Spread holiday cheer with some help from Durham College

Category: Student Experience

The holiday season is a special time. But with meals to cook, parties to plan and gifts to buy, it can also be stressful.

We hope the holidays are safe, restful and enjoyable for our Durham College (DC) community. If you need a little help making that happen, our DC experts have offered some ideas.

  • Get active

    The holidays are a great time to get active according to Kelly Webdale, Recreation & Leisure Services program coordinator.

    “Create some fun crafts or cards and walk to your nearest retirement home or long-term care home to spread some cheer to the residents,” she said. “Go for a walk to see some holiday lights and decorations. If there’s enough snow, get out the toboggan.”

    There are few activities more synonymous with the holidays than skating on a frozen sheet of ice. The Campus Ice Centre (CIC) hosts stick and puck as well as student skating, Monday through Friday from 12 – 2 p.m. Please note there will be no ice time on December 18, and the CIC closes for the holidays from December 22 to January 8.

    When it’s time for some shopping, she suggests choosing the farthest parking space, using the stairs instead of elevators and escalators, and doing extra laps of the mall (bonus points for doing it after you’re laden down with gifts!).

  • Give the gift of DC

    Whether you’re in Whitby or Oshawa, the Campus Store has great deals for everyone on your shopping list. The hottest selling item is the crew neck with appliqué and embroidery at $35 (available in forest green, black and athletic grey). Department hoodies are always popular at $49.30. For those with a sweet tooth, gift mugs with chocolate are $19.99.

    Other great options include knit beanies ($15), work slippers ($8) and tumblers ($15).

  • Treat yourself

    It’s important to find some private time for yourself. The DC Spa is a great place to do just that, and a little gift shopping too. Right now, customers receive a gift with the purchase of a gift card valued at $30. You can also purchase a customized spa gift basket for a peer, colleague or loved one. While you’re there, you can beat the rush and make a reservation for a winter semester booking.

    On Friday, December 15, you can drop in for a free lip application tutorial with cosmetic student beauty advisors, and get 25% off all cosmetic lip products. Limited spaces are available for short appointments like brow waxing, tinting, and wellness manicures. The Spa will close for the holidays after December 15, but you can still purchase last-minute spa gift certificates by email.

  • Eat, drink and be merry

    If spending hours in front of a hot stove doesn’t appeal to you, why not let someone else do the cooking? Bistro ’67 recently launched their winter menu, highlighted by the grilled hanger steak with green peppercorn sauce, celeriac purée, and winter vegetables from the DC fields. Other delectable options include vegan gnocchi with alfredo sauce, as well as a gluten-free chocolate cake with local coffee company Stock and Crown-infused pastry cream, dulce de leche, and chocolate ganache. For the Bistro fan on your shopping list, there’s a holiday bonus of 20% on all gift cards purchased before December 23.

    A visit to Pantry is always a great idea, especially on Fridays. With the ongoing Fill-Your-Freezer Friday promotion, you can buy three items and get a fourth for free. Lots of festive treats suitable for entertaining are available, including vegetable samosas, spring rolls, and jerk duck firecrackers.

  • Keep everybody happy

    The holiday season is about bringing the whole family together. A reunion can yield great new memories, but it can also allow old resentments and quarrels to resurface.

    “Conflict during the holiday season can ruin your plans, destroy your expectations, and lead to an overall decline in holiday satisfaction,” said Dovanna Jones, a student in the Conflict Resolution and Mediation program. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are many ways to mitigate conflict and the stress associated with it.”

    A member of DC’s Campus Conflict Resolution Services (CCRS) team, Jones offered the following tips on how to keep conflict at bay this holiday season.

    • Get all sides of the story.
    • Remain neutral and avoid choosing sides.
    • Avoid personal attacks.
    • Set expectations and boundaries.
    • Show empathy, care, and concern for the members of your family.
    • You don’t need to agree with someone to understand their perspective.
    • Avoid saying “yes, but.” Saying “but” dismisses what the other person is saying.
    • Avoid a “you vs me,” or “us vs them” mentality. Address the needs of each person and create a win-win for everyone.
    • Find more ways to say “yes.” Using the affirmative makes people feel seen, heard, validated, and respected.

We hope you enjoy your holiday celebrations, and can’t wait to see you in 2024!