​​ A Gentle Plan for the Week After Christmas  [Episode 39]

Welcome to the Holiday Head Start Podcast, where we get intentional about kicking overwhelm to the curb and bringing the joy back to your holidays and every day. I’m Heidi. And I’m Emily. We’re two sisters and former elementary school teachers who’ve taken the simple strategies and practical tips we mastered in the classroom and put them to work in our personal lives.

And we are here to help you do the same. Join us each week as we share how with a little planning and a little prep, you can ensure that the days that make life special don’t become the days that make you stressed. You can check out the show [email protected]. Ready to get a headstart on your holidays.

Let’s go.

Emily: Hey there friends. Welcome back to the Holiday Head Start podcast. Today we’re talking about how to make a [00:01:00] gentle plan for that week between Christmas and January. And we’re sharing a tip for undecorating your house.

Heidi: But first we have tradition Spotlight Traditions are an important tool in building a healthy, happy, connected life. And this week we have a tradition from Emily.

Emily: I’m not sure when exactly we started doing this, but at some point we decided to switch, having our kids give their gifts to each other, to a Christmas Eve tradition. And the thing that motivated me to do it was that on Christmas Day, they are getting so many gifts and a lot of them are big, fun, flashy gifts.

And so the small gifts that their siblings picked out for them. Do not even get any attention. But on Christmas Eve when that’s the only thing you’re opening except for a pair of pajamas for mom, you are way more excited about it then. And then you get to have just that time where you get to excitedly watch them open their gift, and [00:02:00] it has become my favorite thing.

It is so sweet. I feel like they’re more invested in their gifts to each other and they really get to make the other one. Feel their gratitude for what they receive. So overall, it has been an easy switch and one that I have really enjoyed.

Heidi: I love this because it’s a way to add meaning and intention to your holiday celebrations, it requires zero extra work.

Emily: Right.

Heidi: your kids already gonna exchange gifts, you’re doing moving it a different time. think that’s such a win. There so of those when it comes to holiday planning, but this could real changer without adding single second extra work to whatever mom has got going on.

Emily: Right. And a little, bonus tip is that when they were younger, I funded the gift exchange because I wanted them to be able to get something they were excited for, for their sibling. But as they’ve gotten older, the older to get enough from me an allowance now and sometimes pick up other money in other places, that I have them pay for their own gifts.

And I [00:03:00] do think that adds a little something more special to it too. And they’re old enough to be invested. And spend their own money on it. I just think that’s a little bit of a different vibe. But when they’re younger, I actually think it does make sense to fund it for them so that you can help them give something they really wanna give.

Heidi: And the person took them shopping, I them boundary of they could however many dollars. Per age that they were,

Emily: Yeah.

Heidi: they five, could find gifts $5. That their budget. And was an easy way curb expectations.

We would love hear your favorite holiday traditions.

Come join us on Instagram at the holiday Head Start.

Emily: Alright, so if you are listening to this, there’s a pretty good chance you’re in the thick of it right now. Like really in the thick of it. You’re probably listening to us while you’re folding laundry or wrapping presents or driving to do another errand, and your brain is full of about 17 different lists.

I was just telling Heidi about the lists I was working on before this.

Heidi: Yeah, and 17 is probably conservative point.

Emily: Uh[00:04:00]

Heidi: Yeah. You know, the mental load is just a lot you are tracking gifts groceries who’s coming to what and whether you remember RSVP that thing. if there are enough batteries

Emily: And don’t forget those little screwdrivers that you need to get into the battery compartment. Those get me every time where I’m like, ah, where’s the little one that fits in here? So you gotta be prepared.

Heidi: yeah, those tiny screws worst. they ’em normal size can a

Emily: Ah, why? So all of this to say we know you’re tired, like the kind of tired where you can’t remember if you’re out of milk or not when you’re standing in the grocery store aisle. We get it.

Heidi: Yeah, it’s just bet. milk. You’re need it anyway.

Emily: Yeah.

Heidi: We want less to worry later, we are absolutely here to anything else to your plate.

Emily: [00:05:00] But we wanted to talk about this now, even though you’re busy, because there’s that weird little window coming up that week between Christmas and New Year’s, and if we don’t think about it even a tiny bit ahead of time, it kind of just like disappears.

Heidi: Yeah, really does. And then you get January like, wait, happened? I was going to rest. I we were something together, we just ate leftovers and argued about screen time for seven days straight.

Emily: Yeah, and just listen to the kids say that they’re bored, even though they just got so many new presents and activities.

So this episode is really gentle. We just wanna help you think through what you actually need from that week so it doesn’t slip away from you. But we’re not doing a big holiday spectacular here. We are thinking low key.

