1 . Wild camping is simply camping outside of a developed or regular campsite. Camping at a music festival, in your backyard, or at a developed campground (营地) is just regular old camping.     1     You don’t have to pay a fee or reserve a spot in advance.

    2     For example, when you set up a tent at a developed campground, you will usually stay in the same place for a few days. On the other hand, wild camping allows one to spend most of the day exploring the wilderness before they put up their wild camping tent for the night and move on in the morning.

There are many mental and physical benefits of spending time in nature. Modern-day life can be stressful, so many people head out into the wild for relief.     3     Also, you can enjoy a sense of primitiveness that regular camping can’t give you. It’s a cheerful way to tackle multi-day hikes in remote areas, allowing one to spend nights under the stars in breathtaking locations.

Wild camping generally requires checking if you can legally camp at a particular place and in some cases, getting permission to do so. Leaving no trace is essential. Take what you bring with you when you depart.     4    

Most safety problems about wild camping arise from not dressing up and preparing properly for camping in the wild.     5     Additionally, ensure someone knows where you are wild camping and when you will return.

2 . In some countries, many families are choosing camping as an affordable way to vacation due to the cost-of-living crisis (危机).     1     Here are several tips to help make your first camping trip a success.

Camping needs careful planning. Making a detailed list of what to bring ensures nothing important is forgotten. It is advised to pack light and easy-to-set-up tents (帐篷). It’s also important to choose equipment suitable for the season. For families, bringing comfort items like favorite books or toys can make the new environment more welcoming for kids.     2     Other necessaries like wet wipes (湿巾) are must-haves.

Camping is more than just setting up a tent.     3     Group camping trips can simplify things, especially when it comes to meals. Sharing meal responsibilities with other families not only reduces the load but also improves the shared experience. Choosing simple and easy-to-prepare foods helps too.

    4     Activities like treasure hunts, campfire stories can turn camping into an adventure. Nature itself offers endless enjoyment, from bird watching to plant recognizing. Moreover, camping is also an opportunity to teach kids valuable life skills and safety lessons. From cooking over a campfire to learning about nature, these experiences are both educational and enjoyable. Safety lessons are also important, like staying within campsites and recognizing dangerous plants.

All in all, camping is a fantastic way to enjoy the outdoors and spend quality time with family.     5    

3 . How to Hygge for the Holiday

Everyone is talking about “hygge” — the word used by Danish people to keep themselves mentally positive in the dark winter season and fill their homes with comfort and love. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? But how to realize at least some of hygge holidays?

Express your creativity. Take a step back from the pressures of everyday life and let your creative side out to play. Set aside paint, paper and an hour to yourself.     1    

Share good food with good friends. Friends and food are some of life’s simplest pleasures.     2     Invite friends round for coffee and cake away from the noisy distraction of a cafe, so you can really enjoy each other’s company.

    3     Empty your mind of thoughts and worries, and you can enjoy a little quiet time to yourself now and then. Choose one comfortable corner as a private place that you can hide in whenever you need to take time out and relax.

Make simple things special.       4     If you take to watching a film on Friday night, make movie night feel like a treat rather than routine, with your favourite snacks, good-smelling candles, and a comfortable sofa to throw yourself into.

It is possible to achieve hygge any time of the year nowadays.     5     But hygge is the most suitable for the winter holiday season because it is all about peaceful and warm surroundings that fill you with content. There is indeed something you can do to bring holiday hygge into your home this season.

4 . One great way to spend time outdoors is to garden. Here are some benefits you can get from gardening.

    1    

Studies have found evidence that being in nature is linked with less anxiety, less depression and many other positive effects. The nice thing about a garden is that it can be right in your yard.     2    , you’re much more likely to be outside when the work of a garden requires it.

Eat healthfully

A garden can make the freshest and healthiest foods available. And the types of foods can have a great impact on your mental health.     3    .

Practice acceptance

Most suffering comes from trying to control things that you can’t. The more you can accept the limits of your control in your life, the more peace of mind you can find — and gardening is a great way to practice.     4    . You just bring your best efforts to what you can control, and let go of the rest.

Develop a growth mindset (思维模式)

Psychologist Carol Dweck developed the difference between “fixed” and “growth” mindsets, and gardening is a great opportunity to develop the latter.     5    . When something doesn’t work out the way you hoped, you view it as a learning opportunity rather than as a failure.

5 . Many people enjoy spending their vacations swimming, lying in the sun and staying at luxurious hotels.     1     They head for the country, to one of the numerous United States national parks, and take advantage of the fresh air and many outdoor activities that nature has to offer.

“I’m a successful lawyer from San Francisco,” says Gavin Murphy. “    2     I usually go to Yosemite National Park, where I sleep in a tent, hike, and enjoy the peace and quiet.”

    3     They can go fishing in a cold stream, hiking on a winding nature trail, or biking along scenic paths. At certain times of the year, guided nature walks and interesting lectures on a variety of topics are offered to park guests.

Camping out does have its disadvantages, however.     4     Even after the weather clears up, there’s still lots of mud to deal with. The weather can be quite cold at night, and there are always many mosquitoes (蚊子).

Park rangers (护林员) recommend that visitors watch out for snakes, whose bites can be poisonous. They stress the fact that it is necessary that food be kept packed away, so that an unexpected bear doesn’t pay an unwelcome visit to some surprised guests.     5     “It might be nice to sit by a swimming pool and sip (小口抿) a drink,” says Tanya Rodriguez, a nature lover, “but nature is really so beautiful, and I’ve met such interesting people here. Nothing compares to a vacation like this!”

