There is a common misconception that a GoPro camera is only for those who lead an adventurous life. But even if you don't go skydiving or white water rafting, you can do lots with an action camera.

While this article focuses on the GoPro, there are other awesome action cameras for different prices. They all have similar features, so what you can do on a GoPro, you'll be able to do on others too.

So at this year's Christmas party, instead of shooting granny sitting in one place with your action camera, do something creative. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Look Inside Things!

Ever wondered what happens inside your dishwasher once it's loaded up? A GoPro can offer fascinating insight.

It's a simple idea, but given that the GoPro is rugged and waterproof, you can do a lot with it. Throw it in a washing machine. Attach it to your car when you drive through the car wash.

You could even put it in your freezer to watch liquid turn into ice, but be warned that the batteries also freeze after three hours.

2. Pet Perspective

How does your furry friend see the world? Attaching an action camera to your pet's collar, or with a special harness, is one of the popular GoPro ideas that don't involve extreme sports.

For something like this, the tiny GoPro Hero Session is probably the best idea, because of its light weight. It's easy to attach to most dog collars too.

If you want something more sturdy, try the GoPro Fetch (UK) dog harness, so you can see everything your pooch is seeing.

In case you're not a dog person, there are still other things you can do with it. Drop a GoPro in a fish tank for a unique view of what the fish are up to.

3. A New Car View

Sure, you can attach an action camera to your dashboard to get a dashcam for your car, but that's just not making the best use of it. Get a little creative and you'll capture your journeys in a whole new view.

Kyle Martin's short video above demonstrates the various different places you can attach a GoPro in a car. This gives you new angles. Can you imagine how amazing a bike ride would look if you later saw what was going on behind you the whole time?

To attach the GoPro to your car's exterior, you'll probably need to build a magnetic mount or buy one from Amazon for $20.

4. New Time-Lapse Every Week

GoPro's unique ability to be mounted in odd spots makes it ideal to capture a changing scene for hours. It's exactly what you need to create stunning time-lapse videos.

Every week, challenge yourself to shoot one new scene, which you edit into a time-lapse video. You don't need special software either. One of the best-kept GoPro secrets is the GoPro Studio software, which will handle all your video editing needs.

If the first few videos don't rock your world, be patient. Time-lapse photography takes some learning. What you initially thought was a vibrant area might not be as active as you thought, or quite boring when seen as a sped-up video.

5. Two GoPros, One Video

If you have more than one GoPro with you, you're in a unique position to make creative videos. The idea is to capture the same scene, but shoot it from two entirely different angles. And then merge it with the GoPro Studio software.

For example, take this above video of a pancake flip being captured from the handle's perspective. It's just a GoPro attached to the handle, but it's a completely new perspective. Imagine shooting a cooking video in your kitchen where there's one stationary camera capturing the whole scene, and one GoPro mounted on your wrist (UK).

Watch some of these amazing GoPro videos for inspiration. You don't need to be doing something drastic. Even a camera on your head and one on your pet's harness will lead to some interesting mashups.

6. Get Others to Wear It

The GoPro head mount (UK) is an awesome accessory. But don't just capture your own perspective. When you go to grab a coffee the next time, tip your barista and ask them to wear your GoPro on their head.

We meet so many people every day, but we don't really spend any time trying to see the world through their eyes. This exercise will give you a unique perspective into what others actually go through. And once you find out the useful things to know about a GoPro, you'll be able to get even more creative with the video modes, situations, and mounts.

Of course, you should be careful who you share the GoPro with, especially when giving it to strangers. But you're smart enough to know that already, right?

7. Create a Private Journal

Owning a GoPro is all about showing off the amazing things you've been up to, right? Wrong! An action camera can be an entirely private device if you want it to. It's up to you whether you want to share your footage.

If your GoPro sits in a closet most of the time, coming out only on the rare hike or vacation, then rethink how you use it. The video camera might be put to better use in your bathroom. Every morning, switch it on and create a digital journal.

The waterproof feature is even more useful here. We all come up with the best ideas while in the shower. So just use the GoPro as a tool to capture these ideas. Instead of having the GoPro sit idle in a drawer, isn't this a better use of it for most of the time?

How Do You Use Your GoPro?

This is the most common problem for GoPro owners. The average user doesn't really play a sport or do an extreme activity every week. So putting that action camera to use is a challenge.

If you've got a GoPro or an action camera, we're curious to know how you use it regularly. There are no bad ideas here, folks!