Heidi: Oh yes, so key. You could literally make your whole plan for that week. While you listen to this episode, we’re just gonna ask you a few questions to get your wheels turning, then you can go back to wrapping presents and we will get out of your way.

Emily: Okay, [00:06:00] we’re gonna start with the most important question. What do you need from that week? Take a second to give it some thought. This in-between week is such a strange little unicorn. It’s quiet, but also chaotic, open, but kind of cluttered. And that week there’s like no rules, no schedule. It’s just sort of this, …wild West basically.

Yes, exactly.

Heidi: And during time you have some time off work or at least lighter work. holidays over, but it is definitely not normal, real everyday life.

Emily: And because it’s so unusual, it can go a lot of different ways. It can be restful or exhausting. It can be connecting or isolating or, kind of just a mix of everything. So how it turns out depends on whether or not you stop to recognize what you need before you go into it.

Heidi: And whether you give permission to need thing, you are feeling pressure go, go, because kids home when what really is unstructured [00:07:00] downtime. aren’t better off you the whole time just scrolling. TikTok. So we came with five different life resets that might craving that week.

Emily: And remember, this is zero pressure. Also, you do not need all five.

Heidi: Yeah, honestly, probably only need one, maybe two. as go these, just notice which reset makes you exhale little, which you think, oh, yes, that’s what I need.

Emily: Okay, so first step is recovery. This is for you. If you just need to rest. Maybe you’re craving slower, mornings, quiet pockets of time and not going anywhere. You don’t absolutely have to go.

Heidi: This my category by the way, every, year.

Emily: I know I’m thinking right now. This one. This one. This is the one for me, please.

Heidi: We leave it all on the field in December,

Emily: Yep.

Heidi: it’s like our Super Bowl, but after so many weeks being on, [00:08:00] we to stop let nervous systems calm down. And if that sounds you, recovery be your thing too.

Emily: The second post-Christmas reset is connection, and this is different from all the holiday gatherings you’ve just gone through. This is more of the unhurried. Think less sparkle and more cozy. So that could be a game night, a walk around the neighborhood, or my favorite, staying in pajamas and just being together without anywhere to be.

Heidi: is that kind connection that gets squeezed out during busy season because there’s always something else happening. In gap between Christmas and the January restart, you actually slow down enough just enjoy other.

Emily: Okay. The third reset category is catchup. And I know this doesn’t sound very restful, but sometimes what we need most is a chaos detox.

Heidi: That’s fun to love chaos detox and you are someone needs little order before truly unwind, this might your [00:09:00] week give household systems a light refresh. know, open that stack of you’ve ignoring.

Get kitchen working order and find homes all new stuff.

Emily: And this really probably shouldn’t be about deep cleaning or reorganizing your pantry unless that’s something you love. If you’re someone with lots of energy who thrives on big projects, then for sure go for it. But otherwise, keep it simple. You only need to do just enough so it feels like you can breathe again.

Heidi: And then our fourth post-Christmas reset is fun. This if been Get Through mode for long that you have forgotten to actually anything.

Emily: Ugh. Which is hard to admit, but I think a lot of us have been there. You just reached that point in December where you kind of wish it was over.

Heidi: Yeah, I definitely have that point. if is you, maybe the antidote to spend time playing. somewhere fun, even it’s just the library or park. Have a [00:10:00] movie marathon, or build an obstacle course in your hallway.

Emily: You’ve probably been really focused on productivity for weeks, so this can just be time to let life feel light and enjoyable.

Heidi: That brings us to our last reset, which is closure. This for you if you are carrying a lot mental loose ends the new year, and you would feel better if you tie some of them off.

Emily: Maybe there’s a decision you’ve been putting off or a conversation you need to have, or just some mental clutter you want to clear before January hits. Even checking one of those things off your list can take a big weight off your shoulders as you step into the new year.

Heidi: So those are your five post-Christmas resets, recovery, connection, catch up, fun closure.

Emily: And don’t do them all you probably don’t need them all. Just pick your top one if you got nothing else from that week between Christmas and New Year’s, what would make you feel like it was time well spent?[00:11:00]

Heidi: Maybe you can name that right now, even if just in head. What you craving? Recovery, connection, catching up, or closure.

Emily: Hold on to that. You can jot it down if it’s convenient, but now we’re going to build a teeny tiny plan around it.

Heidi: Yes, this is your bare minimum plan. It’s just five little anchors to the weak from dissolving into haze, that’s what happens there’s no structure, right.

Emily: Uh, yeah, the days that week tend to just melt together and then suddenly it’s January and you’re not sure what happened. It’s so sad.

