5 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays With The New York Times

Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, joyous Kwanzaa and happy New Year.

The Learning Network will be taking a break from Dec. 23, 2021, until Jan. 3, 2022, but, as we head into a second pandemic winter, we offer you both 2021-specific ideas for celebrating, or reinventing, the holidays — as well as timeless joys like gingerbread houses, festive playlists, ugly sweaters and New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Below are some recent Times articles, interactive features and writing exercises to help you celebrate the season, reflect on the year that was and look forward to the year that will be.

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1. Quiz yourself on 2021.

What familiar face helped his team win this year’s Super Bowl? Which movie did Chloé Zhao direct, becoming the first woman of color to win the best director Oscar? America’s longest war ended this year; where was it fought? What comedian released a controversial Netflix comedy special?

See how answers you can get right by taking our special 2021 News Quiz.

2. Reflect on the year that was.

As 2021 comes to a close, these writing prompts invite you to tell us what you’ll remember about this era:

• Take a look at the Year in Pictures. Which images stand out to you? Why? Then, as our related lesson plan suggests, make a Year in Pictures for your own life. What would you include? Why?

• Check out The New York Times critics’ lists of the best movies, television shows, actors, songs, albums, podcasts, recipes, dance, theater, art, books and graphic novels. Then, let us know: What were the best (and worst) things about 2021 for you?

• Oxford Dictionaries has chosen “vax” as its word of the year. Merriam-Webster chose “vaccine.” What would you nominate as Word of the Year, and why? You might also look back at the year in emojis and tell us which one you use the most this year.

• In a year with so many challenges, it can be helpful to look back and appreciate the good. What was the best day of 2021 for you?

3. Tell us your thoughts about the holidays.

Discuss or write about your experiences — good or bad — by responding to these seasonal questions that we’ve posed to students over the years:

4. Write a seasonal short story or poem.

Use your imagination to write a short story, poem or memoir inspired by these winter- and holiday-themed images from our Picture Prompt column:

5. Explore what else The Times has to offer.

These pieces are just a taste of the holiday-related features The Times has published this year and in years past. Here are a few more activities to keep you busy this season:

• Read about how some people have been liberated by the loss of holiday traditions over the last two years, and been inspired to forge new celebrations — or skip them completely. What new traditions would you like to start this year?

• In the spirit of giving, research a cause that you care about and find out how you can donate to it with the Opinion section’s Holiday Giving Guide.

• Dream of faraway places as you visit the 52 places readers say comforted them in a dark year. What places comforted you?

• Enjoy some holiday Crossword puzzles.

• Try cooking a new food, like these holiday cookies, these classic potato latkes, a crisp roast duck or doro wat, a traditional Hanukkah dish for Ethiopian Jews. For more ideas, check out the full New York Times cooking collections for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

• Practice self-care. Here are tips for getting through another pandemic-altered holiday season safety and sanely, dealing with difficult relatives, coping with loss or loneliness, quieting your mind, and having a stress-free holiday season.

• Learn the history of New Year’s Eve in Times Square, then page through the Jan. 1, 1905, issue of The New York Times to read about fireworks at the Times building that year, or the Dec. 31, 1907, issue to read about the first ball drop.

• If you believe in the power of New Year’s resolutions, learn some ways to keep them. You can also resolve to have a healthier tech life or take our resolution-related quiz to both test your vocabulary and glean even more tips.

• Look ahead to the events that will “shake, or gently rattle, the world” in 2022, like the International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad, India, the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, and the inaugural Tour de France Femmes. Or, dive into this series of essays about what critical moments from this year might mean for the year ahead. Then, come up with your own predictions for the next year.