Another Christmas season is behind us. The lead up seems long and wonderful (and mildly stressful!) and then it feels like I blink and it’s all behind us. I think that’s why I struggle with post-Christmas blues. The sudden lack of anticipation—I don’t generally get a surge of “new year” energy—and the harsh reality that it’s going to be cold, icy, and dark for the next few months. (Sorry, I know that sounds dismal, but it has been cold, icy, and dark for several weeks now and I am kind of wishing I was sipping virgin Piña Coladas on a beach right now.)
I can’t remember how I recapped things last year, but I thought this year I’d just sketch out the days before and immediately after Christmas, relying HEAVILY on my camera roll for memory. Something akin to a week in the life?
For those who like holiday recaps, I still have a post all about the gifts we gave/received, some ideas for how to frugally approach the spending side of the Christmas season, and a short debrief about what worked well and what I’d like to tweak ahead of next year.
*Warning: this may be the longest blog post I’ve ever written! Eeks!
SUNDAY, 21 DECEMBER
My father-in-law arrived in Halifax late on Saturday, the 20th. Belle and John went in to pick him up. There were some flight delays and a few mishaps with deplaning (he lost a few items en route, though one was eventually found buried in his book bag).
We were all tired and ready for bed by the time they arrived home (Indy was asleep, but woke up long enough to come out and say hello to Grampie).
I had suggested we only go to a single service on Sunday morning so that meant we didn’t have to leave the house until 10:45 am. BLISS!!!
After church I took a quick nap, and then we headed off to Indy’s final soccer game of the season. My parents and father-in-law were able to come watch, so that was fun and special.
In many ways Indy’s team were equally matched to the opposing players, but unfortunately they did not get the ball on net (which ends up being rather important for scoring) and that made all the difference. Indy had an amazing assist, though.
That evening, Best Laid Plans showed up on my doorstep and I spent a few happy minutes reading the introduction!
What we did the rest of the evening… is anyone’s guess. I had prepped a lasagne soup earlier in the day, so I had that for supper and it was delicious!
MONDAY, 22 DECEMBER
Monday morning I worked on pulling together the clues for the kids’ treasure hunt. (All the details here!)
In the afternoon, I took Belle and the girl she babysits to Starbucks! Belle wanted to take her out for a special Christmas treat, and I was elected chauffeur. In no uncertain terms Belle let me know I was NOT to hang around Starbucks, so I headed to a thrift store next door and had time to get a few things (including a much-needed winter hat).
John and Indy played some soccer on the side lawn, and after I got back from the Starbucks run, we did a 5 km family walk. It was bitterly cold, but we had lots of great conversation and it was nice to get fresh air.
The evening was spent at pickleball! We were there for almost 3 hours and played the entire time. I was so stiff and sore by the end of the evening; we didn’t finish up until 9:30 pm. I actually had a pretty horrific night of sleep, despite taking magnesium. It was a lot of intense exercise right before bedtime, but we had a blast so I have zero regrets. It is so fun to play with—and against—each other.
Belle and my father-in-law opted to stay at home and they had a great time watching a Hallmark movie together!
TUESDAY, 23 DECEMBER
For years, Christmas Eve was my absolute favourite day of the year, but now that I’m getting older, Christmas Adam is making moves at taking top billing.
I can’t remember what exactly we did to start the day, but I was working on all sorts of food prep by mid-morning. Including my BELOVED Unbaked Cherry Cheesecake.
Supper was John’s (BELOVED) seafood casserole, alongside rice, fiddleheads, and homemade buttermilk biscuits (I took zero pictures of any of the food, except for the cheesecake prep).
In the afternoon, I sat down to read for a few minutes. Guess who ended up joining me on the chair. Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Best Laid Plans for the win.
I look tired in the picture. I didn’t feel tired, but I suppose I was after the bad night of sleep (4 hrs 42 min).
A bit later in the day, we headed off on a family walk.
My parents came over mid-afternoon (in time for Dad to have coffee), we had a delicious supper (noted above), and I feel like there was a Hallmark movie this evening?
WEDNESDAY, 24 DECEMBER
Christmas Eve!