Heidi: And is totally fine if that’s you want. But if you are hoping do more than drift week, are going to give a simple framework.

Emily: We know you’ve got a lot on your plate right now, but honestly, you could probably knock these out in your head in the next few minutes.

Heidi: Okay. first anchor bare minimum plan is one plan moment. [00:12:00] something look forward to that involves the people you spending time with. family, walk game night. know, I the idea of a cozy movie afternoon. I.

Emily: We are going to be doing our Jolabokaflod Icelandic book, flood Tradition After Christmas this year, and that could be a perfect addition to your plans. Traditionally, it’s celebrated in the evening on Christmas Eve, but we often do it in the afternoon and often not on Christmas Eve, so it can totally be something you do.

After Christmas. Everyone gets a new book or two and some treats, and then we just hang out and read and snack and it’s the best.

Heidi: then we also add the very un-Icelandic tradition a make-your- own bar. That way everyone gets what they want and we spend time together with no pressure.

Emily: Sometimes you have to iterate to make it work for you, and this has worked great for us, and this does not have to be elaborate. Whatever you choose, just make it intentional and make sure to claim [00:13:00] it ahead of time. Say, on this day we’re doing this thing, and then you protect it.

Heidi: Oh, that such an important step. many intentions die before they make it to the calendar. want something, you have to get it scheduled.

Emily: Then even if you end up having to move the date, it’s easier to make sure things happen when they’re written down. It’s like keeping all the pieces on the game board. You’ll never win. If half your checkers are still in the box.

Heidi: Half my checkers are in the box in the best of times, Emily.

It’s

Emily: get ’em out of the box.

Heidi: It’s why I’ve got a giant planner.

Emily: Okay, once you’ve decided on one planned moment, the second anchor is one home reset. This is one thing that will make your house feel more functional.

Heidi: Maybe it’s getting through the laundry mountain that you’ve ignored for two weeks. Maybe it’s collapsing all of the boxes piled up, and it’s picking a day to un decorator, you know, taking all that.

Emily: Or maybe it’s disinfecting all the surfaces in your house from all the guests that have just [00:14:00] left.

Heidi: yeah, and know if that, forget remotes and doorknobs. Nobody wants to start the new year with a cold.

Emily: No. But whatever it is, pick one reset that will make you feel like your home is working for you again.

Heidi: All right, now to decide your third anchor. This is one personal reset. Think something just for you.

Emily: And I know you’re gonna be tempted to skip this, but don’t do that. You need this.

Heidi: Yeah, you really do. You deserve attention after weeks of pouring into everything, and everyone, very least, you need a long shower without anyone knocking on the door.

Emily: Ah, the dream, but hopefully you can make space for something that will actually refresh you. Maybe it’s reading that book that you’ve seen everyone talking about online or spending an hour at a coffee shop by yourself.

Heidi: Whatever fills back up what need now. And we know like hardest to protect because so used to putting ourselves last.[00:15:00]

Emily: But you have to make this effort because your future you is counting on current you to take care of them.

Heidi: Alright, the fourth reset anchor is one admin task. Pick one annoying thing that you can knock out not the break. Think of the task that you’ll be so grateful to have out of the way in January and try to get that done.

Emily: That might be making any last minute charitable donations. Taking a quick peek at your budget situation if you’re feeling brave or making a loose meal plan for the first week of January.

Heidi: Now your fifth anchor is the easiest of all. What is thing can ignore week? Maybe let bedtime slide or delete email off phone for days.

Emily: Think of this as your permission slip for ease. Let go of anything that can be dropped for a few days without causing catastrophe.

Heidi: Don’t worry, it will all be waiting for you January 2nd. [00:16:00] That’s it. bare minimum plan. moment your family, home reset, personal reset, one admin task, and ignored responsibility. you just five things, week shape and has intention.

Emily: And you’re way less likely to look back and wonder where all that time went.

Heidi: Okay, now let’s about meaning this slow or between week can a gift if are strategic, but we careful here because this people dripped up.

Emily: Oh, for sure. Because you do have this gift of downtime, there’s a lot of pressure to make every moment magical and end the year on some profound note.

Heidi: we’re just letting that pressure go. You just got Christmas. do not need manufacture magic.

Emily: However, there is something nice about having one moment during the week that feels a little special, so something to break up the pajamas, snack screen, time pattern. So we’re gonna give you a bunch of ideas and you can pick one. Did you hear me? [00:17:00] One or none? None is a perfectly respectable choice.

All of this is very optional.

Heidi: Yes, totally optional, if you are looking for something meaningful, here are some easy to do it. You do a year in dinner conversation. Just go the table have everyone share their memory from the year or funniest that happened, they’re proud of.

