The time between Christmas and New Years is a little bit weird. I remember when I was in school that it was almost like summer vacation, but it was cold so we didn’t spend as much time outside, which also made it weird. I say weird, but in a lot of ways it was also magical.

As I have gotten older, especially being a mom, the time between Christmas and New Year is quite a bit more normal feeling. I still make food and clean the house and what not. But it’s still got that magical quality about it. 

For whatever reason, during this week I feel less need to go, go, go. I also feel more need to sit and relax. I am the type of person who likes to get things done, and feel productive all the time. I recognize the need to recuperate, and I take time during the day and week to do so, but it’s not a lot, and often I feel like I’m wasting time if I spend it doing something like scrolling through social media or something.

But this week between Christmas and New Year I feel totally great about accomplishing little to nothing. If I want to do something like clean or cook, I will, but if I don’t, I don’t, and it doesn’t bother me.

What I do enjoy doing during this week is creating. I enjoy painting, playing the piano (which I don’t always take time for), and one of my favorite things to do is put together puzzles. We usually get out a 1000 or 2000 piece puzzle and have it set up in our living room until it’s done. We don’t always finish it before New Years day, but it comes out just after Christmas. 

It’s funny, because everyone puts in a little effort here and there. Sometimes I’ll walk past the living room and see one of my sons or daughters sitting there putting in a few pieces here and there. My husband will even forgo the TV in the evenings to sit and work on the puzzle, sometimes for a couple of hours at a time. 

This has become a fun family tradition that I’m curious to see if it will carry on with my kids or not. I guess I’ll have to buy them puzzles to get them started! What kind of traditions do you have between Christmas and the New Year?