How to Spend the First Christmas When It’s Just You + Your Boo

1. Don’t Set an Alarm: For once, have a Christmas morning that involves sleeping in. Set your phone to silent the night before (you will not be bothered by merry group texts sent from different time zones this holiday) and revel in your PJ party when you two wake up without the usual ping! Use this precious time for R+R: Read a book, do some coloring, eat breakfast (and lunch) in bed, play cards or watch holiday movies that were your childhood faves. Haven’t moved and it’s dark again? Open up your gifts around the tree at night for a fun twist on a tradition that should never be squashed and follow it up with a quality brunch-for-dinner.

2. Make It a Real Movie Day: If your typical weekend/long-weekend (okay, every night of the week) is spent in sweatpants Netlix-and-chilling all day, the holiday should be the time to make your movie date a little more special. Throw on a coat (probably over the same sweatpants) and go to see one or more of the highly anticipated holiday movies out this December, like our dream besties Tina Fey + Amy Poehler hamming it up in Sisters, Leo D’s new epic survival flick The Revenant or… what’s that one about space? Oh right, STAR WARS!).

3. Go for a Walk — No Matter the Weather: Everyone else on the block is out of town, so enjoy the unusually quiet and decorated streets of your hood while enjoying (snowball fight!) or braving (think: sidewalks like an ice rink) the winter weather. This will be a good time for you to get some fresh air, touch some snow (fingers crossed!) and not feel like complete lazy bums. Plus, those lights wont be up for much longer (except for the one house that seriously leaves everything up until February) — better enjoy them while they last. Remember, you can keep warm by bringing along a hot beverage (maybe even a little hot buttered rum, if you’re feeling adventurous).

4. Make the Christmas Dinner/Dessert Bar of Your Pinterest Dreams: When it comes to DIY dinner at big family gatherings, there are often literally too many cooks in the kitchen. Consider this your time to shine and whip up that dream Christmas dinner that you’ve always wanted to make! Make a pact that you’ll use nothing from a box and try your hand at a fancy recipe you normally wouldn’t have time to make, like beef wellington (’cause we’ve *all* had enough turkey) with all of the fun takes on some of your favorite side dishes. Remember, you don’t have to go traditional: Have an epic taco fest, build your own pizza or hand roll sushi.

5. Go Out for a Drink to the Bars That Are ALWAYS Packed on Date Night: Here’s something you may not have thought of: Christmas can be one of the best going-out holidays of the year. With people spending traditional time with their family, the most bustling bars and restos in your hood may very well be a ghost town. Make Christmas the night you breeze past the door guy at that typically line-out-the-door tiki bar or nab a reservation at the trendy new eatery that scored major points in the local paper. Or if you’re looking for something more familiar, go hang out at your neighborhood with your favorite bartender, and maybe even bring him some of holiday sweets.

6. Don’t Forget to Have a Little Family Face Time: Even though you aren’t able to have face-to-face time, giving the family a call them will give your entire crew the warm and fuzzies. After all, even though this Christmas is about you two, it’s also about family; so show them some love.

What do you and your boo have planned for the holidays?Tweet us your fave holiday activities for couples @BritandCo!

(Photos via iStock)