Emily: And this one’s great because you don’t need any materials or preparation. Just plan to ask a question and then let everyone talk.

Heidi: You could take walk or drive look Christmas lights. lot people keep lights until January, if you didn’t get this Christmas, do it now. It’s so simple and feels special.

Emily: And if you’re feeling patient, you could bake something simple together. Even cookies from a tube or brownies from a box can feel fun and cozy. I.

Heidi: You make photo slideshow favorite moments year. This a little prep, but honestly, most of us have photos phone right? So just scroll through and pick few good [00:18:00] ones.

Emily: And the nice thing is this is something you can get ready for from the comfort of your couch. We just love a TV task. And another easy moment is letting the kids stay up late for one special movie night. You can make popcorn, build a blanket fort, and let them feel like they’re getting away with something.

Heidi: Kids thrive on that. We’re breaking rules energy and since are headed into new you a little New Year’s Eve celebration, maybe it’s a special breakfast on Year’s Day, or everyone writing down one thing that looking forward to and it in jar.

Emily: We love using those wish papers where everyone writes down their wish for the new year and then you light the papers on fire and they just kind of float up into the air and then blow out.

Heidi: Yeah. And only go a feet air, so like it’s huge hazard, but is still fire. So if you’re gonna do this, make sure following directions.

Emily: Yeah, please don’t sue us if you burn down your house,

Heidi: do that.

Emily: and we don’t want you to start the year in the er, but [00:19:00] we will put the wish paper in the show notes for you to use responsibly. So let’s put it all together. You’ve been listening for a little while now, and hopefully you’ve been thinking about some of this as we have gone through it.

Heidi: So let’s do a quick little exercise and can say out loud you want, or write down or just answer in your head however do. This is fine.

Emily: First, what’s your top need for the week between Christmas and New Year? Is it recovery, connection, catch up, fun or closure? Second, what’s your one anchor moment with your family going to be?

Heidi: Third, what’s one home reset that help your feel functional again? Fourth, what’s a personal reset that’s just for you?

Emily: Fifth, what’s one admin task you could knock out that would make January easier? Sixth. What’s one thing you’re giving yourself permission to not do that week?

Heidi: And seventh, what’s one meaningful moment going be? Think of something simple will make time feel special.[00:20:00]

Emily: If you answered even a few of those questions, you totally have a plan and you made it in the last couple of minutes, so way to go.

Heidi: Yeah, that’s really it takes. few thoughtful intentions, beat plans time. Just make you write down.

Emily: The secret to success is basically just making sure everything gets scheduled, so do it now. Even if things change, you’ll have room to pivot instead of starting from scratch.

Heidi: Okay, gonna wrap this up we know busy we we would gentle time. So just one last thing. already the hard part by thinking what need. Maybe you even made few tiny decisions, remember that the goal not squeeze every drop productivity or meaning of the week.

Emily: No. The goal is just to keep it from slipping away unintentionally. We want you to get the, to. We want you to get to January and think, that was good. That was what I needed instead of, Hey, where did that week go?

Heidi: After everything you’ve [00:21:00] just done, you deserve a week. gives back to you and already set yourself up for just by thinking ahead even bit.

Emily: So go finish wrapping presents or folding laundry or whatever else you’re doing, and we will catch up with you on the other side of Christmas.

Heidi: Yeah. Merry Christmas, the way,

Emily: And we’re so glad you’re here. And if you wanna hang out with us some more, come find us on Instagram at the holiday head Start.

Now it’s time for a get a Head Start tip. Each week we leave you with a small actionable tip to help you get started on your holiday planning. This week’s get a Head Start tip is set up, a lost in found box. What can you tell us about it? Heidi?

Heidi: Well, this is those things that read about somewhere I think applied me, but I very misguided. So idea is to create a box basket bin can be used as a base or lost found for all of the stray holiday decor items you will inevitably forget pack up.

Emily: Oh yeah.

Heidi: my house isn’t that big and only [00:22:00] decorate the living area the kitchen, and yet somehow am still finding odds ends for weeks after. I think I have everything away. an established location for of these stragglers means that they aren’t cluttering my counter. When, you know, find hand towel I forgot about or across Santa salt and shakers that are in cabinet. Everything has designated spot to out until I sort into its proper bin. yeah, let’s honest, I shoved the box in my holiday bins forget it until next year.

Emily: That’s one way to handle it too. And this one’s so easy. Just grab one of those Amazon boxes you’ve got piling up and write Christmas lost and found on it. And then stick it in your laundry room till you take the decorations down and look at that. You are solving problems in advance.

