Wisconsinites are to stay at home once again, as the state tries to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic — an order made by Gov. Tony Evers on Nov. 10. 

The new order means instead of going out on the weekends most people will be staying in, but that doesn’t mean it still can’t be fun.

There are a few things I have done over quarantine I’m going to share which I find to be the perfect cure for my boredom.

The first thing I have been doing a lot of lately is watching movies. I know this is an obvious one, but now since it’s November, I have started watching the Christmas themed films — and I have a few I recommend.

First, if you’re a fan of Hallmark there is an endless lineup of holiday movies that are sure to give you warm and fuzzy feelings. The same goes for Netflix. My favorites are “A Royal Christmas,” “Let it Snow” and “The Christmas Chronicles” and I would suggest them as must-sees this holiday season.

If you’re anything like me and enjoy watching a classic Christmas movie to put you in a good mood, may I suggest titles like “The Polar Express,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and “Unaccompanied Minors.” I could go on and on, but these movies are the ones I would consider to be top tier.

Besides watching movies, my family and I have picked up a new hobby which is relaxing and fun to do on a rainy day. It might also be a stress reliever in these uncertain times: diamond painting.

Diamond painting is a mix of cross stitching and paint by numbers. Essentially, all you do is use colored diamond beads and use a tool to stick them on the canvas in a certain way to make a picture. Here’s a tutorial.

There are many different diamond painting patterns available on Amazon. I suggest the Disney patterns, to add a little more magic into your quarantine.

My favorite activity, perhaps, is baking — because I get to eat after I am done. I am not much of a baker myself, but I do assist my mother in the kitchen. With Christmas right around the corner, my sweet tooth is more prominent than ever.

I’ve tried a couple of recipes out and recommend them when craving something sweet. Two require an oven and one is dorm room friendly for my fellow college students.

First, caramel rolls. They’re sticky, sweet, taste great with a coffee and are reminiscent of Christmas morning. Here’s a quick and delicious recipe.

Second, s’mores cookies. These are just like regular chocolate chip cookies, but have mini marshmallows and graham crackers inside. Find the recipe here.

The final recipe is dorm room friendly and can be made in a microwave. Chocolate cake in a mug is the perfect way to curb your chocolate craving. One minute and you have a warm, rich and delicious mug of chocolate cake. 

While it’s not ideal to be at home the majority of the time, I would recommend any of these activities to get you through it. 

Fanetti can be reached at [email protected].