As we move into December, Christmas is becoming more prominent in stores, social media, and television networks. My favorite aspect of the holidays is watching the baking competitions on Food Network, three of which can now be seen on Hulu. They are all filled with cheer, color, and really bring forward nostalgic memories of cooking with family. 

Holiday Baking Championship 

I really enjoy watching this show around November and December, there are a lot of amazing creations the contestants make. From challenges such as having to recreate a Yule log to using specific spices, it is sure to keep you entertained for hours, or maybe that is just me. I watch this with my friends and family every Christmas and it has become a sort of tradition, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Creativity Rating: 7/10

Christmas Cookie Challenge 

The show features a mix of professional and home bakers, which ups the competition. The main judge is Ree Drummond, the star of “Pioneer Woman ” on Food Network, and each episode two guest judges join and decide who is the Christmas Cookie Champion. Throughout the series I found myself rooting for the home bakers as they have less experience, but a lot of heart and creativity. 

Creativity Rating: 8/10

Holiday Gingerbread Showdown

This show really changes what you see as a gingerbread house, from creating faces to making their creations actually move, contestants are extremely competitive and inspiring. I even attempted to create my own gingerbread house while watching an episode (it did not go very well). Although watching baking shows makes me hungry, I mainly watch them to forget about the heavy things for a little while. Get comfortable, grab a snack, and then grab more snacks while you watch gingerbread homes be built. 

Creativity Rating: 10/10

There are also two holiday baking shows on Netflix, both are centered around competitions and are overflowing with Christmas cheer.

The Great British Baking Show: Holidays

A series in which four bakers from the connected show, “The Great British Baking Show,” return for the holidays and go through a series of challenges to prove they have what it takes as a baker. The judges are exuberant and cheerful and the series is quite funny at times, I like to watch this in between exams or when I’m feeling stressed. A small amount of serotonin goes a long way, and constantly watching baking shows has improved my mood a lot.  

Creativity Rating: 5/10

Sugar Rush Christmas

This is a series where the most important component is time management while baking, something that can easily be compared to a busy university student. Four teams of two compete to win a $10,000 dollar prize that is the icing on the cake so to speak while the experience of stretching their culinary muscles is put to the test. If you like to bake or just generally enjoy competitions and fast paced shows you might like to try it out. 

Creativity Rating : 3/10

All in all, all of these shows are delightful to watch and are the epitome of the Christmas season. With the combination of pandemic stress, exams, and the holidays being right on top of us, there is not a lot of time to take a moment and relax. One of the most important things to remember is to keep up with your mental health as well as your physical health, sit down for a few minutes and breathe or watch something to lift your spirits. I found myself feeling a lot calmer post-exams after watching these shows, and hopefully it works the same for you.