In true 2020 fashion, Christmas, like many other festivities this year, will be extremely different due to CMCO and the ongoing international travel ban. It’s pretty funny how we all thought everything was going to go back to normal come December, right? Or was that just me?
Living through a global pandemic means Christmas won’t feel how it normally does but that doesn’t mean you can’t come up with creative ways to get festive with your loved ones this year! Here’s how you can make your Christmas extra special this year:
1. Challenge your family to a Christmas bake-off in your own kitchen!
Baking with your loved ones is a great bonding activity because you get to enjoy the fruits of your labour afterwards. And by fruits, we mean baked goods, yums!
It’s also a family-friendly activity which means even your youngest siblings and grandma can take part. You can even continue to spread the Christmas cheer by sending your baked goods out to your friends. Yay! Some Christmassy treats you can try baking are such as cupcakes, gingerbread cookies, apple crumble, cinnamon rolls, and more! <3
2. Be a bartender for a night and craft special Christmas cocktails!
Christmas isn’t complete without fun and festive cocktails to go with your feast, right? Just because we’ll all be celebrating at home this year doesn’t mean it has to be any less festive!
Challenge your inner bartender and whip up some Christmassy cocktails for everyone at home! Here are some of our favourites:
- Spiked Hot Chocolate
- Boozy Eggnog
- Black Velvet Cocktail
There are tons of Christmas cocktail recipes online so get researching quick. Also, remember to never drink & drive so make sure everyone has a safe ride back home too!
3. Wear funky Christmas sweaters to crank up the festivities
Okay, we know what you’re thinking. Sweaters in Malaysia?! Hear us out, Christmas is the BEST time to wear funky sweaters because why not?! There are a bunch of different designs available online and if you get hot, just crank up the air conditioning!
It also makes for a funny Christmas family photo that you can laugh at in the future! Thank us later 
4. Host a Christmas BBQ in your backyard or anywhere outdoors
A turkey dinner may be the common way to have your Christmas feast, but have you imagined hosting a Christmas BBQ instead? It’s such an unconventional yet lovely way to ring in the celebrations!
Not only is it pandemic-friendly but everyone will love the outdoor breeze, the smell of meats on the grill and just the all-around Christmas cheer!
5. Host a Secret Santa party and get everyone to participate!
Secret Santas are a crowd favourite. Who doesn’t love receiving gifts, right?!
Get everyone in your household to participate in Secret Santa and set a clear budget that makes sense for everyone. On Christmas Day, gather round and open your presents together! You’ll have tons of fun guessing who your Secret Santa was and if they got the right gift for you!
Speaking of gifts, wait till you hear about this!
Guinness has come up with three awesome Christmas Gift Sets that you can purchase as a gift for a friend or even yourself!
We get it, it can be pretty tough to figure out what to get as a gift for your friends & family. What’s even worse is the fear of possibly getting them something they may not even like! Thankfully this year, Guinness has crafted these three Christmas Gift Sets to overcome that problem!
Are you wondering what the three Gift Sets are? Let’s have a look!
The Christmas Spirit (RM119)
Bring out the Christmas spirit with the DIY Guinness cocktail kit, created by Guinness Mixologists themselves. Perfect for that cocktail party we mentioned above!
- 1x 6-can (320ml) pack of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
- 1x 6-can (320ml) pack of Apple Fox Cider
- 2x Guinness Glasses
- 1x Minted Syrup (60ml)
- 1x Chocolate Syrup (40ml)
- 1x Recipe Card
A Sweet Christmas (RM129)
This is the perfect Gift Set for your bake-off or for friends who love to bake at home! Create sweet memories with this Guinness Christmas cupcake mix, crafted by local bakers.
- 2x 6-can (320ml) packs of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (12 cans total)
- 1x Cupcake Baking Tray
- 1x Cupcake Premix (250g)
- 1x Bag of Chocolate Chips (50g)
- 1x Bag of Almond Slices (50g)
- 1x Recipe Card
Spice & Nice (RM139)
Woohoo, just in time for your barbecue! Add a dash of Christmas cheer to your dishes with Guinness-infused sauces, freshly made by local chefs. #SapotLokal <3
- 2x 6-can (320ml) packs of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (12 cans total)
- 1x Cranberry & Sweet Chilli Jam (230g)
- 1x Guinness BBQ Sauce (230g)
- 1x Mint Sauce (230g)
How awesome are these gift sets? Guinness has crafted them carefully to suit all our needs and tastebuds so you can shop for your loved ones easily this Christmas. What’s even better is you don’t even have to go out, all you need to do is:
- Visit this website
- Select the gift set(s) you want
- Purchase them and wait for them to arrive!
Even with such awesome gift sets, sometimes we still do get disappointed with our Christmas gifts… BUT, Guinness has thought of that too!
If you still didn’t get what you wanted for Christmas, why not join the Guinness Gift Exchange and win some amazing gifts?! All you have to do is share your most disappointing gift with Guinness and stand a chance to get something even better! Make sure you follow their Facebook page for more updates!
How kind of the team at Guinness, they’re doing such an awesome job to spread Christmas cheer this 2020! For more information, visit their website here!
