INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Call or text one of your friends. You may not have seen them in a while because you might have time off from school, so you should catch that person up on what's going on in your life and ask them about theirs. Try to immerse yourself in the conversation so that you are a little distracted from the fact that it's Christmas. If you want to distract yourself from the fact that it's Christmas Eve, you should do an activity that isn't related to Christmas. For example, you could try one of the following activities: Read Write Draw something Play a musical instrument Exercise Take a bath The fastest way to pass the time will be to fall asleep, because when you wake up, it will be Christmas morning! However, sometimes it's hard to fall asleep on Christmas Eve. Here are some ways that you can try to fall asleep faster: Wear noise cancelling headphones to counteract distracting noises Wear socks to bed Take a warm shower before you try to fall asleep Go to your "happy place" Listen to music

SUMMARY: Call a friend. Entertain yourself with something unrelated to Christmas. Go to sleep early.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Croquet balls are usually color coded so you can tell whose is whose. Divide into two teams, so that each team has two or three balls, or have each player use their own ball. Usually, one team plays with the blue and black balls (and green if available), while the other team plays with red and yellow balls (and orange). In 9 hoop croquet, place it halfway between the southern stake and the nearest hoop. In 6 hoop croquet, place the ball a few paces between the southwestern hoop and the southern side. This is where each ball will be placed in turn, one at a time. Do not place the next ball until the previous one has been hit. It doesn't matter if you've forgotten which end is south. Pick one stake and decide to call it the south stake. Use the flat side of the wooden mallet to hit the ball firmly, sending it rolling across the grass. The balls are hit in this order: blue, red, black, yellow, green, orange. You normally only get one hit on your turn (but see below), and you do not get to hit a ball with the mallet if it doesn't belong to your team, so the players should rotate as well, alternating between the two teams. Note that you may choose who goes first with a coin flip or an aiming contest hitting the balls toward a target. If, for example, the green player goes first, play continues in the order listed above: green, orange, blue, red, black, yellow, then back to green. The goal of the game is to get your team's balls through the hoops in a particular order, and in the right direction through that hoop. You might want to use colored clothespins or clips that match the balls' colors to keep track of which hoop you are aiming for next. In 6 hoop croquet, the order is: northward through the two western hoops, southward through the two eastern hoops, northward through the two center hoops. In 9 hoop croquet, the order is: northward through the two southern hoops, then in a northern zigzag through the eastern and center hoops, northward through the two northern hoops, hit the northern stake, then work your way in the same pattern southward. Use the western hoops instead of the eastern when going back southward. End by hitting the southern stake. This rule is optional, and may not be fun if some players are much better than the others. Every time you hit a ball through a wicket in the correct direction, you may take an extra shot. There is no limit to how many additional shots you may take in a turn. The players should decide whether they want a game that involves more interference and direct competition, in which case they should use this rule. If you manage to hit an opponent's ball with your own, you get to take two additional shots. Note that you cannot hit your opponents' balls with your mallet, only by aiming your own balls toward them. For a casual game, this is all the information you need to play. If someone makes a mistake, try to put the balls back the way they were and continue to play. There are many more rules and variations in croquet, from official tournament penalties for different errors, to special balls with the ability to remove opponents' balls from the game. Look these up or find an official guide for your regional tournament if you get excited about the game and want to learn more!

SUMMARY: Divide into teams or play individually. Place the first ball halfway a few paces from the starting hoop. Take turns hitting the balls with a mallet. Try to hit the ball through the hoops in order. Earn an extra shot by making it through a hoop (optional). Earn two extra shots by hitting your opponents' balls (optional). Look up additional rules and variations if you decide to play more.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Eating sustainably means eating foods that support both your own good health and the sustainability of the environment. If you're eating seafood, make sure that it's not at risk of being overfished, or farmed in a way that's damaging the environment. Try to buy from local growers whenever possible. Local farmers are usually invested in employing sustainable farm practices. Read the labels on your food products. If you don't recognize more than of the words found there, look for something less processed. This means eat less beef, which is higher on the food chain, and more roots, vegetables, and fruits. Smaller fish, such as anchovies, are usually better to eat than larger fish, such as tuna, which are higher up the food chain and typically higher in mercury. Plant-based foods require still less energy to produce. Shifting to a more plant-based style of eating will slow the deforestation that domestic meat production requires. Healthy diet guidelines encourage at least 50% of your daily diet consist of fruits and vegetables. If you do eat meat, treat it as a condiment rather than a main dish. Be aware that factory-farmed meat is produced in ways that contribute to greenhouse gases and environmental degradation. Learn to hunt deer for a more natural meat source. You'll avoid the energy required to transport products from far away. In addition, getting to know your local food producers will help you understand how your food was grown and harvested. Most fresh fish must be transported by air, if it's not local. Even out-of-season frozen fish will be more sustainable than fresh fish flown in. As the nutritional value of food diminishes with time, eating locally grown food increases the amount of nutrition you'll receive. Many international food growers use unregulated or under-regulated environmental practices. American grown products, while not always perfect, are usually farmed with more sustainable practices. Take the time to research products you purchase regularly. Good retailers will be well-informed on the way their sellers practice sustainability. Knowing more about your farmers and food sources through your retailers can help support local business, which are invested in protecting and preserving the environment.

SUMMARY:
Make sure the food you're eating is grown sustainably. Eat lower on the food chain. Look for food that's grown locally. Buy from trusted retailers.