By Kelly Leslie, Student at San Francisco State University

Finals are over, and you can finally breathe because you aren't overloaded with schoolwork. It is the perfect time of the year to relax and catch up with old friends. Need some suggestions? These winter activities are perfect for the holiday season, and everyone who participates is sure to have fun.

Holiday Shopping
The holiday season is the busiest time of the year, and chances are, you probably have some last-minute shopping to do. Wondering how you are going to squeeze in time with your friends during the holiday madness? Ask them to join you! You'll be able to catch up over some shopping fun and be productive at the same time. You can even grab some food while you are out and make it a lunch date. Just make sure to write a list before you go, that way you will already know what you are looking for and all of your attention can be focused on catching up.

Gift Exchange
Invite all of your friends together to do a holiday gift exchange and enjoy some delicious treats while you're at it. Just ask everyone to bring their favorite winter dessert and a gift to join in on the fun. Suggest that everyone limits their spending to $10, as this is a great way to get people involved without having to stress about extra spending. The gifts aren't meant to be big, just cute and creative to bring everyone together.

Cute Sweater Party
What's up with all of the ugly sweater parties this time of the year? Instead, have all of your friends over and ask them to wear their favorite winter sweater of the season. Serve some hot cocoa, light a fire, play some holiday music and it's the perfect setting to spend time together. Make sure to have your camera ready because the cute sweater party is a memory that you'll want to look back on.

Hot Cocoa and Ice Skating
Does your hometown have outdoor ice skating during the holidays? If you don't have time to plan a gift exchange or sweater party, you can always call up your friends and ask them to go skating with you. At the end of the evening you can catch up with a cup of hot cocoa. Everyone loves a fun night out in the frosty air, but make sure to bundle up! This is the perfect opportunity to show the world your favorite winter look.

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