6 . Being a Good Holiday Party Guest

When attending holiday parties hosted by friends and loved ones, many of people really want to be “good” guests. But sometimes well-meaning “helpers” can sometimes cause more trouble and stress for a host.     1    

Reply the invitation quickly.

    2     If the invitation (whether it comes in the mail, over email or through text) asks you to reply, do so well before the host has to reach out to confirm your participation.

    3    

Respect the event’s start time and arrive within 10-15 minutes of the time on the invite. If the invitation says 7:15 p.m., guests should arrive between 7:25 and 7:30. If you turn up early, the hosts may not yet be dressed or be trying to take a 10-minute break after last-minute preparations.

Offer help respectfully.

It’s fine to offer help during the event, but don’t insist.     4     A true host wants their guests to enjoy themselves and not be working, so the insistence might make your host uncomfortable.

Don’t stay for long.

At the end of the evening, you can make one last offer to help the host tidy up the space. But if they refuse, don’t stay. Many hosts are too polite to tell people it’s time to go. Watch out for clues that the hosts wish to end the evening’s enjoyment, like yawning, turning off the music, turning up the lights.     5    

7 . A home is a place where we feel safe and loved. The warmth of a home doesn’t depend on its size or decoration (装饰).     1     So, everyone should take out some time from your busy schedule to spend with your family. Here is a list of some fun things that you can try at home.

·Have an indoor picnic

You want to enjoy a small picnic with your family, but neither the weather nor your daily schedule allows you to go to enjoy a nearby park. How about having a picnic indoors? You can have ice cream or sandwiches made in your own kitchen. The best part is that you don't have to wait for a long weekend for this picnic.     2    

·Role play

Give each family member a different role to play. For example, ask your youngest daughter to play the role of Daddy.     3     This fun activity can go a long way toward building a strong connection between you and your kids.

·    4    

Family meetings are often held to discuss different matters with your family members, share happy memories and talk about interesting stories. It can be a meeting when the family is sitting together at the dining table talking on a Friday night.

·Watch a movie

    5     It will never be as fun as watching it with the people you love. Pick out everyone’s favorite movie, prepare some popcorn, and enjoy a comfortable family night.

8 . Being part of a club is such a great experience for people of all ages. Here are five benefits of joining a club.

You can meet new people.

Usually, the people you meet are easy to get along with because you both have something in common: your interest in the club.     1    That means you spend a lot of time with other members. Often, from my experience, members of the club become good friends with each other.

You can learn new skills.

Everyone in a club has a job to do. Your work might be something that you’re already great at or something that you don’t have much experience with.     2     I learned about how to communicate with other people. Some basic skills were also learned that can be used later on in life.

    3    

The idea of joining a club between work, school, friends and family may seem overwhelming (令人难以应对的). However, once you get used to your role in a club and learn to manage your time, you will find there is still enough time left for other things that need to be done daily.

You can gain experience for the future.

The skills you learn will not only allow you to succeed in that profession but will also look great on a resume (简历) if you join a club that is similar to the career you want to enter! If you dream of becoming a lawyer, for example, you will be thankful for the practice you got from being part of such a club.     4    

You can improve confidence.

Joining a club requires courage.     5     But the more you practice your club function (功能), the better you’re going to be at it. Normally, the more time you spend in a club, the more you’ll be relaxed and confident.

9 . There are different kinds of umbrellas.     1    . This is an oversized umbrella used for providing shade (阴凉处) and protection from the sun. Usually a beach umbrella is from two to three meters wide.

You can get beach umbrellas in many different types.    2    . However, some are simple without pictures or marks on them and appear more like picnic table umbrellas. Some umbrellas can be very large, but you can find small beach umbrellas for kids, on which there are often popular designs.

If you’re buying a beach umbrella, you may also want to buy some lightweight beach chairs. You may need to buy a beach car (手推车).     3    . For example, beach carts can be used to transport any beach toys you may bring for your kids.

    4    . These oversized umbrellas can also be applied to an outdoor picnic or a certain outdoor party by offering you great shade. If you’re attending an outdoor concert or an outdoor event where you will sit on the grass, a beach umbrella can protect you from the sun.

Beach umbrellas are usually very inexpensive, depending on the size. Their prices can usually vary from $20 to $75. They can be found in many large stores and sporting goods stores alongside the streets in the spring and summer months.     5    

10 . If you’d like to have a group of family and friends over on the weekend, consider hosting a game-day party. This is an event when people come together to watch a sport, often college or professional football.     1     Here’s what you need to know to plan a great game-day party at your home.

Ask a parent to help you look online for the game schedule of your favorite team.     2     You also may want to choose an afternoon game instead of an evening game, which can end late.

Make a list of who you want to invite, then ask a parent to help you reach out to ask them. You and your family could also invite another family if your parent wants to take part in the party too.     3     This way people can chat and enjoy some food before the game begins. It can also be fun to watch the pregame when the players are announced.

As the host of the party, you can decide what kind of food to serve. You could provide the main course and then ask guests to bring snacks and sweets.     4     Have water and other drinks on hand or ask people to bring reusable water bottles.

    5     A few ideas: Use paper to make paper chains in the colors of the two teams playing and hang them around the room. Cut football shapes out of brown paper or cardboard and write messages on them, such as “Go Team” or “Touchdown”, and hang them around the room.