Why You Should Ditch The Fam And Go On An Adventure This Chrissy
Celebrate an Unconventional Christmas this year, because life’s better with adventure
Normally in the lead up to Christmas our thoughts turn to spending the day with family, eating a mountain of ham, and wrestling open the last bonbon. But after everything we’ve been through in the last two years, the thought of spending Christmas day, let alone our entire Chrissy holiday, cooped up inside is about as appealing as accepting your boss’ follow request on Instagram.
No offense to your family, but as restrictions ease across Australia, wouldn’t it be much better to grab our new-found freedom by the horns and go on an adventure? The sun’s shining, the days are long, and Adrenaline has an adventure to suit everyone, from weekend getaways to incredible once-in-a-lifetime bucket list activities. Take this as your signal to quietly decline your aunt’s event invite and plan an unconventional Christmas instead.
You’ll Always Remember It
If you go to family Christmas, you’ll inevitably end up with more plastic, joke gifts, and socks than you could ever possibly need. On the other hand, Adrenaline lets you go tandem skydiving over the beach in the Gold Coast from 12,000 feet. You’ll never forget that.
There’s a reason we tend to make traditions at family Christmas celebrations: no matter how annoying our family can be at times, seeing them at Christmas is comforting. It’s something we can look forward to during the year, and knowing there’s ham and champagne and pavlova waiting for us on December 25 makes it easier to power through the last few months when we’re tired and overworked.
But if there was ever a time for breaking free from tree-dition, it’s now. We’ve been cramped up for the last two years with almost no sense of spontaneity or adventure. We haven’t been in control of our lives, and now that we can make plans and do things again, we should make the most of it. In the end, that’ll be a more memorable Christmas than spending another year doing the same thing you always do.
Image: courtesy of Adrenaline
You Can Spend Time With Friends
Some people say that the holidays are about spending time with family, but what about the family we make for ourselves? Lots of us haven’t seen our friends in months, and an adventure in the great outdoors is a good way to fix that. In fact, according to a study conducted by Adrenaline, almost half of Gen Z Aussies are likely to want to spend Christmas with friends this year.
Or, hey, just get away somewhere as a group. Adventure doesn’t have to be all action, all the time. A private helicopter flight over Brisbane, enjoying the incredible views of the city skyline, is a great way to reconnect after lockdown, as is taking a sea kayak tour of Penguin and Seal Island off the always picturesque Perth coast.
Depending on where you go, you can even pack some board games and your swimmers to make the most of your adventure together. Friends-mas really is underrated.
Image: courtesy of Adrenaline
It’ll Be A Great Story
Does anyone have any dire memories from their family Christmas about the time their uncle got a little bit too drunk and dropped the entire ham in the pool? Just me?
Taking yourself on an adventure this Chrissy would be an unforgettable experience, but it’ll also give you something interesting to talk about in the new year when your coworkers start asking about your holiday. Imagine the scene: it’s your first day back, you’re trying to maintain your holiday glow, and your best friend in the office asks what you got up to. Would you rather say “I watched my uncle drop our lunch in the pool” or “I learnt how to fly a light aircraft in Melbourne”? Thought so.
Treat Yourself (And Them too!)
We’ve been buying ourselves little treats to make it through lockdown, and now that we’re coming out of it, we deserve one last big, huge treat to enjoy with our nearest and dearest. If there’s someone who helped you get through it all this year, you can take them with you on an epic experience to celebrate “us-mas”.
The best part is that there’s a ‘lil adventure treat out there for everyone. Want to escape the city and get out amongst some nature? Swim with dolphins and seals in their natural habitat off the coast of the Mornington Peninsula. Want something that’ll get your heart pumping? A black ops military-style helicopter mission over Sydney will do the trick. Were you thinking of something even faster? How about doing laps of Sydney Motorsport Park in a V8 race car?
Image: courtesy of Adrenaline
Adventure can be chill, too. Like enjoying a scenic seaplane flight over Sydney and seeing the Opera House and Harbour Bridge from a new perspective. Or going on a hot air balloon ride in the beautiful Barossa Valley. See? No matter what kind of adventure you choose, it’ll be a welcome change from lockdown life.
This article originally appeared on Junkee.
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To celebrate an Unconventional Christmas, head to the Adrenaline website and choose from over 2,500 adventurous experiences to share with your loved ones, and add a little thrill to your holiday season.
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Lead image courtesy of Adrenaline