CREDIT: ESZTER SZEPESSY/THINKSTOCK
The holidays are a time of giving. Why not help your neighbour out by shovelling his/her driveway? It's also a great way to fit in some exercise.

The end of the semester is finally here.

It’s time for us to cram all that we’ve learned over the past few months into one or two study sessions right before our final exam.

But in all seriousness, aren’t you all excited about the upcoming winter break?

While we settle in for the holiday season, many of us find ourselves indoors trying to stay warm.

But there are actually a lot of ways we can stay active this holiday season while taking advantage of the cold winter weather.

Try some of these activities with your friends or family this holiday season:

1. Go skating. London has a number of indoor and outdoor rinks that are open to the public throughout the city. Encourage your friends to join you with the promise of hot chocolate afterwards. Try the outdoor rink at Victoria Park. If you don’t own a pair of skates, you can rent some for $6.

2. Go tobogganing or tubing. Who said tobogganing/tubing is just for kids? Some great memories can be made with your friends or siblings racing down that hill, and you may surprise yourself.

3. Take a yoga class. Not all the activities had to be outdoors. With all this newfound free time on your hands, it can be put to good use. Many yoga studios in London have winter deals, take Groupons or offer a complimentary free class. Yoga Shack offers free classes on Fridays at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at 140 Ann St.

4. Go for a hike. London is home to a number of parks and pathways scattered across the city that are beautiful when covered in snow. If you’re the creative type bring along your camera. Either way, you’ll be burning those calories, which is important considering all that turkey and holiday treats you may consume in the near future. Try the Thames Valley Trail – located south of London – which is open all year round, save for December 25, where private lands are closed. Find out more at tinyurl.com/thamestrail.

5. Help your neighbours clear their driveways. This is more of a good deed I encourage everyone to partake in this holiday season. Helping an elderly neighbour or someone you know who could use the help is not only a nice way to help out your community this holiday season, but it’s also great exercise.

Make sure to bundle up this holiday season while staying active. Encourage your loved ones to join in the fun.

Happy holidays everyone.