Things to do in the Christmas to New Year Period

Get stuck into a good book

What better way to spend a cold winter night than being curled up with a brilliant book? Reading a book on the sofa is a cosy way to spend the holidays. If you’re not reading anything already, the holiday season is a great opportunity to start.

Catch up on your favourite series

Get your watch-list ready! You can’t go wrong with a good series, a bowl of popcorn, and a warm cup of hot chocolate on a wintry night. How often do you get a chance to sit around and watch movies or series all day long? This is your chance to binge on your favourite shows without having to feel in the slightest bit guilty. 

Use up those Christmas leftovers

I think it’s safe to say that we all buy a little bit too much food at Christmas. Christmas dinner always leaves a whole host of delicious leftovers that can be turned into scrumptious creations. So, hone your cooking skills and use the Christmas dinner surplus to try something new.

Exercise

You don’t need to wait until the new year to get active. This week is the perfect time to start and make a plan for healthy new beginnings. Exercise can be a key part of mental health management, and after a busy year, it's more important than ever.

So, get your workout gear on and visit your local gym, or try out some home-workouts from the comfort of your living room instead.

Get Outdoors or Enjoy a winter walk

If you have any outside winter jobs that need tending to now is the perfect chance.

Explore nature and the outdoors - This is probably something a lot of us don’t think about doing in the wintertime, but crisp days are perfect for exploring outdoors. Fresh air and the sun on our faces has proven health benefits. So, wrap up warm, throw on some wellies, and get outdoors.

Have a clear-out

If you’ve received lots of great presents this year, you’ll need to make some extra room for them. With the extra time on your hands, it's a great opportunity to clear out unwanted items that have been laying around for that bit too long.

This is also a chance to do some good by taking old clothes that have been replaced with new ones to your local charity shop. So, get rid of all the things you don’t need anymore. In the words of Marie Kondo, if it doesn't 'spark joy' it's got to go!

Connect with friends and family

It's not often that we get time to enjoy real quality time with some of the most important people in our lives. As an educator, you lead a busy life, so it can be hard to carve out enough time to really catch up with those you love the most. So, organise a coffee date, nature walk, or cosy dinner at home with that friend or family member you've been meaning to catch up with.

And of course, take time to relax

Your winter break is a great time to get some well-earned rest. So, stop thinking about work and take some time to relax over the holidays. Use this time to catch up on some sleep, to stay on the sofa all day, and to give yourself some much-needed me-time without feeling guilty.