Saturday, January 7, 2012

My Top 5 Favorite Things To Do After The Holidays



After the tree is taken down and the Christmas decorations are put away, I always feel a little bit sad. The happiness of the holidays are over and real life is upon us again. The house can seem a bit bare and gloomy to me after all the bright lights and excitement of the season. So I try to find things to do that will lift my spirits and give me a cheerier outlook. I am also budget conscious so I look for things to do or buy that aren't going to cost me a lot of money. Here are five of my favorites.



1. Buy yourself some flowers. Nothing cheers me up faster than to see a pretty bouquet of flowers sitting on my table or desk. I am so lucky to live in the Seattle area and can go buy my flowers at The Pike Place Market. The flower vendors there have many varieties of gorgeous flowers at an unbelievably inexpensive price. Your local grocery store is also a great place to look for flowers that don't cost a lot.

2. Make yourself a special cup of coffee or tea at home. I love flavored coffees and teas but I don't drink them everyday. Having a chia vanilla spice cup of tea or cinnamon roll flavored coffee is a lovely treat. If I use my french press to brew my coffee, it makes it even more special. Just the aroma of the coffee or tea can make me feel better.

3. Go to the library and browse for a couple of hours. My local library is truly a treasure that I love to take advantage of as often as possible. Books, DVD's, magazines, and more are all available to check out at no cost. I love bringing home a stack of decorating books and cookbooks that inspire me to live better. Lots of us can forget how wonderful a resource the library can be and you can't beat the price.

4. Write a short letter or thank you note to someone you care about. In these days of emails and texting, it is becoming more and more rare to receive an actual hand written piece of mail. It only takes a few minutes and the cost of a stamp to send thanks or to send a note of appreciation or affection to someone you care about. It will give you as much pleasure to send it as it will give the person who receives it. To express gratitude towards others reminds us of who we have to be grateful for.

5. Go to an afternoon movie by yourself. Pick the movie that you want to see, not the one your husband wants to see or maybe not even the latest blockbuster. I started doing this years ago and I love it. Eat your popcorn and junk food and just relax for the next couple of hours. I guarantee you will walk out of the theater feeling lighter and refreshed. I love going to the movies and going in the afternoon when everybody else is busy, always gives me a little thrill.

We all need to do things just for ourselves sometimes, especially if we are feeling a little low or out of sorts. As wonderful as the holidays are, they do take a lot of work and that work usually falls to the wives and mothers in the family.

What do you do to cheer yourself up or as a special something just for you? 

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2 comments

Gladys Parker said...

Luv this post! I too try to do the same. This year was a bit more difficult as the two people I write and send cards to have passed so I am looking for more ideas. I like the reminder of the library. I don't get out much but I could send my adult son after a few things! Wonderful idea :) Dvd rentals, no telephone and some healthier junk food would be a grand idea too. I appreciate your blog!
Gladys P

Whitney said...

I love these ideas! It doesn't have to be expensive either. I am making brownies tonight and now I am thinking I should get a movie esp. with new baby coming in a couple weeks. Thanks for the post.

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