31 Reasons to Celebrate in December

If you need a reason to eat a pie, celebrating a national holiday seems like an excellent one. From classic cherry or apple, to the ever-polarizing mincemeat, to more inventive crusty creations, today’s the day to indulge in your favorite kind of pie (Or make some space in the freezer and finish up all those leftover Thanksgiving pies)! 

Ready, set, get shopping! This shopping day has loads of deals on all shopping websites. Get prepared with your holiday list and score some hot buys!

Get those warm and fuzzy feelings by sending some good vibes out into the universe and giving someone you love a hug today. Maybe you can even get your easily embarrassed teenager to give you a quick, one-armed squeeze.  

If you need an excuse to eat or bake cookies, here it is! Use the holiday to host a cookie exchange, bake sale, or just a day to make your all-time favorite cookies.

Repeal Day, or the day Prohibition was officially repealed in the United States, can only be celebrated in one way: Enjoy your favorite beer, wine, or cocktail at the local (legal!) watering hole. And if you end up celebrating Repeal Day a little too hard, don't forget the hangover remedies.

Fancy stand-mixers. Sous vide cookers. Some kitchen appliances get all the glitz and glory. But no appliance revolutionized the kitchen or made heating up leftovers so simple than the humble microwave oven. Pop some popcorn or whip up a microwavable mug cake in appreciation.

When was the last time you wrote a letter… on paper? Today, ditch your smartphone and reach out to a faraway friend or family member with some good, old-fashioned snail mail. (Bonus points if you make the card yourself!) 

As if we really need a national holiday to appreciate brownies! Whether you prefer basic, cake-like brownies, ooey gooey fudge brownies, or brownies topped with bacon, there’s no wrong way to celebrate this delicious, chocolatey holiday. 

Indulge in this day with the fluffy goodness that is pastry. Try making homemade puff pastry from scratch, try pastry with eggs for breakfast, or use store-bought pastry for 15 fun and delicious recipe ideas.

Today is a day to think about others and learn more about how you can help people in your community, state, or even the world. Read up on some human rights campaigns and learn how you can be more involved this year.

Celebrate apps by using a few of your favorites (or giving your phone the probably much-needed clean out).

Get ready for Christmas by making your very own festive gingerbread house from scratch! Perfect as a gift, try unique decorating ideas to make yours truly special.

If crushing a pint of ice cream isn’t part of your weekly routine, today’s the day to indulge in your favorite frosty treat, whether its homemade, smushed between cookies, or dairy-free. 

Roasting chestnuts is synonymous with the holiday season; there’s even a classic holiday song about it! Once the chestnuts are roasted, add them to stuffing, your favorite holiday desserts, and even soup for a rich, nutty flavor.

From classic cupcakes, to more decadent, inventive cupcakes, to dairy-free, vegan-friendly versions, there’s truly no wrong way to eat a cupcake. 

When it comes to eating, everyone has different tastes and opinions. But there are a few things many people can all agree upon: Bacon is delicious, salty snacks are divine, and fresh berries are delectable. And when they’re covered in chocolate, they only get better. 

Maple syrup is the perfect topping for pancakes, waffles, and more. During the spring, warmer temperatures force sugar maple trees to turn their stored starches into sugar. When the sugar mixes with groundwater, sap (the main ingredient in maple syrup) is formed. It takes a whopping 40 gallons of sap to produce just one gallon of maple syrup!

If you haven’t already baked 10 dozen holiday cookies by now, today’s the day to grab your cookie cutters and get baking. From classic gingerbread, sugar and butter cookies, to Christmas cookies from around the globe, there are innumerable ways to testing your baking chops today. 

It's the perfect breakfast muffin. Make yourself a batch for National Oatmeal Muffin Day and your friends and family will thank you for it. Try adding pumpkin or applesauce for a festive treat.

Before your home is taken over by extended family visiting for the holidays, get some quality family time with your partner and kids by playing your favorite board games for a few hours. (If you're competitive, use some pro tips for winning Monopoly and Scrabble!)

Use the day as an excuse to indulge in a juicy hamburger! Prepped with a classic bun and American cheese or a glazed donut and bacon, nothing beats a burger with french fries.

From blessings on the Menorah to a traditional family dinner to playing with the dreidel, there are so many wonderful ways to celebrate the Festival of Lights. 

Say hallo to your new favorite Christmas cookie! Pfeffernüsse are small, round, spiced cookies that are popular in Germany, Denmark, and The Netherlands. Made with a few ingredients like flour, eggs, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and other fragrant spices, these cookies are super simple to make but have tons of warm, spicy flavor. 

What’s your family’s favorite Christmas Eve tradition? Whether you curl up on the couch with some popcorn and "A Christmas Story," go caroling, feast with friends, or just lay low at home, today’s a day to spend time with loved ones, eat some Christmas cookies, and prepare for tomorrow’s festivities. 

It’s finally here! Time for exchanging presents, hanging out with family, indulging in some delicious food, and wearing your elastic waist eating pants with zero shame.

December 26 is better known as Boxing Day, but did you know it's also a day to celebrate candy canes? Love ‘em or hate ‘em, candy canes are the Christmas candy. The story goes that a choirmaster back in 1670 handed out the original candy canes to children to keep them quiet during Christmas mass. Now, candy canes are used for much more than quieting unruly kids, like prepping cocktails, popcorn, and other sweet treats. 

Not very crafty? It doesn’t matter! It’s virtually impossible to mess up a construction paper snowflake. But if you’re really not so artistic, an easy guide may come in handy. 

From poker, to bridge, to Old Maid, there are so many card games to play. Enjoy learning a new game or partake in family favorite.

With only two days left of the year, try using this day to take care of any unfinished business so you can head into the new year with all your boxes ticked.

Believe it or not, it is possible to incorporate bacon into every single meal you eat today. From regular breakfast bacon to delicious sandwiches, caramel popcorn, and even cocktails, bacon adds rich, salty flavor to anything.

The new year has arrived! Reflect on all the things you’ve accomplished over the last 12 months and look forward to achieving your new goals in the coming year.