Making the Most of the Week After Christmas

The week between Christmas and New Year’s offers a rare gift: time to do whatever brings you joy.

The week after Christmas is a chance to slow down and enjoy the holiday season before regular routines return. Geber86/Shutterstock

There’s no time of the year quite like the week after Christmas. Most people seem to spend this unusual week in one of two ways: either traveling or wandering around their home in pajamas, losing track of what day it is, and subsisting mainly on cookies. Both options are delightful in their own ways.

If you plan to enjoy the latter option this year, here are a few ways you can make the most of it.

Line Up Entertainment

Make a list of movies you’ve been wanting to watch with your family or books you’ve been desiring to read. Stock up your video library and bookshelf (or add these requests to your wishlist for Santa) so that you’ve got all you need to relax and enjoy the week. This might also be a great time to listen to a new audiobook as a family; “The Chronicles of Narnia” is a sure winner.

Tackle a Puzzle

This is a great week to work on a puzzle as a family. Clear the dining room table and spread out a challenging and festive jigsaw puzzle. Put the plate of leftover cookies next to the puzzle to entice repeat visitors. Can you finish the entire thing before the new year?

Play Games

Similarly, enjoy those classic board games that have been collecting dust, try a new one you might have received for Christmas, or simply pull out a deck of cards and enjoy a fun game night with your loved ones. Further, get some fresh air by playing outside; tennis, pickleball, kickball, and tag are easy and fun options the whole family can enjoy.

Encourage Unplugging

It would be a shame if this week were lost to digital devices. If it’s not already a practice in your home, create a central repository to house phones and digital devices while you enjoy more real-life experiences and activities at home.

Replace digital activities with analog ones. Set out a plethora of craft supplies and begin creating, build a blanket fort with your kids, walk around the neighborhood without (gasp) your phone, write and mail physical thank-you notes for Christmas gifts you received, rearrange a room, or begin learning a new skill.

Set Simple Goals

The re-entry to regular life after the holidays can often feel a bit rough. If you’ve got a free week on your hands, perhaps you’d benefit from organizing your space, thinking through the first quarter of the new year, or journaling about your long- and short-term goals and plans. Starting the new year with a clean slate and a clear direction can be a great feeling.

De-tinsel

Some people hold strict traditions regarding when they take down their Christmas decorations, but if you’re open to it, it can be a true delight to get your decor put away before the calendar sends you and your family back to work and school. You can take your time throughout the week or complete the task in one afternoon.

Resist Over-Scheduling

You might see all of this open time on your calendar and be tempted to fill it up, but consider whether, after all the celebration and revelry, you need some quiet, restorative time at home. The week after Christmas often provides a unique opportunity to take a breath, slow down, and bask in the cozy glow of your home with your family. Doing nothing at all can be underrated.