A look at what teens and students do during their downtime and how enabling activities that tie into holidays are a quick way to score cool cachet and brand recognition.

The following is a 'greatest hits' list from a group of university and high school students sharing how they plan to spend their time off, with some themes highlighted.

The university types are hard-core on socializing and New Years. This group enjoys catching up with friends and family, stealing a little down time and planning for a big party. Travel is big, and restaurants and bars will be filled with a different clientele as the university students return to their hometowns. This might be a great market for hairdressers, spas and other sources of personal indulgence.

Here are some comments from University types on their plans...

·"hanging with family and friend, drinking lots of champagne, going skating, eating too much, and generally wasting my time."
·"For New Year's I am heading off to Montreal with some friends from school for some wild parties and dance clubs, expensive restaurants, lots of shopping, and snowplowing on nearby bunny hills."
·"I don't really have any plans for New Year's Eve, but I'm thinking of just staying home with my boyfriend and having the evening to ourselves."
·"Pampering myself: I am getting a haircut and a facial shortly after arriving in Toronto the day after I finish exams."

·"Buying: Unlike most others, I love Christmas shopping because I feel I am uniquely skilled at finding presents."
·"Hip, drunken jubilation: New Years in NYC"
·"Shutting off my brain"
·"Indulging, indulging, indulging"
·"Basking in holiday warmth and cheer"
·"Basking in holiday consumerism"

This sounds good to me! Maybe we should go back to school?

Some of the High School crowd said...

·"I will be spending most of my holidays with my family on both sides of my parents...yeah...I will be decorating my house and going to the mall to buy Christmas presents."
·"Just vegging with my friends, seeing a few movies, and going to the tube park."
·"If the Ski slopes are open I'll be going snowboarding."
·"Sleep!!! Sleep!!! Sleep!!!"
·"I'm planning to go to the gym and play some pickup basketball. Watch a ton of ESPN Classic Games and some really bad CBC Christmas movies. Second week, I'm going to the Dominican, that should be fun-sun, sports, and best of all: unlimited food."
·"First I'm going up to my cottage for four days of skiing and then to Blue Mountain for New Years and...surprise! More skiing!!!!!!"
·"Most of my holidays will be spent babysitting, because Christmas is when most people want to go to parties."
·"I am staying home, feeling happy, enjoying shopping, secret Santa among my cousins, eating (hmmm ... anything) happy and without work."
·"I plan to spend the whole time with friends, shopping and going to movies! Oh and sleeping. Vacation is for relaxing!!!"

You can hear the sighs both because there isn't any school and because kids now have to spend time with family. With the majority here looking for downtime, I can sense some boredom setting in by the second week off school. Stay away from the malls, arcades and movie theatres if you want serenity but go there to find the youth market. Interestingly, this makes for a great opportunity for the television advertiser, retail merchant and cinema operator. And being a travel agent would be good, too.

The most original entry unedited...

"Between making obscene gestures with my tongue, and occasionally howling at the moon, I will be making my theatrical debut as Olga the despondent transsexual in the upcoming production of that classic contemporary musical, "God's Greatest Blunders".

Following that, I plan on wandering around downtown with a dead skunk in my hands and approaching strangers to politely inquire, 'Would you like a bite of my sandwich?'"

Either that or I'll just have lots and lots of sex.

Finally, here is one from a client who spoke up...

"Although I am not taking time away from school - I am taking a break from the office - not sure if this counts! What am I doing? Reading 3 books and going skiing at Mt. Tremblant. RELAXING!"

Sing that song, sister! I hope we all get enough downtime to enjoy the things that matter to us most. Whether it's family or friends or to read or watch TV, whatever you need to do to enjoy life and make yourself happy, here's hoping you find the time to do it. To you and yours, have a great holiday!