Peloton’s Holiday Challenge Is a Great Motivator for Cold Weather.
I can be motivated to do almost anything if an app offers me a badge or “streak,” as I’ve detailed in various reviews here on Lifehacker. This is partially true for the apps I use for health and fitness, though I also get at least a modicum of satisfaction from the workouts themselves. As inclined as I am to get up and exercise on a normal day, receiving some kind of digital reward makes me even more motivated, which was especially noticeable over the past four days when Peloton launched its “Holiday 2025” challenge. It’s a simple challenge, but you might find it interesting if you’re inspired by holiday pixels or want to reach your New Year’s goals faster.
What is Peloton’s 2025 holiday mission?
The Peloton app is generally great because it offers a wide variety of class types, can be used to track non-Peloton workouts better than its built-in workout trackers, and offers a variety of ways to get that sweet hit of motivation—from daily streaks to Club Peloton status . (My streak currently stands at 263 days, putting me firmly at the Silver III Club Peloton level.)
The app rewards you with badges and achievements for completing a certain number of meditation or strength training classes, completing classes featuring a specific artist, or participating in a challenge. Starting December 1st, we’re entering the “Holidays 2025” challenge, meaning that if you complete signature classes in the app, whether on a mobile device or one of the brand’s devices , you’ll earn a badge.
If you attend three holiday classes before December 31st, you’ll earn a bronze badge, five a silver badge, and ten a gold badge. That’s enough for me! This badge will appear in your profile along with any others you may have earned.
While that’s all there is to it, there’s one important thing you need to know: Peloton members must register for the challenge. You can do this in the app or via this link . I didn’t do so until today, meaning I just spent four days taking holiday classes (just typing “vacation” into the search bar) without contributing to my main badge. Luckily, some of the ones I took were retroactively counted after I registered. I oddly and unintentionally earned a badge called “Vacation 2024,” which appeared on my profile today, presumably because I took holiday classes released last year. It’s not exactly what I was aiming for, but I’ll take the bonus badge and be grateful anyway.
After signing up, just do what I did and search for “Vacation.” You’ll see both classes and a “Vacation” collection, which also displays only classes, but they’re sorted by year. Attending any vacation class, regardless of year, will earn you badges. There are bike rides, lift rides, yoga classes, walks—you get the idea. Like all Peloton offerings, they vary in intensity and duration, so you can find something you enjoy, no matter what you want to do or how long you want to do it for.
Why I like this challenge
I admit, I’m easy to please and can be persuaded to do anything, even if it’s a little quirky or unusual, but I think this challenge is great for a number of reasons. First, it’s not intimidating. You have 31 days to complete just three activities and still earn a badge, and the collection includes many simple, low-impact activities. Beginners or those short on time won’t have to commit to a bunch of super-difficult activities.
I also love anything new, and I appreciate that it offers a fun way to focus on movement during this time of year, which, at least for me, is both busier and more sloppy than the other 11 months. When it’s cold outside and there are baked goods galore, I’m not always inclined to choose a workout over pajamas and lounging on the couch, but knowing I need to stick to my schedule to earn a gold badge can be motivating.
Finally, I’m in the midst of a personal challenge: last week, for some reason, I was inspired to splash out on a hefty monthly unlimited Pilates membership, which I’m now determined to pay off every penny by attending classes every morning around 5:30. There’s something so satisfying about coming home in the cold after an intense reformer workout and unwinding with some holiday yoga or stretching. I might even incorporate a holiday walk on the way home. At a time when I’m already feeling pretty overwhelmed, I appreciate the whimsy and fun of the “Backstreet Boys 10-Minute Holiday Stretch.” Remembering that movement should be fun, especially during a season that’s known to get on my nerves with all its events, responsibilities, and hustle and bustle, is key.