Merry Christmas y’all! Even though Christmas was three days ago, I look at our tree still in disbelief that it has come and gone. This season felt particularly short for me even though, according to the calendar, it was longer than most. I attribute a lot of that to my intense workload over the past two months while also parenting a toddler – despite my best efforts, the exhaustion was real while preparing for Christmas. To add to that, Jody and I also hosted Christmas for the first time, which was equally sweet and chaotic and left me Christmas night wondering how this season seemed like such a blur.

Over the past few days, I’ve been reflecting on how I could have prepared differently or if it is my mindset that needs a shift. Truthfully, it could be a combination of the two, but I’m starting to think it is also me succumbing to the comparison game with so many on my feed eager to move on from Christmas when I feel like it has just begun. Of course, following the Christian tradition, the twelve days of Christmas are just now underway, leading to Epiphany, which is on January 6.

With this in mind, I have been brainstorming ways and activities to continue the celebrations, at least until we return to work after the New Year. Careful to not over-schedule and not use this time for the gift of rest (Jody and I have been sleeping until almost 8am every day – a miracle and precious gift itself!), I’ve curated a list of activities for us and things that we might not take the time to do during a regularly scheduled week.

12 Days of Christmas Activities

• View local Christmas lights: Go for one last drive to see the holiday lights or walk through a local Christmas lights display. We didn’t have time to go to our usual lights this year, but lucky for us, they are up through New Year’s Day. Make it extra festive with hot cocoa or treats to snack on!
• Visit a nearby town: We love visiting the many historic towns near us any time of year, but it is extra special around the holidays with many buildings decorated in greenery and lights. We like to shop or go to dinner after walking around for a bit. If you are local, St. Michaels and Annapolis are our favorite towns to stroll!
• Play Games: When I was growing up, my family spent the week between Christmas and New Year’s with my family in Pennsylvania. It was a week of chaos, laughter, and games, playing from sun up to sun down. Even now, one of my favorite ways to spend this week is playing a variety of games, especially the new ones we get for Christmas!
• Binge Christmas Movies: I watched no less than five Hallmark movies yesterday 🙂 Even if Hallmark is not your thing, most streaming services still have their holiday movie collections available to stream so it is a perfect time to catch any of the films you missed this year.
• Read a holiday-themed book: Similar to the bliss of binging Christmas movies, get lost in the merriment of a holiday-themed book. This week, I’m reading ‘Christmas in Peachtree Bluff’, but enjoyed ‘One Day in December‘ a few years ago!
• Go on a Nature Walk: I realize this is dependent on the weather where you live, but it is amazing how much better you feel after a little fresh air. Our local state parks are even sponsoring several group walks on New Year’s Day!

As mentioned above, we are savoring rest and relaxation this year. However, if you are looking for some more active ideas, that require you to change out of sweats and pajamas, here are some things Jody and I loved to do over the holidays:

• Plan an End-of-Year Date: We have enjoyed making a reservation at a fancier restaurant and getting dressed up for date night! During this date, we discuss the highs and lows of the year, as well as our goals, personal and as a family, for the new year.
• Go on a long weekend trip: Pre-Emerson, Jody and I have spent several New Year’s exploring a new-to-us city. It was always such a fun way to ring in the new year and squeeze in one last little escape before returning to work.

I know that not everyone has the luxury to be off following the holiday, but I hope you can still enjoy some of these ideas. How else do you spend these 12 Days of Christmas? Do you have any other “must-do” activities for this week?

Wishing you a restful and heart-filling week!