I started the day by vacuuming all the floors upstairs. Phew. THAT FELT GOOD. I know Christmas chaos is inevitable, so it’s nice to get a few things under control ahead of time.
The morning was fairly relaxed. I enjoyed my coffee in front of the tree while reading (more!) Best Laid Plans.
Mid-morning, I set the table with a colouring sheet tablecloth. I thought it would make for some fun, low-key entertainment. To be honest, no one coloured very much, but I still think it was a fun idea!
We were on the last day of our Advent candle!
We ate leftovers for lunch, and I capped it off with some pumpkin pie (yummy) while giggling over Jane Austen’s Insult Guide for Well-Bred Women. Hilarious! (After finishing it, I immediately texted Nicole and told her she HAS TO READ THIS BOOK.)
I met up with Joy for a chilly (but delightful) afternoon walk, and then it was back to our house to get dressed for the Christmas Eve service.
Indy serenaded us on the keyboard (not really, he knows about 2 songs). We had an unexpected guest—a dear family friend came to drop off some flowers.
And then it was time to head to church for the Christmas Eve service!
This was wonderful. Our whole family went, the church was packed, Indy sat in front of us with his church bestie (which was adorable), and we capped the service off with lighting candles and singing Silent Night.
We went to the early service (4 pm) which meant it was still light outside when the service finished which was… delightful!
Thankfully, there was no food prep since we bought pizza for supper which was delicious and oh-so-easy! My mom helped me prep a simple veggie tray, and I bought a jug of our favourite cider. If the take-out pizza didn’t give away the fact we are not bougie, we also served up our Christmas Eve feast on paper plates and drank out of (festive) plastic cups!
After supper, we played a few rounds of Just One. This game is always hilarious with my father-in-law; my dad (who famously loathes games) even got into the spirit of things.
The answer to this set of clues was hospital (it was for my mom, a retired nurse):
We cleaned things up a bit, moved to the living room and opened up our Christmas Ornaments for 2025 (I’ll share more details in my gift recap post but in summary: a Starbucks ornament for Belle, an Xbox controller for Indy, and a Rwandan-made basket for the family, brought back by John.)
The kids also opened up the new-to-them thrifted jammies; they immediately changed into their new comfy cozies!
I was feeling pretty tuckered by this point, so I gladly let the kids and grandparents go downstairs to watch a Hallmark movie (that I’d already seen) while I put the finishing touches on stockings, washing dishes, and just generally prepping for Christmas morning.
We were all in bed before 9:30 pm which was pretty perfect for me.
THURSDAY, 25 DECEMBER
Unfortunately (fortunately?) my sleep was short-lived. I was awake by 3:30 am. Instead of fighting it (I could tell that I wasn’t going to get back to sleep), I slipped out to the living room, turned on all the lights, heated up my coffee… and spent several blissful hours reading Best Laid Plans and planning for the year ahead. I hadn’t expected to set any goals for 2026, but it didn’t take long to feel inspired.
This was probably my favourite Christmas morning in adulthood. It all felt so warm and expansive. Thinking through the year ahead, reading a great book (published by a friend!), and basking in the sounds of silence (all while sipping some delicious coffee, complete with Peppermint Mocha creamer, of course).
10/10 recommend this way to start the day (though I did have a sleep debt for the rest of the week that was less than ideal).
Eventually the kids started waking up.
First it was Indy. We headed downstairs to watch the 1966 How the Grinch Stole Christmas! I didn’t get around to watching it last year, and this was a wonderful way to start the day.
Belle came down when the show was just about over… so we put on A Charlie Brown Christmas. (She and I watched it together last Christmas morning.) She was a bit perturbed her brother was allowed to crash our viewing party, but it was a lovely time nonetheless.
When the credits were about to roll, my parents arrived, so the timing was perfection. I really enjoyed snuggling with the kids and watching these classic shows to launch our day.
We always read Luke 2 from the Bible on Christmas morning, so we did that (I read it this year!), my father-in-law (or my dad; can’t remember which) prayed over us… and then it was stocking time!
We wrap all the gifts in the stockings, but a few years ago I decided to NOT wrap my own stocking gifts. John buys things for me, but they mostly end up under the tree, so I have a very sparse stocking (three items this year), but then always have a pile of things under the tree so it all works out. Plus, I LOVE watching the kids open their things.
