Thanksgiving and Black Friday have come and gone, thus we enter the “grey area” between one holiday and the next. As of the writing of this post, we have 30 days till Christmas, 17 days till Hanukkah, 31 days till Kwanzaa and for our family in particular: 15 days till my Wife’s birthday.
No, it’s not a holiday BUT IT SHOULD BE. SHE’S WONDERFUL.
Anyway, there is always a certain feeling at this time of year. We’re all recovering from travel, food and extra time spent with family all while planning ahead for the next one. Checking work schedules started almost two months ago, some presents bought even further out than that (currently gathering dust in a secret location in the house). It’s like a calm between holly jolly hurricanes.
Some people already have Christmas decorations out in our town. Hell, some people set up their tree shortly after Halloween (you monsters), and our local grocery store has had theirs up since around the same time.
But what does this time of year truly bring? Stress? Joy? Both? Here are a few things you can do to balance things until the next round of Holiday craziness descends on us.
1: Write a Book
I know it seems crazy, and you may not feel like you have the time. But there are still a few days of National Novel Writing Month left, and short stories count! ….I think. Anyway…have a crazy story from Thanksgiving, Black Friday or 2017 in general? Sit down and write it!
2: Take some time off
Depending on who you are, you’re either thinking “are you crazy”. What I’m saying is: It makes perfect sense taking time off for Thanksgiving and then again in late December, but you should give yourself a few days in-between. You can either use it as a mental reset, or use it to prep for the next round of in-law visits and mountains of food. Better yet, is your little one out on holiday break? Who not send them to grandma’s house or daycare just for a day so you can have some time off for you and your partner.
3: Go to the movies
Just go. Just pick something and go. Go sit in a dark room, in a comfy chair and just let yourself de-stress and be entertained. You deserve it.
4: Go for a walk
Now heres the thing, maybe you walk every day. Hell maybe your a runner (you monster). But one thing is for sure, bundling up and going for a quiet stroll or listening to music while you get that little bit of a workout can help your body reset from all the sitting around and eating balanced with hustling for the kids and the family. This time, do a little hustle on your own terms.
5: Wrap some gifts
Yeah it’s still a bit early, but being prepared ahead of time is the best feeling going into any holiday.
6: Re-work your gift list
If you even took the time to make one, your wish-list may be out of date for the things you’d like to get. Maybe since you wrote it you’ve seen some things online or in a store, saw a commercial or maybe a friend told you about something really cool. Don’t be afraid to make alterations. Stay updated.
7: Double check other peoples lists
Chances are your kids aren’t afraid to make additions, and neither is your partner. Check in with them to make sure.
8: Take a bath
Sure maybe it’s not a “Manly” thing but it’s damn sure relaxing. I’m not saying pick up one of those bath bomb things but I certainly recommend one of those trays so you can watch the new Punisher series on Netflix and soak.
9: Plan ahead
Got a road trip coming up for the aforementioned holidays? Start mapping it out. Even if you know where you are going check out the route and see if theres any good looking restaurants you haven’t tried yet, or some place to stop off and let the kids run around so there a little more chill when its time for dinner.
10: Give your partner a gift
Look, the holidays are stressful on us all and although the anticipation of gifts is growing, toss in a little something during the “layover” to let off a little steam. It doesn’t have to be something big, and it could even be something you already bought them for later! Wrap up a little something and surprise your partner with it, it’ll brighten their day, let off a little stress, and maybe you’ll get a little something as well.
Happy Holidays to you and your families!
-B.K. Mullen