8 Things to do On or About December 26

 Is your to-do list maxed out? Has your Christmas spirit evaporated? Has your ho, ho, ho turned to ho, ho, hum?

As lists grow longer, tempers grow shorter, and the reason for the season recedes behind a pile of gifts to be wrapped and cookies to be baked, it's nice to think about taking time for ourselves. Consequently, it's no accident that I'm sharing this re-vamped re-post (from December 26, 2019) before Christmas while we still have time to plan a few things that contribute to celebrating and/or enjoying the season.

Meet a friend for coffee. Not only does this provide a relaxing opportunity to get caught up and spend time just chatting, but it can also get your day off to an enjoyable start, initiating warm feelings that can influence the rest of the day.

Sleep in. This is usually at the top of my vacation list which, unfortunately, starts the cycle of get up too late/go to bed too late that I have to break when the real world comes calling. But, after weeks of  holiday preparations (or jobs in retail), this might be an even better option than coffee.

Put away some decorations. We used to joke that my mom had the Christmas decorations taken down and put away by the time we got home from their house on the day after Christmas. While I'm not ready to undeck the halls yet, I did decide that we could dispense with the emptied out stockings. I might pull out a snowman or two to fill in the gaps, but I'm not in any hurry.

Score some bargains. I'm not a Black Friday shopper, but I used to love going shopping the day after Christmas. As I accumulated a collection of "just right" decorations (along with some surplus) and retailers started slashing prices before Christmas, I did less of this. But, each year, I take stock of staples like wrapping paper and greeting cards and use December 26 to fill in the gaps with all the stuff that's on sale. As an added bonus, I feel more prepared when it comes time to get ready for next year's holidays. These days, I check out the online sales first. 

Make a list. Another one? Actually, I look forward to the after-Christmas lists. Now that all of the "getting ready for Christmas" things have been done (or ditched), I can get to the other things that have been competing for my attention. I can't do them all in one day, though, so I'm choosing three(ish) items from my master list to add to each day so I can feel accomplished.

Organize something. Not surprisingly, every after-Christmas list includes at least one organizing project at my house. These days, it's less about mitigating chaos than tweaking existing systems, but I always feel so accomplished afterward. 

pinwhalestock via Pixabay

Chill. This is vacation, after all. Yes, I want to do all of these things (along with tackling those writing projects that have been unceremoniously pushed aside by other, time-sensitive stuff), but I also want to make time to read, do crossword puzzles, engage in creative pursuits just for fun, and spend time with my family. This time off goes way too fast, and striking that balance between enjoyable work (the stuff that makes my "want to do" list) and play (the other stuff that makes my "want to do" list) is the key to a vacation that leaves me feeling both relaxed and accomplished.

That, to me, is the best of both worlds.

Merry Christmas.