what do you do in the period between boxing day and new years day ?

[TomandJerrysmousehunt]

It find it a dull, grey, boring and quiet week. Nothing going on, No more one has any money left, pubs/restaurants are closed/close early as no one is going out (until NYE that is). I looked at going on holiday for this week, but the cost was too much.

What does everyone else do ?

Ooooh we've just booked to go for Feb! I can't wait!

I go to the gym, see friends, walk. I will work, but it will be really really quite, so I will have shorter working days and then loads of gym work I might do some drawing. I cant sit around all day doing nothing.

Well just do that then? Why do you need a plan a week you're not bothered about 3 months in advance?!

I usually work, it's a good time get stuff and gets me away from visiting family who are are lovely but high maintenance.

@Comedycook I feel your pain

I try to make plans with people where I can, we often don't have family visiting and our friends usually spend a lot of time with family so it can feel a bit lonely.

I've also decided to move some of the lead up to Christmas stuff like baking and watching Christmas films to this time.

We're usually in Norway as that's where my husband is from. To be fair, most of the stuff is what we'd do if in the UK though.

Lots of long walks with the kids. Flask of something warm to drink.
Playing with the kids with all of their new toys.
Get togethers with friends and family.
We visit any local events that are going on (usually quite a few as it's a small village community).
Cook some traditional meals, do baking with the kids.
There's always a day trip somewhere a bit further afield.
Lots of boardgames and crafts. Reading in front of the fire.

We just try to make it super cosy and make the most of the time together. Granted, we do love that time of year so it's a bit easier to make it fun. It's January I'm not a fan of! We keep our decorations up until Candlemas to cling onto the festive feeling a bit.

Celebrate my birthday 😀

We refer to this week as “The Perineum”.

We like to host a party on one of the days to keep the merriment going.

I use it to plan my year ahead. I review my past years goals. I set up my calendar. I make a list of everything I want to achieve in the head ahead. I plan holidays and key events. I order in bulk items like shampoo and rice. I review my finances and wardrobe. I email old friends and arrange dates to meet. I basically have a big self-strategy week. I've been doing this for a few years now and it's life changing

Eat cheese, if there's any leftover. If there is none left over, I shall buy more. My main food group in December is cheese.

Go on holiday, usually to somewhere warmer, or at least with some sunshine!

@Courgettelady I love this !

I'm usually at work. It's a nice quiet few days, so I can get on with things without interruption, and there usually aren't too many expectations.

I absolutely hibernate and cosy in . The only time of the year I don't want to do anything. The run up of social events before Xmas leaves me shattered and in need of some quiet time .

The only time I venture out that week is walk the dogs either on the beach or in the woods . Other than that it's about nice food , Lego , puzzles , Netflix , candles , books and planning my year ahead for the garden , holidays , things around the home etc

Wake up late in a panic everyday that I've missed bin day.

Eat constant sandwiches of leftovers and organise chocolate (Roses and Quality Street) into priorities by flavour.

Feel bloated and lethargic.

Binge watch series I've put on my wish lists all year.

Repeat annually.

Build lego, play board games, visit family. Usually one day on call/working. Also, usually a day where we go for a walk on the beach and a day with a trip to the cinema/bowling/laser tag or similar. It always feels like it flies in.

It's the following week that is more dull - schools still off, no childcare, lots of cafes etc shut for a post xmas rest. It feels like such a waste of annual leave, especially on years where the schools aren't back until the 8th or 9th (scotland). I like to go away for a few days after new year, ideally somewhere local-ish with a hottub.

I love it!

A couple of friends usually host a chilled night at theirs with buffet food, board game nights etc.

Stay with family for a couple of days. Go sale shopping with mum. Cosy tv nights, nice walks.

Then nice zen things with my boyfriend, walks, board games, panto, escape room etc.

It’s a great time of year for me because it’s filled with doing nice, social things, but it’s all very chill, no big nights out, big days out etc. Just nice “bits.”

We have my family for Christmas Day and DH’s for St. Stephen’s Day, so the following day I do nothing. I wear my onesie and fluffy socks, light the fire and eat all the pate / cheese / meats / crackers left over. I love that day lol. The rest of the time is just seeing friends and relaxing before going back to work.

The run up to Christmas is always really hectic, so I'm very happy to chill for that week - eat nice food, drink some wine or Baileys, read my new books beside an open fire, catch up on the Christmas TV that I recorded etc. etc. When DD was small, she usually got Lego sets and craft sets as presents, so we'd make up her Lego sets and make/do the craft stuff. I kinda miss all that.

I went to Whitby a couple of years ago on something like 29th December. It was rammed. I think I got the last space in the car park and had to queue for 40 minutes to get fish and chips. But it was a glorious day and I'd happily do that again.

As long as the weather isn't too awful, I go out for a decent walk every day, read and watch TV/films, eat leftovers, look in shops for reduced posh Christmas food (cheese etc), sleep and see friends/family. Perhaps go out for lunch a couple of times, I've never noticed restaurants being closed, it's usually more like early January they do that.

Perhaps go somewhere with a light trail or similar - I think it was last year the Yorkshire Wildlife Park had a really good offer on where you could visit the park in the afternoon and then see the light trail when it had got dark for less than the normal price of just the park, so quite a good deal.

I find it a bit blah- in laws all go to DHs home country but we can’t go as DH has to work, we see my family at Xmas and everyone lives close by so no extended stays.

I try to arrange to meet friends but in all honesty I don’t have that many, and quite a few travel to visit family.

There’s a holiday club running so I might put DS in and work then take him off before school is back in January. The holiday club is on a farm and DS loves it.

We all hate Panto and I refuse to spend £100 on the light trails nearby because it pisses it down on the day I book!

Ahh this is the week that I just don’t know what to do with myself, it feels weird. Like we are in limbo. It’s the shittest week tbh. I work in retail so that keeps me busy but when I’m home I just feel weird.

Go on holiday- we nearly always do a city break at new year

Mostly walks, eating, seeing family and vegging about. We try to do at least one decent walk as a family. Might go to see the panto-adjacent play at the arts theatre, if we haven't already been. The one thing I do separately from my family is planning a bike ride for New Year's Day. I am into long-distance cycling and usually do a big ride on New Year's Day, and it is glorious. Seeing the first sunrise and sunset, having the first day all to myself... ahh, it sets me up for the year. By that point, my kids and husband have had enough of me bouncing off the walls trying to get them to go out for walks, and they are quite ready to wave me off for the day. But it takes a bit of planning around shop opening hours in order that I get to eat. 😅

It is one of my favourite parts of the year! I run a fairly seasonal business which is manic from now till Christmas and between the day I close for Christmas and the day after New Years Day I actually get some peace!