I know, I know. Christmas hasn’t even happened yet, but I’m already planning ahead. Here’s why: This year, for the first time in several holiday seasons, our family is staying put and not traveling anywhere, so we’ll have plenty of time with the kids on our home turf. When the excitement of the holiday is over, I know we’ll be looking for ways to stay busy and enjoy our extra time together (i.e. not drive each other insane).
Here are some activities I’m planning for the week after Christmas when my kids aren’t in school. I’d love to hear yours!
1). Donating Toys: If your kids are anything like mine, they accumulate toys and then quickly lose interest in them. Next week, I’ll encourage my kids to go through their rooms and decide whether it’s time to donate any gently used toys to local charities. This is an activity we can do periodically, because even after the holidays are over, the giving season can continue all year long.
2). Ice Skating: As a child, I was a big fan of ice skating, and with the great indoor rinks in our community, my kids have gotten into it too. We plan to go during public skate hours and make a morning or afternoon out of it. It’s a perfect way to get some exercise and then cozy up with a warm beverage afterwards! Many rinks have skating aids or stabilizers for younger or beginner skaters, which we have utilized and found to be very helpful.
3). Fun with Food: My oldest daughter doesn’t know it yet, but one of her Christmas presents this year is a children’s cookbook. I’m hoping this will inspire her to try out some new recipes that we can all enjoy. (Maybe she’ll even be inspired to help clean up the kitchen afterwards..?!)
4). Day at the Movies: Our local theater has a discounted tickets day each week, so my husband and I plan to take advantage and bring the kids to Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Leftover holiday cookies make excellent movie snacks! (I’ve also snuck in my own coffee, but please note: do not try this without a totally leak-proof thermos, unless you want your purse to smell like a mocha for the foreseeable future. Been there, done that.)
5). Pajama Day: I’m planning at least one day when we’ll stay in our pajamas and just hang out! We might even eat breakfast food all day long. Pancakes and eggs for dinner, anyone? This will be a good opportunity to watch some favorite holiday flicks that we may have missed in the whirlwind of December activities. I’m especially looking forward to introducing my kids to A Christmas Story.
Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday!
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