This holiday season, spread cheer among your residents with these fun floor get-togethers and decorating ideas. Before you start planning, check with your Residence Life office to make sure your decorations adhere to their rules.

FAUX THANKSGIVING DINNER
Celebrate the holiday a few days before Thanksgiving break with a potluck inside your residence hall. Invite all rooms to bring something to the table for a chance to eat, relax and bond.

TIP: Wondering how to get a cooked turkey? Ask students if a parent is willing to provide the bird. Parents are usually willing to contribute since they want to be part of their child's college experience.

BYOM – Hot Cocoa Bar
Treat students to a cup of hot cocoa after a chilly day on campus. Ask residents to bring their own mugs (BYOM) while you supply the cocoa. Serve mixings like crushed peppermints, whipped cream, mini marshmallows, chocolate shavings and mini M&Ms to let students customize their drinks. Did you know hot chocolate is made with melted chocolate while hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder? Prepare some classic cocoa in your resident hall kitchen for a sweet treat.

Recipe for Classic Hot Cocoa

• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ - ¹⁄₃ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₃ cup half and half
• 4 cups whole milk

Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; add half and half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Simmer 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk; stirring constantly, heat to desired serving temperature. Do Not Boil. Remove cocoa from heat; whisk or beat until frothy. Top with whipped cream or marshmallows

DOOR DECORATING
Let residents get a little more festive by wrapping their doors in holiday trimmings. Grab some wrapping paper, double stick removable tape, bows and ribbons to help make the halls cheerier during finals. You could also host a room-decorating contest for your residents.

OLD FASHIONED SNOWFLAKES
Invite your residents to make recycling festive! Take old notes and papers that are no longer needed and make snowflakes to hang from the ceiling. Attach them to the ceiling with clips and ribbon to make your hall look like a winter wonderland.

HANGER WREATHS
These are great for doors and windows! Take a metal coat hanger and shape it into a circle. Cut several white kitchen trash bags vertically into three long strips. Now, cut off one inch sections from each strip and tie them onto the coat hanger. Push up your tied strips and keep adding to you have a full looking wreath. Add cheap ornaments from a dollar store to hook through the wreath for some color.

This holiday season, spread cheer among your residents with these fun floor get-togethers and decorating ideas. Before you start planning, check with your Residence Life office to make sure your decorations adhere to their rules.

FAUX THANKSGIVING DINNER
Celebrate the holiday a few days before Thanksgiving break with a potluck inside your residence hall. Invite all rooms to bring something to the table for a chance to eat, relax and bond.

TIP: Wondering how to get a cooked turkey? Ask students if a parent is willing to provide the bird. Parents are usually willing to contribute since they want to be part of their child's college experience.

BYOM – Hot Cocoa Bar
Treat students to a cup of hot cocoa after a chilly day on campus. Ask residents to bring their own mugs (BYOM) while you supply the cocoa. Serve mixings like crushed peppermints, whipped cream, mini marshmallows, chocolate shavings and mini M&Ms to let students customize their drinks. Did you know hot chocolate is made with melted chocolate while hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder? Prepare some classic cocoa in your resident hall kitchen for a sweet treat.

Recipe for Classic Hot Cocoa

• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ - ¹⁄₃ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₃ cup half and half
• 4 cups whole milk

Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; add half and half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Simmer 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk; stirring constantly, heat to desired serving temperature. Do Not Boil. Remove cocoa from heat; whisk or beat until frothy. Top with whipped cream or marshmallows

DOOR DECORATING
Let residents get a little more festive by wrapping their doors in holiday trimmings. Grab some wrapping paper, double stick removable tape, bows and ribbons to help make the halls cheerier during finals. You could also host a room-decorating contest for your residents.

OLD FASHIONED SNOWFLAKES
Invite your residents to make recycling festive! Take old notes and papers that are no longer needed and make snowflakes to hang from the ceiling. Attach them to the ceiling with clips and ribbon to make your hall look like a winter wonderland.

HANGER WREATHS
These are great for doors and windows! Take a metal coat hanger and shape it into a circle. Cut several white kitchen trash bags vertically into three long strips. Now, cut off one inch sections from each strip and tie them onto the coat hanger. Push up your tied strips and keep adding to you have a full looking wreath. Add cheap ornaments from a dollar store to hook through the wreath for some color.