9 things the Mamamia team are looking forward to doing before 2021 ends.

I think we can all agree that 2021 didn't exactly pan out how we planned. 

Parties were cancelled, musicals went unwatched, dancefloors were empty, and it's been months since many of us have set foot in a cinema. 

We've missed our mates and our mums and we've missed having a good belly laugh with the ones we love. 

But there's still about six weeks left of 2021 and the Mamamia team plan to make the absolute most of them. 

We're finally travelling to see our families (cue the Love Actually music), we're getting back out onto the dancefloor, we're exploring far and not so far-flung places, and we're making memories we'll cherish for years to come. 

Here's what the Mamamia team plan to do before 2021 ends. 

'We're finally celebrating our engagement.'

"It's the best way to bring everyone we love together before the holidays." Image: supplied. 

"We'll be finally celebrating our engagement with our family and friends in Brisbane. We're throwing a party — which in and of itself is strange because we aren't party throwing people — but we just thought f**k it! With border closures we haven't seen anyone and it's the best way to bring everyone we love together before the holidays." - Kee Reece, co-host of The Spill. 

'I'm immersing myself in the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH.'

"The Golden Room is filled with 40,000 handmade flowers." Image: supplied. 

"The one thing I've missed this year is being able to check out new exhibits and have new experiences with my friends. Thankfully, the Melbourne pop-up exhibit, Happy Place is opening soon! It's heading back to Australia after bouncing around (and selling out!) overseas.

"I'm going to go with a group of friends so we can finish the year with some happy memories and some fun snaps for our Instagram feeds. There's a cookie scented room that I need to get my nose to ASAP. I plan to take approximately 484834 photos in Super Bloom (a room which is filled with 40,000 handmade flowers) like I'm Beyonce and I need to announce something to my fans. I also can't wait to snap a pic in the iconic rubber ducky bath. 

"I'm looking forward to losing myself in the immersive experience." Image: supplied. 

"It's hosted a range of celebrity guests which of course, is everything. Hilary Duff made it rain confetti, Travis Barker hung out in the Upside Down, and Olivia Wilde and Kourtney Kardashian also made appearances. And hey, recreating their photos is kinda the same as being there with them, right? (Well, as close as we'll ever get.)

"But most of all, I'm looking forward to losing myself in the immersive experience for a few hours and forgetting all the stresses and disappointments of 2021. Did I mention how AMAZING my Instagram feed is going to look?" - Keryn Donnelly, Pop Culture Editor. 

'I'm finally visiting my family in the UK.' 

"I will beside myself with all the emotions!" Image: supplied. 

"I'm hoping to go to the UK to see my family! I've booked flights to leave Sydney (fingers crossed) on December 26. I'm going by myself for 12 days, as it's been two years since I've seen my mum and dad and nearly three years since I saw my sister and two nephews. I'm very excited but also a little nervous about it being cancelled. And I'm nervous generally about getting on a plane, but once it touches down in London, I will beside myself with all the emotions!" - Laura Jackel, Content Producer. 

'I'm keen for a good old-fashioned house party.' 

"Picnics were fun, but I'm very keen for a good old house party." Image: supplied. 

"I'm SO looking forward to attending a long list of delayed 21st birthdays thanks to Sydney's lockdowns. My best friend has had her birthday celebrations put off since April thanks to changing restrictions, so it'll be all the much better when we can get together later this month with a big group of people. Picnics were fun, but I'm very keen for a good old house party." - Emma Gillman, Editorial Assistant.

'They bring him so much joy.' 

"We have a lot of time to make up for!" Image: supplied. 

"We're going to be taking our cousin Simon to every musical that’s on offer. We have a lot of time to make up for! We keep checking the websites to see what’s coming next. They bring him so much joy and we make a night out of it by going for dinner before and then driving him home afterwards." - Clare and Jessie Stephens, Executive Editors. 

'I'm going back to Hamilton!'

As the year comes to an end, I'm looking forward to finally going to concerts and musicals again! I've bought tickets to Hamilton in Sydney on Boxing Day. I'm really looking forward to making it a bit of an event and heading somewhere nice for dinner afterwards. Plus, I feel like I never know what to do with myself during that quiet period between Christmas and New Year's, so it feels nice to have something fun to look forward to." - Jess Staveley, Managing Editor. 

'We're finally having that weekend away.' 

 "I’m looking forward to a weekend of relaxing and soaking in a bath." Image: supplied. 

"My partner had planned a little weekend getaway to the Southern Highlands in NSW for my birthday this year. Unfortunately, it was just as we entered lockdown in Sydney so the birthday celebrations were at home. But now that Sydney is out of lockdown, we’ll be going on that getaway this weekend. 

"It actually turned out to be perfect timing because work has been very intense lately so I’m looking forward to a weekend of relaxing, soaking in a bath (a requisite for any place when going away as I live in a small apartment with no bathtub), sleeping on luxurious linens, eating delicious food and drinking wine. I feel like it will be just what I need after another year of lockdowns and I can’t wait to come back as basically a different person (that can happen over a weekend right?)." - Melody Teh, Editor. 

'I'm exploring a new city for Christmas.' 

"My housemate invited me to spend Christmas in Adelaide with their family." Image: supplied. 

"Typically, I would be with my own family on Christmas, but sadly I was unable to make any plans to visit my family in New Zealand this year due to the lockdown rules and the general confusion that came with that. 

"However, my housemate invited me to spend Christmas in Adelaide with their family. So it looks like I’ll be spending the end of 2021 eating German sausages in Hahndorf and buying the cheapest bottles of Riesling I can find at Adelaide wineries. I’m also making it a personal mission to read at least 10 more books before the end of 2021 (I’m failing so far)." - Shannen Findlay, Editorial Assistant. 

'I'm heading back to my favourite bar for Drag & Dine.'

 "I've missed going out and having a boogie." Image: supplied. 

"I'm getting myself to my favourite gay bar for a Drag & Dine fiesta! I've missed going out and having a boogie, but also feel terrible for all the incredible drag queens who have lost almost all of their work because of the pandemic. 

"So I'm throwing myself back on the scene to cheer, woop and celebrate in a BIG WAY!" - Katie Stow, Evening Editor.

Get your happy back by checking out Happy Place coming to the Crown Melbourne from 2 December, 2021 to 30th January, 2022. To experience the fun, grab your tickets here.

Feature Image: Supplied/Mamamia.