It’s the Week After Christmas, and All Through the House ...
Readers are baking again, tackling home projects, traveling, working and dropping the high expectations
How do you plan to spend the week after Christmas? Are you back at work, relaxing around the house, traveling or catching up on projects? Recently, we asked Houzz readers to tell us the best way to spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Here are some of our favorite responses.
Photo by sarahtevendale on Pixabay
The after-Christmas tradition in the household of Houzz reader professorin involves “cooking like demons for our annual English tea,” professorin writes. “We invite all our friends, and sometime around the New Year, around 60 people come through for an open house. Scones, German cookies, Christmas cake, pork pie, mince pies, oh my!”
The after-Christmas tradition in the household of Houzz reader professorin involves “cooking like demons for our annual English tea,” professorin writes. “We invite all our friends, and sometime around the New Year, around 60 people come through for an open house. Scones, German cookies, Christmas cake, pork pie, mince pies, oh my!”
Houzz reader Nancy has traditionally hosted a party with a purpose. “We always had a midholiday party called An Open House for the Homeless,” she writes.
“We put a big pot of chili on [and] invited all our friends and neighbors in to share about their holiday adventures, and bring with them a jacket, socks or blanket for the homeless. Our family would then bundle it up in the next couple of days and walk the streets, handing the items out to the people we met in need of them.”
“We put a big pot of chili on [and] invited all our friends and neighbors in to share about their holiday adventures, and bring with them a jacket, socks or blanket for the homeless. Our family would then bundle it up in the next couple of days and walk the streets, handing the items out to the people we met in need of them.”
Photo by jill111 on Pixabay
Getting Into the Great Winter Outdoors
That’s the theme for Houzz reader quarks, who enthusiastically shares this post-Christmas plan: “Go outside! Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, long walks, tobogganing, skating where possible. Books and games at night. No, no, no TV, computers, Netflix, texting or gaming!”
Getting Into the Great Winter Outdoors
That’s the theme for Houzz reader quarks, who enthusiastically shares this post-Christmas plan: “Go outside! Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, long walks, tobogganing, skating where possible. Books and games at night. No, no, no TV, computers, Netflix, texting or gaming!”
Photo from Free-Photos on Pixabay
Balancing Work and Holidays
Celestina89 is a rancher, so duty doesn’t stop when the holidays arrive. This Houzz reader routinely gets invited to several parties — and attends them — but makes sure there’s time left for “the ranch chores and critter faction. Before each holiday, I work my tail off making sure all is well,” celestina89 says. “That means machinery maintenance, readiness for a sudden ‘who knows when it will happen?’ overnight freeze, keeping water tanks clean and filled and livestock well-fed on a daily basis.”
Balancing Work and Holidays
Celestina89 is a rancher, so duty doesn’t stop when the holidays arrive. This Houzz reader routinely gets invited to several parties — and attends them — but makes sure there’s time left for “the ranch chores and critter faction. Before each holiday, I work my tail off making sure all is well,” celestina89 says. “That means machinery maintenance, readiness for a sudden ‘who knows when it will happen?’ overnight freeze, keeping water tanks clean and filled and livestock well-fed on a daily basis.”
Photo by Sushuti on Pixabay
Vacation Time
Some readers travel for the holidays, often to see family. But reader balipool travels for a different reason. “We love to travel at the end of the year to someplace we have never been, such as Bali, Alarcón [in] Spain, Tasmania, Morocco,” balipool writes. “By shipping our Christmas gifts before departure and focusing on how others celebrate their own holidays around the world, we have gained a more meaningful experience during this special time of year.”
Vacation Time
Some readers travel for the holidays, often to see family. But reader balipool travels for a different reason. “We love to travel at the end of the year to someplace we have never been, such as Bali, Alarcón [in] Spain, Tasmania, Morocco,” balipool writes. “By shipping our Christmas gifts before departure and focusing on how others celebrate their own holidays around the world, we have gained a more meaningful experience during this special time of year.”
Tackling Home Projects
Houzz readers love to improve their homes, and it turns out that the week after Christmas is prime project time for some people. Last year, Donna Hendricks Payne removed the wall between her kitchen and living room to create a more open floor plan. “Best thing we could have done!” she writes. This year, she plans to replace her stair balusters. “Can’t wait!” she says.
“Relaxing and catching up on house projects is my favorite way to spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s, since I’m lucky to have off from work,” reader ldkhd4 says. Last year, ldkhd4 and husband parted with tradition and traveled to Amsterdam for the week. “Amsterdam is a great city on New Year’s Eve; however, I learned I prefer traveling during the summer and being a homebody during the winter,” ldkhd4 writes.
25 Great Home Projects and What They Cost
Houzz readers love to improve their homes, and it turns out that the week after Christmas is prime project time for some people. Last year, Donna Hendricks Payne removed the wall between her kitchen and living room to create a more open floor plan. “Best thing we could have done!” she writes. This year, she plans to replace her stair balusters. “Can’t wait!” she says.
“Relaxing and catching up on house projects is my favorite way to spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s, since I’m lucky to have off from work,” reader ldkhd4 says. Last year, ldkhd4 and husband parted with tradition and traveled to Amsterdam for the week. “Amsterdam is a great city on New Year’s Eve; however, I learned I prefer traveling during the summer and being a homebody during the winter,” ldkhd4 writes.
25 Great Home Projects and What They Cost
“I end up doing a lot of little things that make me feel the house is ready for a new year,” RedRyder tells us. “Cleaning my everyday silver, clearing out drawers, getting rid of clothes I didn’t wear and should donate—same with books—organizing my office armoire, redoing my files for the coming year.”
Your Guide to a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Home
Your Guide to a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Home
Dropping the Expectations
Still others find the post-Christmas week a good time to do not much at all. “The days after Christmas and New year’s are sacred nothing days — no expectations, no people, no moving, no cleaning, and no dieting,” grayfang says.
Hear, hear! And happy holidays!
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Still others find the post-Christmas week a good time to do not much at all. “The days after Christmas and New year’s are sacred nothing days — no expectations, no people, no moving, no cleaning, and no dieting,” grayfang says.
Hear, hear! And happy holidays!
The Anti-To-Do List: 10 Things You Don’t Need to Be Doing
More
How to Get Your Home Back in Shape After the Holidays
Simple Pleasures: A Long Winter’s Nap
Many readers say that the post-Christmas week is a great time to have friends drop by for casually hanging out, or to stretch their baking muscles. Houzz reader Jody has a fresh idea for how to spend the week: “My friend does ‘piemas’ — baking a pie for each of the 12 days of Christmas,” Jody writes. “It ends on Epiphany. I would love to do it this year.”
Recipe: Warm up with an apple pie party at home