I’ll be back with more details about what we gave/received, but in summary it was very lovely and fun.
We always have the same menu for Christmas breakfast: Cinnamon Coffee Cake (monkey bread), scrambled eggs and bacon, yogurt, fruit, and orange juice. I took zero pictures, but in between stockings and opening presents from under the tree, we did eat! While things were cooking, I cleaned up the clutter from stocking stuffers, so that we were starting with a clean slate (of sorts) when we got to unwrapping gifts from under the tree.
We open things slowly (well, except Indy who loses interest in watching other people and eventually heads off to play with his new things).
We did include some Bible verse clues again, which are always hilarious (this post is full of details about that tradition.)
Usually we leave the gift for the treasure hunt until last, but this time we just put it under the tree so they could find it… whenever! They ended up opening it in the middle of the morning. (All the details on the treasure hunt—clues and the grand reveal—here.)
One little gift anecdote that I’ll share here.
Both kids made a wish list and Indy’s number one wish was a new scooter. He has had several second-hand scooters, but they never seemed to work overly well. At first we weren’t planning to buy him a scooter (December is not really ideal scooter weather in Eastern Canada), but we got a recommendation from a friend and purchased that scooter on sale. I was excited for it to be a surprise because we had told Indy there was a good chance he wouldn’t receive a scooter.
Well… fast forward to one of the (many) snow days. I heard a knock on the door and there was Indy sheepishly holding up an oddly shaped box that was clearly a scooter. Oops. I forgot to have the original packaging hidden. Argh. I was so disappointed.
In the interim, Indy kept talking about how excited he was to get a scooter and at one point he looked under the tree (at a fairly small box) and asked if it was his scooter. I said yes (I KNOW, IT WAS A LIE!). On Christmas morning he was so excited to open that box. There was a Bible verse clue on it and it had something to do with speed and he was thrilled and confident it was a scooter.
HE WAS SURE THIS PRESENT WAS A SCOOTER…
Well, he opened it up and it was… LEGO. He looked surprised and confused but put a giant smile on his face. That said, I could tell there was some disappointment.
He kept opening gifts until he thought there were none left. On Christmas Eve, I had moved a GIANT gift bag (with his scooter) into the living room. On Christmas morning he mis-read the label and thought it was for my mom. So he never even looked at it again.
It ended up being the last gift he opened (after he assumed he had opened all the gifts and there was no scooter for him).
HE WAS SO EXCITED.
So all my fretting about the surprise being ruined actually worked out perfectly. But it was also touching. I could tell he was disappointed to not get the scooter, but he also was cheerful and content that he had received many fun things.
I’m not doing a great job of summarizing the whole situation, but it’s one of those special Christmas memories for me from this season. It also reminds me a bit of Belle’s utter surprise to get her first ever pair of “fashionable” new shoes last Christmas!
We had some leftovers for lunch, my parents went home… and I think I took a nap? John started building one of his LEGO sets, Belle played with her new makeup supplies (and texted back and forth with friends about gifts received); I know at least one movie was watched by other members of my family.
I had wanted to visit a local light display, so we packed everyone up and headed to do that. The weather was COLD (and certain people were not adequately dressed), so we didn’t stay for a long time. But it felt good to get fresh air, festively appropriate to explore beautiful lights on Christmas Day, and it was deserted!
We came home… I think people in my family watched another movie? I think I sat on the couch with a book? The main activity I have photo evidence of was time spent enjoying my first piece of Unbaked Cherry Cheesecake for the season.
SO good.
I know Indy eventually came upstairs and worked on his LEGO (and John continued work on his).
Oh! And I forgot to mention one other surprise from the day.
John and I have never bought festive jammies for ourselves, but this year we spotted matching sets at a thrift store and couldn’t resist. These are the most comfortable PJs I think I’ve ever owned and I wish they weren’t quite so wintery; even still, I may wear these the whole year round. (They’re soft, they’re stretchy—so comfy!!)
