5 ways to break the rules this 'Twixmas'
For a third of GH readers, the downtime between Christmas and New Year is the best part of the festive season, when the rush of wrapping presents, stuffing turkeys, pleasing tricky relatives and ticking off your to-do list is finally over. Yes, it’s Twixmas – the wonderful (and only) time of year when you can put up a metaphorical ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ sign and revel in doing absolutely nothing.
For me, this much-loved limbo period means not dressing until at least midday, lounging around in leisurewear and doing nothing more strenuous than picking up a selection box. It's a chance to break the usual rules of family life and fully recharge after the general madness of December. What’s not to love?
Twixmas rules to break
So, here are my guilt-free tips to help you switch off and break the rules this Twixmas, too.
Embrace the slump
December passes in a blur of school fairs, festive jumper days, carol services (six at last count), kids’ panto rehearsals and hours of covert present wrapping. Never knowingly missing any excuse to belt out a carol, do a festive earring or snaffle a mince pie, I fully embrace the chaos of the run-up to Christmas. But it’s full-on. Like so many parents, I’m a spent force by Boxing Day and welcome the shift from the ridiculous pace of ‘Madvent’ to the sublime slowdown of Twixmas.
We all deserve a break and Twixmas is the one time that becomes a very real possibility. Of course, not everyone has this time off. When I was younger, I often had to work from Christmas to New Year, which makes me appreciate the downtime even more now. So, if you have the chance to switch off for a few days this year, grab it with both hands!
Eat the treats
The diet can wait. Once I’ve recovered from my Christmas Day food coma, I eat whatever I fancy, whenever I fancy it. Our post-Boxing Day menu involves big brunches, a cheeseboard always within arm’s reach, takeaway curries, entire meals of party food and free- flowing sherry for as long as the bumper bottle of Harveys Bristol Cream lasts.
One of my favourite moments last year was a spontaneous Champagne- and hot chocolate-fuelled woodland walk with eight friends and all our kids to celebrate
my best pal Katie’s birthday on 28 December. Loungewear was mandatory, exertion limited and snacks abundant. Enjoy the last of the mince pies before getting serious about kombucha and quinoa (if you want to) come January.
Only when the Quality Street has finally gone and the last of the peanuts have been consumed am I ready to consider re-entering the reality of busy family life. Twixmas is my time for a reset; a chance to step away from the relentless pace of life and commit to starting the new year refreshed. Surely that’s a resolution worth making?
Ditch the housekeeping
There’s a school of thought that recommends a ‘Twixmas tidy’ – aren’t these free days a great opportunity to clear the leaves in the garden, tidy away decorations, batch bake with the children and sort out those cupboards? Not in my house.
As mum to a blended family of five aged between 27 and nine, the house is never empty, but normal service is completely suspended as I focus on the simple pleasure of doing very little. The decorations can come down in January and what harm can a few leftover scraps of wrapping paper really do? Plus, with a family uniform of PJs and loungewear on repeat, the washing pile is delightfully (and unusually) low.
Put yourself first (for a change)
After weeks of whizzing around after the kids, fitting in a mountain of socialising and family traditions, there’s something wonderful about prioritising myself, even just for a few days. Beth Kempton, author of Calm Christmas, explains that’s why this time can feel so special. ‘We finally grant ourselves permission to replace doing our duty with doing whatever we want in that rare moment of the year when the world seems to slow.’
And she’s right. As I rise (late!) each morning, it’s such a treat not even consider what I should do, but merely to ponder what I could do with all this free time. Whether I’m devouring an Agatha Christie novel, enjoying a lengthy Cluedo battle or just snuggled up, Baileys in hand with the dog on one side and my girls on the other, happily engrossed in Home Alone, it’s pure heaven.
I love the excuse to indulge in a bit of self-care, too, taking time to experiment with the lotions and potions I’ve usually been gifted. With family facemasks, a footbath, DIY massages or tween manicures, all of us can enjoy a mini spa retreat without even needing to leave the living room.
Screw the fitness tracker
Replacing my usual exercise regime with a commitment to keep steps below 1,000 a day, I boycott all shops, leave the diary completely empty and swap Pilates for lazy days. My friend Helen imposes a firm feet-up policy. ‘As soon as I’ve waved off the last of the family, I close the door, the bra comes off, the elasticated waistbands come out and it’s a non-stop telly fest.’ Some 73% of us lose track of what day it is in this festive limbo, says a BBC poll. And that’s the sign I’m doing it right.
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