The four-day holiday weekend is nearly upon us (yay for Christmas falling on a Tuesday), and whether or not you celebrate the biggest consumer holiday of the year, there is no denying that four days off in a row is a gift and a rarity and something to be cherished rather than wasted. So instead of moping around your apartment all weekend (or miserably counting down the days until an awkward family gathering), make the most of the holiday weekend – by following our top ideas for an awesome four-day weekend:

Friday night:

1. While the rest of the world is desperately searching the mall for the last Wreck-It Ralph DVD, grab a couple friends (or your local booty call) and hit a drive-in movie theater for some popcorn, beer, and a showing of that movie you’ve been saying you wanted to see!

2. Dress up in obnoxious Christmas sweaters with friends and hit local pubs – no clubs, and drink only holiday-themed drinks.

3. Have a bake-off: challenge friends to come up with the most delicious, sugary treat they can, and then get together to vote on the best ones while downing as any treats as you can with milk (or Guinness, if you’re lactose intolerant or something).

Saturday:

1. Go through your closet and gather up all the stuff you have barely looked at, let alone worn, in the past year and donate it to a thrift store or shelter. Come on – it’s the holidays, you gotta at least do SOMETHING charitable.

2. Get on OBC and invite someone from your booty call list over, then balk the whole Christmas thing altogether and watch horror movies. Then get down to BIZ-NASS.

3. Get some hot cocoa and check out Christmas lights in your neighborhood with friends, judging which house is best.

Sunday:

1. Host a culture-themed brunch, by perhaps having French crepes or quiches, or Mexican huevos rancheros, complete with beverages from the country (i.e. red wine or tequila) (just kidding that sounds like a disaster) (or really fun, I dunno).

2. Make a football pool and try and guess who is going to win each of the NFL games. Winner gets cash, loser has to go caroling alone to at least five neighbors’ houses.

3. Have a White Elephant party – getting people to find and bring the most ridiculous gift under $20 that they can find. Then trade them during the evening over a pizza and cheap beer. If someone ends up with a ZooPoo, please send it to me.

By Monday, you’ll have had such and awesome weekend that you won’t even mind diving head-first into family shenanigans. Well, probably not, if you have a uncle who talks about the “War on Christmas” all night, but hey… daydream of days past. It’s almost over.

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