We came out of our room Christmas morning wearing these (I went back in after watching the movies with the kids so we could have a “big reveal”). Indy was amused and delighted, Belle was horrified and embarrassed. Ha. I stayed in them the WHOLE day (subbing in jeans when we went to look at lights and then immediately getting back into them the instant I got home).
And that was a wrap.
Oh! One other thing. We woke up to a perfectly bare landscape; by mid-morning it was snowing. The snow persisted all day. Just gentle flakes, but we ended up with a white Christmas after all.
FRIDAY, 26 DECEMBER
Boxing Day in Canada. Most stores are closed and it is the day we host our big Christmas dinner.
I think we walked at some point in the day? I know in the afternoon, while John prepped the turkey, my parents, father-in-law, Indy and I watched a Hallmark Christmas movie.
I felt a bit Blah. No real motivation to do anything, yet also feeling like I should want to do something (including dismantling some Christmas things). I was cold and raw outside. Meh. Not my favourite day.
We hosted friends (a mom + her two teenage sons) for supper. I took exactly one picture (of the table) the whole day. Oops.
There was: turkey, homemade gravy, stuffing, baked potatoes, creamy whipped potatoes, corn, butternut squash, two kinds of pickles, and homemade brown rolls. Dessert was cheesecake and apple crisp. Everything was DELICIOUS. John did 95% of the work and that was lovely.
The kids had a “kid” table, everyone laughed a lot, the food was wonderful.
I was exhausted. The two poor nights of sleep really caught up to me, but it was lovely to spend this time together as a family.
SATURDAY, 27 DECEMBER
Okay! I’ll wrap things up with our Saturday activities.
For YEARS, close friends have been inviting us to their annual post-Christmas curling event. They rent out a curling club, have a giant pot of chili (plus invite guests to bring sides), and curl/talk for hours. Last year we were set to go, and then a giant storm rolled through and we opted to stay safe at home. Other years we were away or the kids were too little (or too sick).
But this year, it all worked out!!!
We got to see friends we haven’t seen in years and Belle, in particular, really took to curling!
One of the families brought their dog, Ruby, and she was the star of the show. She spent a long time nestled in John’s lap (while her owners were out on the ice; she was very vocal about missing them until she found love and attention elsewhere).
Indy LOVED Ruby.
Again, I was feeling peopled out and still tired from poor sleep. This was a lot of fun and, also, I was relieved to come home and get into my PJs at the end of the day.
That’s a wrap. 2025 was a wonderful Christmas and we’re so fortunate to have been able to spend it with friends and family. There were many enjoyable moments.
And, also, I’m ready to move forward into a New Year! In other words, onward and upward, with special memories in our hearts.
Your turn:
- Tell me all about your Christmas: the ups and the downs. I want to hear all about it.
- Do you experience a bit of a post-Christmas emotional dip once all the anticipation is over, or does the New Year energize you?
- How do you usually transition out of the holiday season—do you pack everything up quickly, or let the cozy linger a little longer?
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I think of it all as one big holiday, so I’m going to keep going until New Year’s. Also, I was feeling a bit meh about goals for 2026 until I started to write them out and then I was all in!
But catch about January 5 and I will probably be in the post-holiday blues state and then winter’s never-ending march begins.
I’m glad you’re riding the holiday joy train still, Engie! I am counting down until January 5th because then we CAN GET BACK TO ROUTINE! Well… until the first snow day, of course 😉
Ok, first question: how long did it take you to write this recap? (It would probably have taken me all day!) It was so delightful to read. It sounds like you had a really great Christmas with family and friends. I love that your parents AND your FIL were both there and that the gifts were such a hit with your kids. You really pulled off that Scooter surprise and as I mentioned in a previous comment, your treasure hunt sounds like so much fun for Belle and Indy.
I definitely feel a little bit of the post-Christmas blues although I’ll be keeping up the tree (at least until 1/6) and I will also continue to drink out of festive mugs for a while 🙂 I have to ween myself off the holiday spirit slowly….
I am working today, but will have another long (5-day) weekend starting on Wednesday, so I am hoping to start on some goal setting for 2026 (or whatever you want to call it).
It did take a couple of hours (mostly because of pulling all the pictures in). It’s tedious, but I like having the record and most other posts don’t take nearly as long!!!