Heidi: That’s favorite way solve problems. Alright. This is normally where we would share holiday tasks we’re working on give you ideas of what you can do advance. it is mid-December. We are all up eyeballs holiday tasks, [00:23:00] and you do not need any suggestions. So gonna pivot. Emily, what is something you’ve done as part of your holiday prep that you are proud of?

Emily: I’m so proud of myself for starting my wrapping early because I hate rapping. It is usually the last thing to get done, which makes it an even more annoying task because by that point I am stressed out. So I started early this year and have done some wrapping in waves as things arrive, and it is a game changer.

All of you who are early rappers are like, yeah, duh. But it just because I hate it. I put it off and now I’m realizing like, oh, I made it worse. Like I took the thing I hated saved it for when I’m the most tired and exhausted, and then I’m hate it even more ’cause I have to do it then. So I’m giving myself a little gift by not saving it all up for the last minute.

Heidi: is so smart someone often you rap, I appreciate too. That’s a win for me.

Emily: It’s actually been good motivation of like, oh, it’s not just a nice thing I’m doing for me, I’m doing it for Heidi, and that’s a good [00:24:00] motivation.

Well, what are you proud of, Heidi?

Heidi: So I’m this last week. This is something I did last January, but it has paid off and I’ve been really excited about that. I normally just keep all of my holiday bins in the garage ’cause. That’s convenient. But I found last year that it was a real hurdle to my getting was having to bring stuff in from the garage because I out in the cold and it was a pain to haul stuff up the stairs. So I decided to keep my two main decor bins in the front hallway closet, and that made it so much easier when it came time to get everything out. Now it did mean the closet was largely unusable, hassle.

Emily: But you have a really big closet and you only have like your own coats that need to go in that like that. You have the space for it. You should use it.

Heidi: yes, it, it was totally fine and it was very nice. . It removed a huge barrier to getting a task done that normally adds to my stress because I think, oh my [00:25:00] gosh, days are ticking past in December and I’m wasting this time when I could be enjoying my holiday decor. Make it easy to do the thing you wanna do. So that has really paid off. So I will make sure pack up January that those decor bins go back in that closet out. Next December’s Heidi.

Emily: So smart.

Heidi: All right, to wrap up the show, we are sharing our nice list. Emily, what is on your nice list week?

Emily: I’m putting my mind’s eye on my nice list. So we have known about this company for a real long time because of their scrapbook materials. Way back in the day, . I would say we were big scrapbookers, but we were also really big scrapbooker collectors of scrapbooking items.

Heidi: Probably more than anything. Yeah.

Emily: Uh huh. But now I would say that my mind’s eye is probably most well known for their party products,

they introduced some darling glittery Christmas village houses a year or so ago, and since I love glitter houses, I added those to the mix. And they are perfect because [00:26:00] they’re not too big and they have the cutest details. So I think as I add more of them every year when they’re released, I’m going to start retiring.

Some of my older ones that are from other companies that. We’re too big and they’re not as well made. And eventually I will just have these that will fit my space a lot better. And they’re just so cute. I mean, be prepared. ’cause you will have glitter everywhere in your house though.

Heidi: But they’re so cute. worth it.

Emily: Yes, absolutely. And they finally got with the program, so now you can change the batteries inside, which the initial run of these, you couldn’t, ’cause there’s like a little light.

And the new ones have a timer, which is such a game changer where you turn it on at the time, you want it to go on every day, and then it stays on for six hours and off for 18. And it keeps going until it runs outta batteries so that you don’t have to walk around to the village and individually turn everything on every night, which is the worst.

What’s on your nice list, Heidi?

Heidi: I’m putting the Instagram account, the Movie Club nice list. [00:27:00] This new that just across and I am so grateful it. So hosts this is Sydney and she watches the new Hallmark movies and review. appreciate that honest because, it’s a lot of rank high.

But honest, not all of the Hallmark movies are winners.

Emily: No.

Heidi: And there are so many new out year. wanna spend my time on the ones that aren’t worthwhile. She’s definitely an account worth following if you want some excellent suggestions for those.

cheesy, cozy, holiday Hallmark movies. so far this year, I think my favorite is Merry Christmas. Cooper and agreed that her winner so far too.

Emily: Oh, I’m excited to watch it.

Heidi: That is today’s episode. your bare minimum post-Christmas plan don’t forget decor lost and box.

Thanks for tuning in today. Use this week to get a [00:28:00] headstart on planning for what’s ahead. And remember, don’t get it perfect. Get it going. Come follow along on Instagram at the holiday headstart. We would love to hear from you. If you liked this episode, head to Apple Podcast and leave us a review. We’ll see you here next week.