I think this is one of my favorite times of the year. Sure, the week before Christmas is electric with excitement and energy. Hurry here, jingle bells there, come home quick to wrap presents and bake batches of cookies. Lot of anticipation, decoration and celebration.
But the week after Christmas is calm. Parking spots are available downtown. Lines at the grocery stores are shorter or nonexistent. People – myself included! – seem slower, more refreshed, with time to smile and be polite. There’s more time to enoy the season, look at the lights and linger longer over the Christmas cards still trickling through the mail.
It’s a time of transitions. At “the sticker store”, an employee was removing gingerbread and holly motifs and replacing them with lots of hearts. In the window at the Russian restaurant, 12 Chairs, a big yellow sign declared “Coming soon Teriyaki”. Lots of holiday items on sale in the stores. Funny how a few days time can save fifty percent!
The music at the grocery store has changed its tune from “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” to vintage rock like the Boss and Beach Boys, from songs about gifts to songs about girls. But, as a couple employees told me, “nothing” in the grocery store is on sale during the week after holidays, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Guess I was expected to stock up and save last week!
Time to prepare for the New Year. Time to clean up and organize. Time to hang out on holiday.
I like this quiet time. I’m enjoying the break the girls and I are taking from the things we do. It’s fun to play, scribble pictures, splash in puddles or do whatever we want.
The weeks before Christmas may be the “most wonderful time of the year” but I think this week after Christmas is pretty wonderful myself.