Like you, I try to wean off the Christmas things. I’ll remove mugs in the next week or so and even took down a few things earlier today. I’m not quite sure when I’ll take down the tree. Part of me wants to do it NOW, but the other part of me wants to keep it up until my sister comes to visit. Decisions, decisions!
Your Christmas celebration sounds lovely! Thank you for sharing the details and photos – I’d say it was a perfect kind of Christmas! Your Christmas jammies are so cute and cozy! I’m sure your kids will have many wonderful memories of Christmas 2025! But, yes, all that fun takes a lot of energy, and I’m sure you were ready for some rest. I already put away our decorations. My mom is a retired teacher, and she always insisted that Christmas decorations were put away before school started again, usually Jan. 2, depending on the year. That habit stuck with me!
The jammies are so soft! I am loving them!
My mom always wanted the tree down before New Year’s. It always made me sad, but she was so ready to get the house back to normal. I can understand it through her eyes a lot better now that I’m an adult, too! Though I definitely put out less decor than she did and leave it up MUCH longer.
I think it’s great to have a traditional time for the decor to go up and come down. I think my new routine for the tree will be November 11th (the evening). I was never tired of having the tree (it’s fairly small and doesn’t get in the way). So now the only thing to determine is when to take DOWN the tree!
I’m curious about baked potatoes & mashed potatoes for boxing day! Do you eat both or do some people not like one of the types of potatoes (my kids do not like mashed potatoes – which Phil says makes their ancestors turn over in their graves).
3:30 is way too early of a start to the day but I am glad it was at least a cozy, quiet start to the day. I hope your sleep deficit dissipates!
Ups: listening to Paul since in church during a really lovely service + the Christmas Eve extended party. Downs: you already know my down…
I am not prone to post-event blues for some reason. I think it’s because I don’t have much of a build up to events? I’m sort of mellow about everything, so I don’t usually have super high highs, so there’s less to come down from? I’m usually kind of relieved when Christmas is over in a way. I love the holiday but there’s so much expectations riding on it. And with young kids, the holiday is still kind of precarious at times w/ big feelings and not great attitudes/moods.
I used to take Christmas down asap but now I let it linger. My least favorite time is the hours after things have been unwrapped and there is stuff everywhere. I spent some time on Christmas Day culling our game and puzzle areas of the house to make room for the new things the kids received. But then we came home with a bunch of other stuff from my parents so I need to figure out where to put everything… but once the new gifts are put away, I’ll appreciate the glow of the tree. I plan to keep it up until MLK Jr Day in mid-January. It’s a day we all have off so it will give me an activity to do and Phil will probably/hopefully take the boys out of the house while I put everything away.
I LOVE baked potatoes and rarely have them; John is not a big fan, so I tend to have baked (as do my parents) and he and the kids opt for mashed.
It was such an early start to the day and I “paid” for it later in the week, but to start out the day it was lovely and I have no regrets.
I love that you don’t feel down after Christmas. I definitely feel VERY happy and jolly and warm and fuzzy in the lead up and I think it is hard to come down off that “high” of sorts. Especially since there isn’t anything in the near-future in cold, snowy Canada to look forward to in January and February. That said, this year I will be in planning mode, so that will definitely distract me!
I haven’t decided about when I’ll take down the tree yet…
Ours was a mixed bag. We had a quiet Christmas Eve, a fun Christmas day with our immediate family and friends, then we made a trip to my in-laws and my daughter came down sick. We were supposed to be visiting there for five days and ended up making a quick exit after two nights of giving her sickness “time”. 🙁 But, we’re back home now and I must say it is nice to be here. And the sun is out here!!
Oh no! I feel like Christmas always seems to involve someone getting sick. I’m so sorry 🙁 Though I’m glad you’re home and settled and enjoying some nice weather. I hope everyone else stays healthy!
Did Indy write Cafe for the hospital clue?
Christmas was fine. No big surprises. No one had given me many idea for presents, so things that are normally stocking stuffers ( like shoe laces and saxophone reeds) got wrapped. I was in the kitchen baking and doing dishes and baking some more. I did get a lovely le Creuset casserole dish in the mail from my daughter, but the lid cracked in shipping. I can still use the dish. I ordered a new lid off of ebay so I can bake with it. I’ll repair the crack for display purposes. so Xmas was Low key with minor notes, I think.
