Birthday advent ideas

[squashyhat]

It's my 65th birthday on Christmas Day and I am not looking forward to it. To make it more bearable I have decided to have a 'birthday advent' whereby 1st-24th December I do something small for myself which is outside my normal routine, or a bit challenging, or fun.

I am fortunate enough to be retired, live in SE England and have reasonable funds, although I don't want to spend a lot. So far I have come up with things like 'spend the afternoon reading a poetry book in the library', 'find a really good charity shop bargain, 'eat an oyster', 'do a drawing' (I do none of these things normally). So I need 20 more! Any ideas?

This is a great idea.

Photo challenge to take x photos of things you have never photographed before. X should be whichever day you pick to do it so if it were the 12th, then 12 photos.

Make your own pamper items like a candle or face mask.

Walk somewhere local that you have never walked before

Have a vegetable or fruit you have never tasted before

Take a class you have never tried before

Listen to a podcast from a genre you haven't been interested in before

Try a new exercise class (online or preferably in person)

choose a different drink in a cafe - or have a whole day where you eat/drink something different eg swap sweet for savoury breakfast or vice versa, eat main meal at lunchtime (often fancy restaurants have incredible fixed price lunch deals), skip dinner for champagne and crisps etc

pick a random person to give a gift of kindness to - could be complimenting a stranger on their outfit, giving £20 as an extra tip to a waitress, leaving a wrapped paperback with a message on a park bench etc

have a cosy day - new book, fresh sheets and pyjamas, snuggly blanket,, nice candle

get out all the things you have been keeping for best/a special occasion and use them - glassware, crockery, candles, cashmere sweaters, sequins!

find a new favourite poem - I love Donna Ashworth for some less abstract poetry. Or search Instagram for actors reading letters/poetry - Benedict Cumberbatch and Helena Bonham-Carter or Bill Nighy are all fab

get out your recipe books and cook something you’ve never attempted before - or have a go at replicating a favourite restaurant dish

Swim outside. Easiest way - visit a heated lido. More hardcore, but if you've never done it before, will need an introductory safety session, try proper cold water swimming.

Also, go on an extreme day trip. From SE England you have a good choice of flights and can search on the extreme day trips website - the lowest cost ones are usually on weekdays and are sometimes under £50 return. Ireland, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium and Poland are all in reach.

These are all great ideas - thank you so much! Apart from the swimming although I appreciate those who would do it. I'm definitely a summer in the Med type swimmer 😀