Lazy friendship “challenge” week three: Finding warmth

A series of simple, seasonal activities to do with friends

Dec 18, 2025

Welcome to week three of our Lazy Friendship “Challenge” — a series of simple, seasonal activities to foster connection without actually being that challenging at all.

Each week, you’ll get a suggestion for something to do with a friend that can be completed in your PJs, without leaving the house and while barely leaving your couch. (While we love IRL time with friends, we actually suggest doing each of these over video call, even if you live close by, to make them as easy to fit into your days as possible.) Each can take as long as you have time for and as little as five minutes (which is five minutes of relaxed togetherness that you wouldn’t have had otherwise!!). And each is designed to cultivate a different delightful feeling that will hopefully counteract some of the stress or gloom of the season.

Invite a friend (or a few!) to join you in completing the un-challenging “challenge” — we hope it makes your mood a little brighter and your friendship a little closer.

This chilly time of year, most of us would rather stay curled up under a pile of fuzzy blankets than don our athletic apparel and trek to a workout class. It’s a natural instinct to want to hibernate in winter! December also brings heightened anxiety, the logistical headaches of travel, and delicious but probably not the most nutritious treats. So, how can we invite lazy movement to counteract all of the chaos while still giving our bodies a break?

This week, we’re “challenging” you to stretch with a friend! Stretching activates a part of our brains called the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers stress hormones and boosts feelings of calm (something we can all use more of). Plus, the shared release of endorphins (feel-good brain chemicals) strengthens social connections, bringing you closer to your friend. If doing any sort of exercise feels daunting, we have good news. Research shows that even looking at a photo of a supportive friend can make exercise feel less tiring — so imagine what a video call will do!

Friends exercising together — though this is far more athletic than we suggest for this activity!

One of Erin’s favorite activities with her long-distance friend Katherine is a FaceTime and stretch hang. “Stretch” is a generous word for what this looks like in practice. Mostly, we call each other while flopped out on the floor and moving our bodies just a little bit. Sometimes that’s just sitting in a butterfly stretch the whole call or doing a few gentle side bends or neck rolls while we chat. Maybe you grab your foam roller or yoga therapy balls and do some self-massage instead of stretching. If you want more guidance, you could borrow some stretches from The Overwhelmed Yogi’s Holiday Survival Challenge or Anna Maltby’s How to Move (like this foam roller chest opener, quick stretch for your wrists and hands, or lower back side stretch).

But ultimately, to quote another one of our favorite online fitness instructors, find what feels good for your body right now, warming your cold, creaky self from the inside out while enjoying the warmth of a friend’s presence.

Optional delights: Kick up the heat by lighting a candle, fireplace, or the twinkle lights on your tree! If you’re celebrating Chanuka, try this while the menorah is lit. If you aren’t a fan of open flame (or just don’t feel like tracking down a box of matches), pull up a video of a crackling fire or this adorable “yule dog”.