You’ve decked the halls, hung the stockings with care, wrapped and unwrapped the presents, and it’s no wonder if you’re all tired out. Hopefully now that Christmas is over you finally have a bit of time to relax. Maybe you already know exactly how you want to spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s, but here are 10 ideas for how to unwind in case you’ve forgotten how.
1. Take a long, hot bath. This is the perfect time to try out these Christmas tree bath salts, made from evergreen clippings that you can salvage from your tree, wreath, or garland.
2. Have a home spa day. Pamper yourself with those deep conditioners and face masks that have been sitting in the back of your bathroom cabinet. It’s a good way to clear them out so you can start fresh for the new year, with new products and a decluttered bathroom. If your cabinets are already clear, you could always try out some of the homemade beauty product ideas from this post.
3. Catch up on your (for fun) reading. If you’re already caught up, scour the best-of-the-year lists, and make up your reading list for next year.
4. Find a beautiful new calendar for 2019. There are lots of free printable ones, many of which you can find links to here.
5. Declutter and organize a space. I know that this might not sound fun or relaxing to many of us, but you’ll be glad to start the new year with one cabinet, closet, or whole room all tidied up. Find lots of closet organization ideas here, and plenty more general organization ideas here.
6. Make something with your hands. Whether it’s sewing, knitting, painting, woodworking, or sculpting with clay, tackle that DIY project you’ve been meaning to try.
7. Get some exercise. Move your body in whatever way that works for you. Walking, skiing, swimming, yoga, or even sledding with the kids all count.
8. Connect with someone you’ve missed. If your best friend has been too busy to hang out during the holidays, catch up over a cup of tea. Or if you didn’t get to see your out-of-town relatives or friends this year, pick up the phone and give them a call.
9. Write thank-you notes for holiday gifts. This may not sound fun and relaxing, but the sooner you get this done, the less you’ll have to carry around the guilt about not having done it. Plus, if you really take the time to reflect about why you’re writing each note, you can turn it into a mindful exercise in gratitude.
10. Shop the post-Christmas sales. If you think that I must be crazy to suggest you go to the mall right now to relax (I agree), online shopping exists for a reason. But if you want to stock up on cheap holiday decor, or snap up deals on that beautiful sweater someone is returning because Aunt Zelda doesn’t know their size, or they got three Instapots, now is the time to do it.
