Winter is settling in and the holidays are approaching so it’s time to start thinking about your winter break plans. Traveling is fun but sometimes it is important to spend some time in your home town. Here are some quality activities that we are personally planning on indulging in. 

Holiday Market: 

If you’re looking for some fun and unique handmade gifts for the holidays, or even just shopping for yourself, go check out the Eugene Holiday Market. It takes place every Saturday and Sunday for the next three weeks from ten am to six pm. From food carts and drink stands to live music and jewelry, the holiday market has it all. For more details go to eugenesaturdaymarket.org/holiday-market. 

DIY Gifts: 

If money is tight or you’re just not sure what to get someone for the holidays, homemade gifts are fun, creative, thoughtful, and cost effective. Not to mention your family and friends will love the sincerity of them. We’ve come up with a perfectly curated list of some DIY gift ideas for you to make:

  • Decorated picture frame with picture of you and gift receiver inside
  • Modge podge jar candle or vase
  • Keychain for their keys
  • Photo collage (on a poster, record, CD case, bulletin board, scrap book, ect.)
  • Pipecleaner, button, or guitar pick bouquet
  • Coastar
  • Button earrings
  • Memory box
  • Book marks
  • Decorated altoid tin
  • Personalized matchbox
  • Melt almost done candles into a new candle

Ice Skating: 

Wanting to get active over break? Check out the Rink Exchange located at the fair grounds. They have open rink ice skating most days where people of any skill level can enjoy some time on the ice. They also host many hockey games and figure skating events that are so much fun to watch. Or if you want to get in on the action they also have figure skating lessons. Check out their website, therinkexchange.com, for more times and details.

Cookie Making Competition: 

Another fun way to pass time with family and friends is to have a cookie baking competition. Whether it’s actually baking cookies or just decorating them, it’s a fun, friendly competition that’s also delicious. Here’s a delicious sugar cookie recipe to make this winter:

  • 2 cups white sugar 
  • 1 ½ cups butter, softened 
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Step one: Beat sugar and softened butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.

Step two: Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least 1 hour (or overnight).

Step three: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll out dough to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness.

Step four: Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Step five: Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before decorating.

Step six: Enjoy!

Have a very happy winter South Eugene!

Article By Ozy Zinke-Haschemeyer and Noa Gitelson