I’m itching to take the tree down, though I do like it lit up at night. I did remove all the ornaments- only lights and garland remain. Some years I keep it up longer, but right now I feel organizing/cleaning surge coming.
Your holidays sound wonderful! Maybe once you get some better sleep you’ll feel more energetic?
He wrote that clue but it’s supposed to be “care”.
Oh no. How sad about the lid 🙁 That’s disappointing. I’m glad you found a replacement on eBay.
I love the tree, too, but I know it needs to come down so it almost taunts me in a way…I like the idea of taking off the ornaments and just enjoying the lights.
It was a really lovely Christmas. And I think getting some good nights of sleep will help! Here’s hoping. My father-in-law went back home today, though I have nothing too much for the kids to do this week and it’s supposed to be freezing rain/rain/cold… so not ideal for outdoor pursuits. John took both kids with him to do the airport run, so I’ve had some solo time at home and tackled some Christmas clean-up, some work, and a few other odds and ends. So I’ve really enjoyed having a quiet, EMPTY house today. This time next week we’ll be back into the regular routine of school which is hard to believe and also, I AM READY!
My husband forbids me from putting anything away until after January 1. I did change out my front door wreath already because he wouldn’t notice. HA! I do no get energized by the new year because sleet! snow! dark! and now we are in the midst of some wind bomb cyclone event. UGH! Your Christmas looks amazing and your kids look so happy. I’m glad you all had such a fun-filled packed holiday. Happy New Year!
Ha! My husband doesn’t seem to care, too much. He likes the decor and he’s fine when it comes down. I do most of the work to put it up/down and he doesn’t complain. That’s the deal 🙂
It is currently freezing rain outside. UGH.
The kids had a great time and it really was a wonderful Christmas. It’s hard to come down off that “high” but today I’m turning the corner and feeling ready for the new year and getting back to routines. I have most of the decor down aside from the tree and that feels GOOD!
That’s so fun that you go to go curling! Four out of five members of my immediate family are very into curling. In fact the kids often participate in a big tournament two hours away that takes place yearly on the 27 of December for a few days. So fun but also means the time between Christmas and New Year’s are not particularly restful.
My Christmas morning and evening (we come home for a rest in the afternoon) involves going out to my mom and dad’s with all my siblings and their families so we are like 25 people opening stockings and doing brunch. It can be a bit chaotic to say the least but I can’t imagine just spending the day with my nuclear family since I never have. Your day sounds slightly more relaxing ☺️.
Your Christmas sounds wonderful! The chaos is delightful (though for an introvert like me, I’d likely find a quiet corner to hang out in for most of the evening).
We are those people in the neighborhood that leave the outdoor lights up until almost February! I won’t be putting away indoor Christmas stuff until after the kids head back to college, so after Jan 12th.
I just read about your upcoming extended trip to Europe. How cool!! I took my first trip to Europe for the Berlin Marathon in 2024 and I now have a ski trip to Switzerland coming up in March 2026. I can’t wait! I absolutely love your plan of adventures. Personally I found it so liberating to travel with just a carry on and backpack. I look forward to reading all about your journey!
I love seeing the lights up into February. The nights are so dark and long here, so anything to break up the monotony and dreariness is such a welcome relief. I THINK I will take the tree down this weekend. It would be nice to send the kids back to school with the house fully dismantled from Christmas decor.
For ease of movement, it’s crucial we pack fairly lightly! I’m sure there will be plenty of hiccups along the way, but we’re excited for our European adventure.
Your Christmas was full of wonderful events and family time, and yes, a little exhausting for you. I’m glad you have some time on your own today for some much needed quiet.
I used to have much busier Christmases, now it is just my husband and I on Christmas day and my daughter’s cat “The Christmas Cat” that we’ve had for the last several years. We celebrate with my daughter and her partner earlier in December which allows them to spend Christmas Day with his family and not have to do the mad dash between two houses. We’re all very happy with this arrangement. Christmas Day was very relaxing, morning of opening gifts, a late morning walk, reading in the afternoon while husband and cat napped.
