WOW, where has the time gone? Christmas is a month away and it is already snowing! Maybe we will have a “White Christmas” this year. EEEKK! Let the holiday cheers roll! I am back with Ohio. Find It Here. to bring you some fun holiday activities. These activities can be done with family, friends, or your significant other. Around the holidays everyone likes to do holiday gift guides. This is similar. Think of this as my holiday activity guide ;p   What makes this one so fun and special is all of the activities are done right here in Cincinnati and the surrounding areas! As always, grab your family and friends, and this time of year, grab a coat, and get out and celebrate the holidays in Ohio!

Shopping At Home!

Do you like to shop, but want to avoid large crowds? I have just the thing for you, Shop Til You Drop-At Home!Online shopping is a great way to avoid crowds but still purchase what you need hassle free. Plus, online shopping has become the new day and age shopping and is super convenient with what is going on now in the world. Shopping online provides so much ease and less chaos in the comfort of your own home. I love to shop and honestly do a lot of my shopping online. I could online shop for hours! The good thing about online shopping is, there is something quick and easy for everyone just a click away. Some of my favorite places to online shop are Amazon, Zara, Women’s Clothing Boutiques, Designer Shoe Companies (i.e. YSL, Balenciaga, Bottega, Valentino, and more), Candle Stores, and more.

Tree Picking at Findlay Market

Is a real Christmas Tree your thing? Look no further, a Findlay Market has plenty of Christmas Trees to choose from. The tree sale at Findlay Market is a huge fundraiser for them! They have such a great selection with new ones being regularly delivered. Whether you want big or small, they have the perfect fit for your family. The tree/greens sale is located on the west side of the Market, at Jane’s Bar.

Ice Skating like Kristi Yamaguchi

Did you know that you and your friends can skate at an outdoor ice arena in the middle of downtown? Yep, you sure can! Every year from November 7 through February 15, UC Health and Fifth Third Bank present an outdoor ice arena that takes over Fountain Square. It is so much fun to get on the ice and feel like a kid again that must learn how to skate. It is even more fun when you go with a small group of friends, and everyone is out on the ice looking like babies trying to walk. Do not bother with a workout for the day because you will get the perfect leg day workout going around the rink 3 times. LOL! I hit the ice rink like I was Kristi Yamaguchi! HAHA, more like her student in training! Nonetheless, while I have no skills close to Kristi, I had a ball ice skating to celebrate a friend’s birthday! If you are looking for an outdoor activity that is unique and whimsical, ice skating at Fountain Square is for you!

Be a Wax Chandler

If you know anything about me, you know I love candles! I am always trying to find the best candle companies around, plus there is nothing like the holidays with family and nicely scented candles burning! With my love for candles, I had the opportunity to take a candle making class with Manitou Candle Co. (https://www.manitoucandleco.com/). Manitou is located approximately 10 minutes outside of downtown Cincinnati. It is the cutest candle shop that offers candles, stationery, home décor, lifestyle, kitchen and bar, bath and beauty, prints, jewelry, children items, and men’s wear. This is a super cute place to buy that female in your life the perfect gift. They offer 100 scents of premade candles. They also offer candle making classes held right in their studio. The candle class is so much fun and is the perfect holiday activity for yourself or with a friend. I went by myself but there were a few smaller groups of friends (2-3) or mom and daughter duos. The studio and candle making room is super picturesque. The class is 1.5 hours and walks you step-by-step through making two candles. The class is $50. This is a great deal because each 11 oz. candle in the store is $25 therefore you are only paying for the candles themselves, but the experience is free. That is a win in my book because sometimes the best experiences in life are priceless. I choose two scents which were Merry Merry and Vanilla Chai and mixed them together. This was the perfect Christmas candle for me. I name my candle Vanilla Chai Christmas. Shelby was my class teacher, and she was awesome! They also allow you to BYOB! Kind of like paint and sip but be a chandler and sip. What is a chandler you ask? A chandler is someone who handles wax. If you are looking for a fun, more creative holiday activity this one has your name all over it! 

