Winter break is often the one time of year that entire families are back together again. Whether your family is kept apart by school locations, work obligations, or other factors, winter break may be the only time you get to see everyone at once. Don't take it for granted; spend time with one another, and do fun activities together. You can participate in any number of indoor or outdoor activities together. Ask your parents and siblings what they'd like to do while you're home, and offer your input on fun things you'd like to do. You can play board games or card games indoors, or go out and explore your hometown. You may associate museums with school field trips, but museums can be great fun to visit when you're not there for class. Museums are a great place to learn about history and the natural world, soak in some of the most famous art in the world, or simply people watch from a quiet bench in the galleries. Check online to find out the hours and location for your local aquarium, history museum, or art museum. Remember to be respectful at any museum. There may be restrictions on what you can bring in, whether or not you can take photographs, and what levels of volume are acceptable. A lot of new movies tend to be released around winter break, which means you'll be home during a peak movie season. Spend time with your family or friends and see the newest comedy, action film, or drama that's being hyped up this year. You can even go out for coffee after the movie and talk about what you liked or didn't like about it together. After a stressful semester of reading and studying, books might be the last thing on your mind. But reading for pleasure is a wonderful hobby that can immerse you in a world of experience. You can read alone in your room, or invite your family to join you by the fireplace with their own books and spend some reading time together. Reread an old favorite from your bookshelf at home, or pick up a new book that sparks your interest. If you're really feeling adventurous, try reading in a genre that you don't normally pursue and see what you can learn and enjoy from it. Visit your local library, or go to your community bookstore. You can also order books online and have them shipped to your home the next day. If you know your syllabus or reading assignments for the spring, you can even get a head start on the books you'll be reading when school resumes. It may be an assignment, but you can still work at your leisure and enjoy the book recreationally, too. Time off from school is a great time to start a new project or learn something new. You may be reluctant to do any learning over winter break, but a new creative pursuit is something that can help relieve stress, and if you enjoy it you can make it a life-long hobby. Try puzzles, drawing, painting, writing, knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, or learning an instrument. Creative pursuits give you an instant sense of reward because you have a final product that you made. . Cleaning may not be the most fun thing to do when you're home on break, but it's a great way to spend time with your parents. Plus, they'll certainly appreciate your efforts to help keep the house tidy while you're home. Watching television is a great way to unwind, and you can do it alone or with family and friends. Binge watch your favorite shows together, introduce your parents to your new favorite sitcom, or let them show you their favorite TV shows. Try not to spend more than four hours watching television on a given day. You may be on winter break, but too much television can be bad for you (especially if you're still growing and developing). If you used to play video games, you probably still have your game system at home. If you're new to video games, try them out at a friend's house, or rent a game console and a few games from a video game store in your area. Search online to find out where to rent or buy video games and gaming consoles. You may also be able to download games online and play them on your computer. You can play video games alone, or with friends/family. Your winter break will probably involve a lot of running around to spend time with relatives and catch up with friends. You might also travel or spend time outdoors. No matter what you do, though, it's important to get caught up on your sleep and make sure you get enough rest while you're home. Most adolescents need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. If you've been staying up late studying for final exams before winter break, you may be far behind on your sleep. Set aside enough time each night to get adequate sleep, especially while you're home from school and away from distractions.

Summary: Spend time with your family. Visit a museum. See a movie with family/friends. Catch up on your reading. Take up a new creative pursuit. Help your parents clean Get caught up on your favorite shows. Play video games. Rest up.

These kits contain 2 sets of strips that go on your upper and lower teeth. Go to your local pharmacy and check the tooth care section for whitening strips. Look for the American Dental Association seal of approval to demonstrate that this product is safe. Read and follow all the instructions on any product you use. Currently, Crest whitening strips are the only brand that has ADA approval. Don't buy any products that aren't ADA-approved. Some whitening strips contain harsh chemicals that could damage your tooth enamel and irritate your gums. For a list of ADA-approved bleaching products, visit https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/ada-seal-products/category-display?category=Bleaching+Products. This removes any buildup on your teeth that could block the whitening gel or stop the strips from sticking properly. Brush, floss, and rinse your teeth normally before attaching the strips. Not all whitening strips instruct you to brush your teeth first. Always check the instructions before you use them. Open your mouth and curl your lips back so you can see all your teeth. Peel the backing paper off one strip and press the sticky side down onto the front of your bottom teeth. Run your finger along the strip to make sure it sticks completely. If the strip sticks out above your teeth, fold that part over the top. Then do the same for your top teeth. Most kits don't have different strips for your top and bottom teeth, but double check anyway to make sure. Wash your hands before reaching into your mouth. The exact amount of time depends on how strong the whitening gel is, so leave them on for as long as the product instructs you to. While you wait, try lying back with your mouth slightly open so pull saliva away from your teeth. Try to reduce the amount of times you swallow while the strips are attached. You might swallow some of the whitening chemicals, which could irritate your stomach. Don't eat or drink while the strips are attached. Leave them in place and don't touch or adjust them. After the correct amount of time has passed, reach into your mouth to the end of the strip and peel it off gently. Do the same for the other strip. Throw both of them away and don't reuse them. Leaving the strips on longer than instructed doesn't increase the whitening affect. It only makes the chemicals irritate your teeth and gums. Make sure your hands are clean before reaching into your mouth. Wash them again if you've touched anything. Use water or a 50/50 water and mouthwash mixture. Swish the mixture around, focusing on the front of your teeth, to get any remaining gel off. If you feel like more gel is stuck on your teeth, brush it off with your toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Removing the leftover gel is important because you could end up with white specks around your teeth if you leave the gel on in some spots. Different products have different instructions, ranging from twice a day for a week to once a day for 2 weeks. Double check the packaging and follow the treatment that you're instructed to. If at any point your teeth feel overly sensitive or irritated, stop using the whitening strips. Contact your dentist and ask what you should do.
Summary: Get ADA-approved whitening strips. Brush and floss your teeth if the instructions tell you to. Press the strips onto your teeth. Keep the strips attached for 10-45 minutes. Peel the strips off when the regimen is finished. Rinse your mouth to remove any leftover gel. Repeat the treatment as often as the product instructs you to.