Christmas is a season of joy, laughter, gifts, fairy lights and Christmas trees. It is also a time for healing and gaining renewed strength. Christians celebrate God’s ultimate gift on Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the Christ child.
The 2023 New Year is just days away from Christmas. Therefore, the New Year celebrations will usually start after the Christmas celebrations end. Take a break from your hectic work or study life and go on a well-deserved vacation. Here are the 10 best things to do during Christmas and New Year in 2023.
Why do we celebrate Christmas eve and New Year’s eve?
We celebrate Christmas Eve because Jesus is traditionally thought to have been born at midnight, and we celebrate New Year’s Eve because midnight would be the time the year changes. Both occasions are celebrated with hope and joy for new blessings of the coming year.
Who celebrates Christmas Day?
Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends, and, not to forget, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive.
How did the legend of Santa Claus come about?
The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back to a monk named St. Nicholas, born in Turkey (around 280 A.D.). St. Nicholas gave away all of his inherited wealth and travelled the countryside, helping the poor and sick, becoming known as the protector of children and sailors.
Dutch families in the late 18th century in New York gathered to honour the anniversary of the death of “Sint Nikolaas” (Dutch for Saint Nicholas), or “Sinter Klaas” for short. The name “Santa Claus” originated from this abbreviation.
10 Best Things To Do During Christmas & New Year 2023
Planning Your Christmas & New Year Holidays For 2023:
Christmas
New Year
1. Bake Christmas Treats
Create a memorable Christmas by baking fluffy cakes and delicious biscuits for your loved ones. We have tried and tested mouthwatering Christmas treat recipes ranging from soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies, Christmas yule logs, Christmas stollen bread, and salted caramel biscuits. Check out these 7 Christmas dessert recipes, Christmas stollen bread recipe, salted caramel biscuit recipe, and these 12 Christmas baking hacks.
2. Have Fun Exchanging Christmas Gifts
The gesture of acquiring, preparing, and bestowing Christmas gifts to friends and family has been practised by people worldwide to celebrate Christmas for thousands of years. Gifts exchanged during the Christmas holidays symbolize the tributes made to the baby Jesus by the Three Wise Men after his birth. Today, giving presents to one another is an integral part of Christmas day, and the excitement of unboxing the presents received is often the highlight of the festive season. Check out these 10 best gift delivery shops in Malaysia.
3. Enjoy A Christmas Buffet
Treat your loved ones to a Christmas spread at these 15 best buffets in Kuala Lumpur. The Lemon Garden Cafe offers a lavish buffet lunch with traditional Roast Turkey with apple stuffing and cranberry chutney. Meanwhile, Curate at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur offers flavours from around the globe. They also provide personalized services for your Christmas meal, and you can even choose to host dinners in one of their private dining rooms.
4. Roast Marshmallows By The Campfire While Singing Christmas Carols
Roasting marshmallows by a campfire is a wonderful way of gathering friends and family to have a good time during Christmas. You can sing Christmas carols to create a joyful vibe and spread the Christmas cheer during this festive holiday. Choose your favourite campsite from these 10 best glamping sites in Malaysia and these 10 best camping sites in Malaysia, and enjoy the Yuletide season!
5. Sip On Delicious Afternoon Tea in Cameron Highlands
Enjoy a night by the fireplace at the Lakehouse at Cameron Highlands, where you can spend Christmas at its luxurious Cameron Suite and treat yourself to a pampering session at the spa. Check out these 8 best staycations in Cameron Highlands. You can also enjoy afternoon tea at the Jim Thompson Tea Room, which is famous for its airy colonial interior and delicious bites. Check out these 10 best things to do in Cameron Highlands.
6. Countdown To The New Year From A Rooftop Restaurant
Join in on the excitement for the New Year by counting down from a fancy rooftop restaurant. For instance, Cielo KL Is a beautiful rooftop restaurant on the top floor of Vida Bukit Ceylon Residence. It has a gorgeous view of the Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur city skyline, where you can watch the new year’s fireworks from above. This restaurant also has 170 different wine labels from around the world and a wide variety of food. Check out these 7 best rooftop restaurants in Kuala Lumpur.
7. Plan A New Year Party
Plan a New Year party in 2023 and have the time of your life with family and friends. You can purchase your party supplies from the 10 best party shops near KL & Selangor and book one of these 10 best event venues in KL & Selangor. If your work schedule is too busy for party planning, consider hiring the services of these 20 best event management companies in KL & Selangor, Johor Bahru, or Penang. These professional event management companies have years of experience and will ensure that your party is successful.
8. Host A Holiday Game Night
A game night is a great way to gather your friends and family and have interactive fun while strengthening relationship bonds during the 2023 New Year holidays. It can also start a memorable holiday tradition with your loved ones and establish a fun routine. Check out the 8 best XBox Games in Malaysia, the 8 best PS4 Games in Malaysia, and the 10 best Nintendo Switch Games in Malaysia. Games such as TEKKEN 6 will let you have a fun experience battling using Ai-controlled characters, and with the Marvel Avengers Endgame, you can build your team and include your favourite characters.
9. Experience Thrilling Rides At A Theme Park
Spend your New Year holiday at one of these 9 best indoor theme parks and ride the Supersonic Odyssey at Berjaya Times Square Theme Park. This roller coaster is Asia-Pacific’s longest multiple-inverted roller coaster, which is 800 meters long and runs at a speed of 80km per hour. You can also visit one of the 10 best theme parks in Malaysia and brave the longest tube water slide at the ESCAPE Theme Park in Penang. While in Penang, you can also check out these 8 best family activities in Penang.
10. Go On A Roadtrip To Genting Highlands
Take a road trip to Genting Highlands and treat yourself to a luxurious staycation this New Year. Stay in one of these 8 best staycations in Genting Highlands and enjoy luxury rooms complete with a butler, in-room dining, and spa services. Here, you can explore the beautiful Chin Swee Caves temple, which has an undeniably beautiful panoramic scenery. You can also have the most immersive virtual reality experience at the Void Genting, which combines Hollywood characters and storylines with state-of-the-art technology, physical stages, and multi-sensory effects for its virtual reality games. Check out these 9 best things to do in Genting Highlands.
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Disclosure: This list was compiled by the team at My Weekend Plan after extensive research and shared opinions to suggest helpful recommendations for the public. The sequence of brands is in no particular order so if you have any other great suggestions too, please email us support@myweekendplan.com.my. For more information, kindly refer to our copyright, privacy & disclosure policy.
