There’s a joke that’s been going around my family for several years now: “December 25 is over. At last I can enjoy Christmas!”
Because as much as we love it, the days and weeks leading up
to Christmas can be a stress-fest. Between Christmas shopping, gift-wrapping,
tree-trimming, house-cleaning, cooking, entertaining, and carrying on with your regular job, it’s all too easy
to be overwhelmed. And to start wondering whether you should have booked
yourself on a holiday cruise, rather than sticking around for Yuletide madness.
"For dinner we had turkey and blazing pudding, and after dinner, the Uncles sat in front of the fire, loosened all buttons, put their large moist hands over their watch chains, groaned a little, and slept."
Dylan Thomas, A Child's Christmas in Wales
Illustration by Fritz Eichenberg
Image courtesy of The Art of Children's Picture Books
But once the gifts have been given, the feast consumed, and
the guests entertained, the pressure is suddenly, miraculously off. And a more
leisurely observance of Christmas can begin, in which you can just enjoy the
season and the company of friends and loved ones.
The period between Christmas and New Year’s has no official
name, but it’s been called many things. Christians have referred to it as
Christmas week, or the Twelve Holy Days (the ones commemorated in the famous
carol, which last until January 6--the Feast of the Epiphany). In Norway, the
time is called “Romjul” or “Space Christmas.” Some tongue-in-cheek suggestions
from bloggers include “Slackmas” and “Restivus.” But overall, there seems to be
a general consensus that these are days of recovery--and relative peace.
Poster designed by Xavier Romero-Frias
Some find this period anticlimactic and a bit dull after the
excitement of Christmas. But you develop a whole new appreciation for those
post-Christmas days once you have to surrender them to some other obligation.
Long ago, in another life, I would spend those days at a major professional
conference, usually in a city deep in the icy grip of winter. Tensions ran
high, especially among anxious job seekers, and most of the attendees seemed to
want to be just about anywhere else. And I must confess, I was one of them.
These days I spend “Space Christmas” quietly at home,
catching up on my reading--both for pleasure and research; going to a few
movies; trying out new recipes; spending time with my family; exploring ideas,
hatching plots, and falling in love with writing all over again.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
And so to everyone, a happy Christmas week/Romjul/Restivus,
and best wishes for a fantastic New Year!
Theoretically, I should use this lull to finish writing all of the Christmas cards I neglected to take care of and clean up more efficiently but realistically I spend the time munching on all of the goodies of the season and promising myself that I am going to do better next year and get more accomplished, lol.
ReplyDeleteSince my birthday falls during that time, there's an extra celebration, but it's usually just dinner and a movie. We had heavy snow here the day after Christmas, which slowed things down considerably. After all the bustle, I had no idea what to do with myself!
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to take a breather. As much as I love Christmas it is a lot of work. That wont stop me from going all out, doing tons of baking, and decorating next year!
ReplyDeleteElf2060, oh, those holiday goodies! They get you every time, and there's an embarrassment of riches too.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, I suspect it's natural to feel a bit at a loss once all the frantic prep for Christmas is over. My family all tends to take to the horizontal, afterwards.
Lexi H., the run-up to Christmas has its own rhythm and momentum. And once you get into it, it can be a lot of fun. Still, it's a relief to exhale and put your feet up when it's all over.