I think my favourite part of Christmas is the lead up, rather than the actual day. The day is fine, but I so enjoy going to plays, concerts and visiting the free attractions around the city. I find by the time the day arrives I am ready to move on. This means that I do pack up quickly. Everything will be down before January 1st. This does give me a boost going into the new year as everything feels clean and fresh.
The Christmas Cat – ha!
Sounds like you have things sorted out wonderfully and your Christmas sounds absolutely lovely: presents, exercise, quiet time with a book.
I definitely love the lead up to Christmas. The lights, the smells, the carols, the special church services.
I was so productive home alone today. But the productivity felt refreshing because I had no interruptions!
I love all of this!!! well- except the sleep issues. It sounds similar to mine. I wake up around 3 am and cannot fall back. I’ve thought about doing what you did- just get up and read. Instead I’ve just been lying in bed for hours with my brain racing around in circles. It sounds like your early wakeup on Christmas turned out really well though! I still have not read SHU’s book, and I really need to.
I’m starting to feel like “Christmas Adam” is my favorite day as well- the Christmas anticipation is at its highest. Christmas Eve is really busy for us, and because we have people over for dinner, I feel like I need to have everything done already for Christmas morning. On Christmas Adam all the festivities are still ahead.
Oh, yes we have discussed the Slump. I had it a little yesterday, but now I’m perking up a little in anticipation of New Years. I know you’re looking forward to school starting again, but I think that’s when my real slump will come- everything will truly be over. Sigh.
I am feeling better, Jenny! Slowly but surely. I know there will be other dips, but I think I’m feeling past the post-Christmas (sad the holiday is over) blues??!!!
Yes to loving Christmas Adam so much.
I have had a few problems the last few weeks, waking up super early, which is so annoying. This all sounds wonderful, especially having parents there with you. We had a lovely Christmas Day. I was determined not to let anything spoil my good mood, even our decidedly un-summery weather did not stop me from wearing the dress I had picked out. G wanted to take down the Christmas Tree on Boxing Day when we were cleaning up to go back to my parent’s but I was horrified and said he could not take them down until after the 12 days of Christmas—although I am happy for him to do it before if I am not home. I think he just wanted to have hands to help him take it down.
I hate taking down the tree. It always seems so depressing. This year, I’ve taken down most of the rest of the decorations already, so it’s just the tree to go (I’ll leave the mantle decorated until into February, I think).
Gold stars for not letting anything ruin your celebrations!!!! Hooray for wearing the fancy dress you had planned.
A curling sport party might be the most Canadian thing ever. I love it. Ruby is adorable! Indy looks like he’s grown six inches and has matured so much in the last year! WOWZA.
Elisabeth, I’ve never heard about Christmas Adam until today. I had to Google it! Why is it that I’ve not heard of this before?
I love how you recapped each day; your Christmas morning sounds divine!
I hope by now your sleep has been regulated.
My biggest thumbs-down was that my in-laws didn’t come, as my MIL has bronchitis. She never gets sick! But, I had so many lovely, positive things happen that I feel so fortunate.
I heard about it first from Colleen Martin and now I LOVE the turn of phrase. To me, it was always just the day before Christmas Eve, so having a designated name makes it more special.
Indy has gotten so much taller. He’s still my baby… but I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to pull him onto my lap.
It is very Canadian… eh? Hahahaaaaaa.
I’m so sorry your MIL is ill; wishing her a speedy recovery and maybe you’ll be able to do a delayed celebration??
The scooter story is such a sweet story – thanks for sharing!
I don’t really get post-Christmas blues, which is a little wild considering how much I love Christmas! But once Dec 26th hits, I am ready for “new Year, new me”! Ha. I have fully de-Christmased the apartment and it feels so good to have SPACE again.
I’m so jealous! I wish I had that same approach to the New Year. I wonder sometimes what impact the weather has on my mood? You’re going into the nicest time of the year in Florida and I’m going into the… coldest. I’ll have to do an official test at some point and snowbird to a sunny destination and see how that impacts my feelings about post-Christmas blues. (Though I know Jenny struggles with this and she lives in Florida, so I’m thinking I’d still feel a bit “down” after Christmas was over).