Festive Ideas to Wish Away Winter Worries

As we reach the end of the semester, the trees around campus have shed their last leaves, and the afternoons vanish fast. I know how hard it is to pull yourself out of bed on a Saturday morning — especially now, when finals loom and the semester feels like it’s sprinting toward the finish line. But I have learned that sometimes those early waking hours lead to the most memorable outings. Before you retreat into pages of notes and the quiet comfort of your dorm, consider that venturing out, even for a little while, might be exactly what you need. Here are some of my favorite winter-season escapes around Amherst.

Warm Treats at Atkins Farms

If you’ve been at Amherst for even a short time, you’ve probably heard someone mention apple cider donuts — and Atkins Farms is the reason why. The market sits in South Amherst and has been locally owned since the early 1960s. In addition to their extensive grocery store featuring fresh local produce, Atkins has a bakery and dining area to enjoy a sweet treat. The bakery section fills the space with the smell of cinnamon and fresh dough, and you can usually see trays of bread coming out of the kitchen. They also make delicious pastries, ranging from unbeatable $1.99 muffins to $3.99 apple fritters that always seem to hit the spot on a cold day.

I like going to Atkins when I want a break that doesn’t require much planning. You can grab a donut and a warm drink, sit near the windows, and look out at the breathtaking hills around the market. If you bring work, the atmosphere is calm enough to get tasks done without feeling trapped inside. If you ride the PVTA 38 bus for roughly 20 minutes, Atkins is close enough for a quick trip, but far enough that you feel like you’ve stepped away from campus.

Local Holiday Shopping

As the holidays get closer, the Pioneer Valley shifts into a slower, more festive rhythm. People start shopping for Secret Santa gifts, small exchanges with friends, or simple treats for themselves, and visiting local shops embodies the Amherst vibe of connection and thoughtfulness. As one of my personal favorites, located next to Lili's Restaurant, The Toy Box is a small family-owned store with puzzles, games, and gifts that feel more personal than anything you would find online. It’s fun to browse even if you don’t plan on buying anything.

If you want something bigger, the Hampshire Mall in Hadley has stores like Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Trader Joe’s. You can get most practical things there and catch a movie at the Cinemark at Hampshire Mall if you want to make an afternoon out of it. Northampton is another great option, lined with cafés and independent shops such as A2Z Science & Learning Toy Store and Splendor Solis Books, with Thornes Marketplace tying everything together. I enjoy perusing its maze of small businesses because the building has its own history, and the shops always surprise me.

Ice Skating at Orr Rink

Growing up in Texas, ice skating never played a role in my life, but Amherst changed that for me. Orr Rink offers free skate hours Monday through Friday from 12 to 1:30 p.m., and it has become one of the easiest winter activities to enjoy on campus with friends. The rink is bright, cold, and full of people who are either gliding effortlessly or gripping the wall like it’s life support. You’ll have a great time, no matter your skill level.

As you laugh and slip on the ice, your mind drifts away from deadlines (although the slipping part might just be me). The cold air stings your cheeks, the sound of blades cutting across the rink fills your ears, and for a little while, the pressures of assignments and exams disappear. There’s something about skating in the middle of a stressful week that resets your energy, forcing you to focus on balance, movement, and the sheer joy of being in the moment. Even if you only stay for half an hour, it helps you return to the rest of your day feeling clearer than before.

Sledding on Memorial Hill

When snow finally settles over campus, our beloved Memorial Hill transforms into an unofficial sledding course. Last year, my friends and I grabbed plastic storage bin lids and flattened cardboard boxes, then raced to see who could slide the farthest. It sounds simple, and it is, but the joy sneaks up on you, the adrenaline hitting as you scramble to your feet, covered in snow.

Sledding doesn’t require any special equipment beyond whatever makeshift sled you can find, though the Outing Club’s Gear Locker is a great place to start if you need ideas. Once you start to tire out, I recommend making a snow angel or building a snowman to complete the classic snow day experience. After a couple of hours of frolicking in the cold, the perfect way to warm up is a walk to Val for hot chocolate topped with tiny marshmallows. There’s something magical about ending a snowy evening with a warm drink in hand and fingers still tingling from the cold.

Holiday Lights Across the Valley

One of my favorite parts of early December is the way the valley begins to glow with holiday lights and the childlike wonder that follows as you “ooh” and “aah” at the sight. Amherst starts with the Lighting of the Merry Maple on the North Common at 5 p.m., where the large tree becomes a centerpiece for the season. This year’s holiday light tour kicks off on Dec. 5; Amherst Town Common is a beautiful, sparkling wonderland throughout the winter, so take a nightly stroll and admire the lights whenever you can.

Across the region, there are several events worth the trip. Springfield’s Bright Nights at Forest Park is one of New England’s biggest light displays. Northampton hosts an Ice Art Festival where sculptors carve designs that last until they melt. Holyoke’s Winter Carnival brings together food and community events, and McCray’s Farm in South Hadley runs a Holiday Light Stroll that feels storybook-like.

Winter Hikes Near Campus

The Pioneer Valley is surrounded by mountains that become even more striking in winter. The Mount Holyoke Range State Park has about 30 miles of trails (you can ride the PVTA 38 bus for 25 minutes to get there), and the Mount Tom State Reservation has around 22 miles (I recommend renting a Zipcar to explore the whole terrain). Both offer views that open up once the trees lose their leaves. Hiking in winter takes planning — you need warm layers, good shoes, and some awareness of icy paths — but the payoff is a kind of stillness you rarely find during the beginning of the semester.

Winter also brings a different kind of wildlife to the trails. You may have seen animals such as opossums, skunks, and raccoons emerge from their winter dens, hungry and searching for food in places like your dorm’s dumpster. However, beyond these opportunistic foragers, many other creatures are active only during the colder months, and the snow makes it easier to spot signs of wildlife: tracks from animals that hop, stalk, or waddle become more visible and easier to interpret. On your next hike, I challenge you to spot a snowy owl or an ermine that has turned fully white for the winter!

Amherst Cinema

On days when the cold reaches the point where going outside feels painful, Amherst Cinema is a reliable spot to visit for some movie magic if you haven’t gone already. It is an independent nonprofit theater with a strong focus on artistic, international, documentary, and classic films. The cinema’s three-screen main theater features more than 250 programs a year in over 35 languages, and its Studio Theater offers an even wider range of gems, many of which have never been shown in commercial theaters or made available on demand.

Seeing a film there gives you a break that feels more intentional than doom-scrolling or watching a movie in your dorm. The space is intimate, the programming is thoughtful, and the experience pulls you out of the rush of the semester. It’s one of the best ways to spend a winter evening when you want warmth, quiet, and a story that takes you somewhere else. An additional perk is that students can watch films for free after 6:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, so I highly recommend visiting at the end of the week as a way to destress and wind down.

Pulling through the Final Stretch

Winter around Amherst can feel long, but it also offers moments that make the season more bearable. These winter escapes give you ways to step outside your work and find something steady. Finals will pass, but winter here offers many small joys worth noticing along the way!