Let the Light Guide You

Let the lights guide you! Every year, Ohio. Find It Here. celebrates holidays in Ohio with a campaign to support the Ohio Holiday Lights Trail. They encourage Ohio’s 88 counties to go all out on holiday themed decorations. From fancy lights to full on displays, this still allows everyone to celebrate and get into the Holiday spirit. One of the festival of lights locations is the Cincinnati Zoo. They host the PNC Festival of Lights. It runs from Nov. 18, 2022-Jan. 8, 2022. This is the perfect activity for families. I went with my husband and two small daughters. It was the best 2-in-1 combination. You get to experience the zoo as well as see all the lights. My oldest daughter loved being able to see some of the animals. While all of the animals are not out on display, they do have a few. We even saw the city’s favorite, Fiona, the hippo. We went mid-afternoon (4:30 pm) to be able to get the full effects of the lights when it got dark. It was perfect! The zoo was lit in a rainbow of colors. It was a great experience and a fun thing to see. If you have children and are looking for a fun-family activity to brighten up your holiday cheer, this one is for you. We also visited Columbus Zoo Wildlights and Light Up Middletown.

Holiday Lunch Date

One of my favorite things to do is go one lunch dates or mid-afternoon dates with my husband. It is the perfect time for us to bond before picking up the kids from daycare. We usually either go to a wine bar or a restaurant we’ve been wanting to try. I had heard that Jeff Ruby’s was doing a holiday lunch, so we decided to go. It was a super chill afternoon. Jeff Ruby’s is normally only open for dinner, but during the holidays they open for lunch. We started with cocktails. My husband had a glass of wine and I had Keegan’s Egg Nog. This Egg Nog cocktail was perfect. Creamy, smooth, and of course spiked. The perfect start to our lunch date. Next, we shared Ruby’s famous side salad, Freddie. It consists of Roma Tomatoes, Applewood Bacon, and Buttermilk Ranch. This classic is simple but delicious. I’m a salmon girl, so I got the Salmon with Gnocchi and my husband got the Fried Chicken Sandwich. Both meals were tasty. As you can tell, we left full. We also had a great time talking over delicious food and drinks! If you are looking for a lunch date idea, check out Jeff Ruby’s during their holiday lunch hours.

Igloos at Vista Rooftop

Who doesn’t love a good rooftop bar? They are fun and cute in the Summer, but in the Fall and Winter they turn into a winter wonderland. The holidays are so magical and heading to a rooftop bar with friends can be such an amazing experience. I know because my girls and I stopped by Vista Rooftop Bar for a fun, holiday festive night out. You may be thinking, “Isn’t it cold?” However, during the colder months, Vista offers 2 igloos that you can rent. The igloos come with heaters and blankets to keep you warm and cozy, and a Bluetooth speaker to help set your musical vibes. You also receive amazing views of the city. The igloos are spacious and can fit up to 10 friends. The Lytle Park had it decorated so pretty, and it felt so festive all night. They even have a cute “snow” machine to help give all the winter vibes. The décor, the igloos, and the “snow” make the perfect picturesque back drop. We even had cute holiday cocktails to sip on while we enjoyed the night. After a few drinks, some snacks, and good laughs, we headed downstairs to the Subito Restaurant for dinner. Talk about a time well spent with the girls!

Details:

* Location: Lytle Park Hotel

* Vista Rooftop Bar at Lytle Park Hotel

* 2 Igloos available for rent

* Can book 2 hours at a time

* Can fit up to 10 people at a time

* Enjoy amazing views of the city

* Has a food and drink minimum

* Monday – Thursday $350 for 2 hrs

* Friday – Saturday $500 for 2 hrs

A Mini Road Trip

I am not sure about you, but my family and I love to take mini road trips to different locations. My husband and I pack up our two daughters and we hit the road. A fun holiday stop is Columbus, OH. Just like Cincinnati, Columbus is also beautiful during the holidays. We love to experience other cities and cultures so taking a road trip is always fun. While my husband and I find things for ourselves to do that are kid friendly we also find a few things that are fun for the girls. During our holiday trip to Columbus, we visited so many places and had a ball. We stopped by Easton’s Grand Illumination, Legoland Discovery Center, Short North Arts District, Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, and the Columbus Museum of Art. This was a fun weekend getaway not far from Cincinnati. If you want to experience the perfect family getaway, Columbus is the place for you. To find out more about our visit to Columbus click the link here.   

Well, this is the end of my holiday activity guide, but now that means it’s time for you to get out and explore the holidays in Ohio! I hope you find something fun for you and your family to do to bring in the holiday cheer. Hopefully, this list of activities brings you so much joy during your holidays! I look forward to seeing what you and your family get out and do. Happy Holidays and Cheers to an amazing New Year!