping with the holiday decor. We’ve curating a handful of ideas and free printables for families.
We colored these fun 2023 New Year Party Hats, you can download for free at The Craft Train and we made DIY Party Poppers using leftover wrapping paper rolls, wrapping paper, balloons and craft supplies we had at the house. Games are a must for families so we love the idea of drawing household items on a grid and giving to the kids go on a scavenger hunt through the house. Plus New Year Bingo is always a big hit and we download cards for free from Paper Trail Designs. Also take time to reflect on the year and select your favorite photos memories and turn them into ornament keepsakes.
Another fun idea is to print out photos from some of your favorite memories from 2022. It could be a visit with Santa or family adventure. Use washi tape to create a border, add stickers and laminate. We punch a hole and add string to make it into an ornament. We enjoy looking at the memories as they hang on the tree each year. It’s a fun way to remember all of the moments that can be easy to forget in the business of the season. This is also a fun idea to give as gifts to others. It is simple enough for kids to do too.
Other ideas as you countdown to the New Year include a round cake to replica a clock and then you can cut a slice out each hour. We paired it with Kane Miller’s Here and There book to learn about New Year traditions across the globe.
