2022 Abodus Advent Calendar

At Abodus, we understand that while the festive season is a very exciting time, it can also be a time when our residents who aren’t travelling home might be missing their loved ones a little more than usual.

While you may not be able to spend this time with those closest to you this year, we want to bring you some joy and show you that you are not alone, so we have brought back our virtual advent calendar for a second year! Read on below for an idea per day to keep the Christmas blues away:

  1. Ultimate Christmas Give Away. Try your luck and enter our Ultimate Christmas Give Away on Instagram for a chance to win £250 worth of gift cards!
  2. Host a secret Santa with your flat. Gather the team and draw the names and get buying for your secret Santa! Remember, it’s a secret.
  3. Make your own virtual Christmas cards. Make your friends (and yourself) laugh out loud by making a virtual Christmas card from Elf Yourself!
  4. Bake the best Christmas Tree Cupcakes. Pop on your favourite Christmas playlist and get your baking essentials ready, but make sure you make plenty of extras! This recipe is guaranteed to fill your flat with gorgeous smells, and your stomach to the brim!
  5. How to have an alternative Christmas. Christmas isn’t for everyone, whether you’re spending the season alone, or without normal family who may longer be here and you’re just not feeling in the spirit this year, read our list of ideas on how to spend your time and make most of trying to make this season right for you!
  6. Get together with your flat and host your own Christmas Dinner. Round up the vegetables and the troops and cook a whopping Christmas Dinner for yourself and the rest of the flat to enjoy before heading home for the holidays.
  7. Write out your Christmas wish list and letter to Santa. We’re sure you’ve had your loved ones pestering you for your Christmas list so that they can get their shopping sorted. Get organised by making your list using this fun design, and even enjoy a festive childhood favourite activity by writing a letter to Santa, too! (Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you’re too old to believe in Santa! 😉)
  8. Enter our Tacky Christmas Jumper Competition. 8th December is Official Christmas Jumper Day! Wear your tackiest Christmas jumper TODAY and tag @abodus_student_living in your photos on Instagram for a chance to win a £50 Amazon gift card!
  9. Make your own Christmas Playlist. Get the tunes going and add those Christmas songs to that December playlist!
  10. Donate to a food bank. ‘Tis the season for giving back! And here’s the perfect way to do so, without costing you any extra money: Donate your non-perishable foods before you leave your accommodation for the festive season. Find your local food bank here.
  11. Make your own mince pies. If you enjoyed baking Christmas cookies, you’re going to love this easy and delicious mince pie recipe! (Bonus points if you don’t eat them all yourself and you manage to save a few to share with your family and friends. 😉)
  12. Top 5 Abodus Christmas film picks! Check out our blog for a list of the Marketing team here at Abodus’ top Christmas films!
  13. Make your own homemade Bailey’s hot chocolate. Hot chocolate is good, but Bailey’s hot chocolate is even better! Enjoy one (or a few!) of these yummy drinks while decorating your flat, FaceTiming a loved one or snuggling up on the sofa with a good book.
  14. Wind down from exam stress with some cosy comfort shows. While this time of year is very fun and festive, it can also be a bit stressful for university students due to the exams and essays due before heading home for Christmas. Take some time for yourself and wind down from your exam stress and watch some cosy comfort TV shows or films and grab some snacks while you’re at it!
  15. Deck your Halls. Is there anything better at Christmastime than homemade decorations? Take a look at these easy, fun and affordable decoration ideas and channel your inner crafter!
  16. Watch a Christmas film with a loved one. Choose a popular Christmas film and sit down with a loved one, grab some snacks and have some quality time together!
  17. Call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. The festive period can sometimes feel a bit lonely, but it’s the perfect time to bring people together, even if it’s over a Skype or Zoom call. Phone up an old friend or family member and let them know you’re thinking of them, and don’t forget to wish them a Merry Christmas!
  18. DIY a festive wreath. When you’re decking your halls, don’t forget the most important part: The door to your flat! Others might not be able to see the inside of your flat in person, but you can give them an idea of just how fab it looks by making one of these festive wreaths for your front door!
  19. Play “This or That? Christmas Edition!” If you need something to get you feeling festive, then look no further! Take five minutes to fill in this template and share it with your friends on social media so that they can do the same.
  20. Take time to wrap your presents today. Don’t make it feel like a chore! Turn on your favourite Christmas playlist, get a virtual fire on the telly and get your gifts wrapped perfectly using this method.
  21. Make some mulled wine and enjoy a few of your favourite festive films. Sit back, relax and enjoy one of these Christmas classics with this mulled wine recipe. We can’t think of a better Christmas-themed night than this!
  22. Make your own Christmas Crackers. It’s nearly Christmas now, and it’s time to get your Christmas crackers at the ready! You could just buy your own, but where’s the fun in that? Create your own using these instructions and get yourself into the festive spirit in the run up to Christmas!
  23. Bake a tasty chocolate yule log. Your Christmas biscuits have been gone for quite a while now, and it’s Christmas Eve Eve, which means it’s time to do some more baking and munch to your heart’s content! Try this recipe and if you love it, why not share it with your friends?
  24. Get a festive playlist on and get ready for Santa’s arrival! Whether it’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” or “Jingle Bells,” get in some last-minute Christmas tunes, hang up your stocking and set out Santa and his reindeers’ goodies. And don’t stay up too late or you might miss Santa altogether!
  25. Happy Christmas from Abodus Student Living! We hope that you have a wonderful day, full of all your favourite drinks and snacks, and virtually surrounded by your loved ones.