It’s the strangest time of the year. Fondly known as Twixmas, it is a week of festive limbo, in which no one knows what day of the week it is, you barely leave your front room, you replace all milk with Baileys and eat turkey at every meal.
It’s no wonder this week can leave us feeling a bit worse for wear. The Christmas comedown is hitting us hard. The tinsel is looking more tragic than magical, the tree is starting to turn brown, and will your grandparents ever actually go home? Or do they just live here now?
There are only so many Indiana Jones reruns you can watch on ITV 2 before you start losing your mind. But these days are precious. Yes, the main attraction is done and dusted for another year, but these in-between days provide rare, unscheduled time for you to reset and re-energise before the New Year hits you in the face like a sledge hammer.
If you use the days well, this seasonal no man’s land can become the best time of the year. All the festive fun without any of the pressure of a looming Christmas Day. Here are our top tips for making the most of these strange, aimless days.
Get out of the house
You have probably been holed up in your mum’s house or your grandparents’ house for a few days now. You’ve carved a nice personal butt-dent in the sofa. You’ve been wearing the same pyjamas for four days straight. Cabin fever is real. Particularly at Christmas. It’s all too easy to lose track of time, and even days, when you don’t see any sunlight. Getting out of the house to walk the dog, pick up some groceries, or simply to get some fresh air, can do wonders for your mindset. A blast of oxygen, some brisk movement and a change of scenery can really energise you and improve your mood. Try to schedule at least an hour out of the house every day during this week – it will give you a welcome break from any family tensions, and will help you appreciate some downtime in front of the TV later on.
Don’t work too hard
Lots of us are back in work during this period, but it doesn’t have to completely suck. If you’re back in the office, make sure you make the most of this relatively quiet period. Depending on what you do, this time between Christmas and New Year will probably be quieter than normal, so relish the fact that you won’t have to push yourself too hard. Try your best to leave on time – just because you’re working, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the festive fun. See what plans you and your friends can fit in around your office hours. If you have pals at work, organise some fun things – like a belated Christmas lunch, or fancy cocktails – to keep the party spirit going. Read more