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Original poster

Filling the dead zone between Christmas and New Year?

139 replies

Curlewwoohoo · 27/12/2023 08:42

How are you filling the dead zone between Christmas and New Year? We have no plans and no ideas... Weather forecast looks dire. Kids are 6 & 9. Today will be board games. I might book a swim later in the week if the pool is open. And then....?

OP posts:
RaisinsOfMildAnnoyance · 27/12/2023 08:44

I might take mine to an indoor climbing wall. Next week they are booked into sport clubs.

I'm trying not to fill our days too much. They need to rest.

NigelHarmansNewWife · 27/12/2023 08:48

I'm going to sleep. Three poor nights' sleep at my sister's place so I'm looking forward to my own bed and getting up when I feel like it.

anothernamechangeagainsndagain · 27/12/2023 08:48

Getting over the excesses of Christmas! Sleeping ideally l, got to go grocery shopping later (away for Christmas, leave after lunch), might go to Manchester tomorrow and stay over, not decided yet. Got plans for Sunday, back to work Tuesday alas, just 2 more years of work!

lucysmam · 27/12/2023 08:49

I have appointments today, tomorrow and Friday 🙄 Dd1 is accompanying me today so she can shop for dd2's birthday tomorrow. Tomorrow we're out for said birthday.

Usually I'm looking for stuff to do but I haven't actually stopped yet since breaking up from school on Thursday & I'm ready for a break now. I think the girls are too.

At some point we'll see Wonka but I don't think there'll be much else next week other than crafting for me & chilling for them. Maybe a sleepover for dd2 who has a friend she doesn't see often.

BingoMarieHeeler · 27/12/2023 08:51

Walks, panto, dinner out with friends, seeing grandparents (mine, kids’ great grandparents). We’re back ‘home’ at my parents’ so doing the rounds of seeing old school friends etc.

If we were home (which I would love tbh!) we would probably do a soft play or swimming, maybe cinema, walks, see kids’ friends. Lots of fresh air!

Amazing refreshing declutter, clean and take decorations down. I know about the 12th night but can’t bear a fresh new year with the Xmas decs up!

New Year’s Eve at a neighbour/friend’s 😍

Malarandras · 27/12/2023 08:54

Dead zone? I love the days between Christmas and New Year! I get to do what I want, when I want as there are no expectations of me at all. It’s to rain constantly all week here so we will be spending lots of time indoors. I use this time to rest and recharge after a busy year. Sheer bliss.

Tommalot · 27/12/2023 08:55

Sleep
Reading
Films
Imaginative play
Playing with new toys
Craft/painting/drawing
Baking

Not every day has to be a trip out or designated activity! Let your kids come up with their ideas of what to do on their own

Bainbridgemews · 27/12/2023 08:59

We've still got relatives visiting and have other family gatherings to go to.

AvengedQuince · 27/12/2023 09:01

It's Christmas to us, not a 'dead zone'. We had a second Christmas dinner yesterday. I plan to read, walk, eat good food, and do more Christmas visiting and spend time with family. We will collect more greenery and berries and light candles.

Christmasconcerts · 27/12/2023 09:03

We went for a walk yesterday and a park. Weather is terrible today so have booked soft play. Tomorrow god knows. Booked ice skating Friday and panto Saturday. DH is ill so will have both kids alone.

EnglishRose1320 · 27/12/2023 09:04

It doesn't feel like a 'dead zone' to me. Seeing friends & family feels enough, then the rest of the time it's reading books we got for Christmas, playing board games, nipping out for walks between the weather + normal life things that still go on- the gym etc...

NeverTrustAPoliceman · 27/12/2023 09:05

Long walks or cycle rides.
Massive declutter.
Decorate, as in paint etc, a room or two. Or other DIY project.
Craft project.
Gardening.
Go to work. DD is working today, as is her partner. DH was usually at work before he retired.

EnglishRose1320 · 27/12/2023 09:07

The week between Christmas & the New Year is one of my favourites. Decorations will stay up until 12th night. I'll put the lights on every evening & we will just enjoy the slower pace, the time together & the much needed rest after a very long, somewhat stressful year.

I appreciate its a little different for people with younger children, but even then we rarely booked much in. Our week would normally consist of playing with new toys, snuggly movie afternoons if the weather was hideous, welly walks if it was wet but not an actual storm, baking sessions, craft afternoons etc...

Moredarkchocolateplease · 27/12/2023 09:08

Just done a workout, walk dogs every day, teens revising for mocks after Xmas, loads of cheese left so prob have a glass of wine each lunchtime and some nibbles.

It's stormy outside so read a book and relax. Thankfully we've got no other arrangements and teens amuse themselves.

Blumarine · 27/12/2023 09:08

This is the best time! Nothing planned and you can get stuff done. We’ll probably catch up on films that we wanted to watch but never had time for. DH will probably do a bit of decorating. I want to do some artwork and baking. The kids have new toys to play with. We might walk the dog and go for a coffee.

HelpMeGetThrough · 27/12/2023 09:08

Was going to the tip today, to get rid of recycling and decorating rubbish. Listening to the weather out there, no chance of that. Storm whatever it's called is hammering away.

B&Q is calling for bath sealant, as we have a small leak, so need to re-seal the bath. That'll prove tricky with a 17 and 22 year old wanting showers later in the day. They'll be up tomorrow at a decent time for one and then go back to sleep if they want to, or they can have a deodorant shower until the sealant is dry!

May have a day of fannying around on the computer.

Dinobooklover · 27/12/2023 09:09

I'm doing a part-time masters as well as my full-time job, so I've taken annual leave to get coursework done before returning to work next week. Would much rather be sat in front of the telly with the box of quality street!

neonbluesquare · 27/12/2023 09:10

We went for a walk yesterday. The DC (8 and 10) have had a really busy few months so we’re going to rest until the new year, when things start up again. They’re happy playing with their new toys and reading their new books. Lego has been keeping them occupied for decent lengths of time.

PooglesWood · 27/12/2023 09:11

Working 😭

Lovelydovey · 27/12/2023 09:12

We have an escape room booked for later today. Tomorrow I'm going to the ballet - family might come up to China Town to eat before hand even though they declined the ballet. And I think we'll do a winter trip to Kew Gardens too.

fatandhappy47 · 27/12/2023 09:12

Just chilling. The advantage to teen kids is they don't need much from me.. DS15 stayed at his mates last night, we have a half finished monopoly game.
Working tomorrow and Friday, and have to drink ALL the alcohol in the house so we can do dry January!

Christmasconcerts · 27/12/2023 09:13

We were in from 1pm yesterday. Ds(3) did play nicely with his toys for a couple of hours but then got bored and restless. I was happy for him to have some TV time then but I wouldn’t want a whole day like that and definitely not five.

FlatWhiteExtraHot · 27/12/2023 09:13

Absolutely nothing. It’s my favourite week of the year apart from a summer holiday.

inappropriateportioncontrol · 27/12/2023 09:14

Sympathy@Curlewwoohoo . It's hard when the weather is so wet and you have young children.
Doing not much and letting them rest is understandable but mine would have watched TV etc far too much.
Baking and creative play sounds lovely but never engaged mine for long and took enormous input from me.
Goodness knows what to suggest - wet weather clothing and some sort of creative walk ?
First one to spot 4 cars with a reg containing their initials /age??
A tree or shrub with a flower or 6 leaves?
House with glass milk bottles
Christmas tree in front window.
Depends where you live.
Sorry not to help .. Lots of sympathy. Though.

Disasterclass · 27/12/2023 09:15

Panto and visiting family today. Local museum for Christmasy exhibit tomorrow. Might go to see Wonka later in the week. There was so little time before the schools broke up that there's still loads of Christmassy thinks to do. I wish it was longer!