The period in between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day is a really weird time of year. The build-up to Christmas has been frenetic and overwhelming and sentimental and festive. And then you wake up Christmas morning and usually within 60 minutes, it’s all over. At least in my house it is.
Luckily, we had dinner plans on Christmas Day at my husband’s aunt’s house. It helped prolong the holiday feeling just a bit. But after Christmas is over, I go into a funk. I call it Christmas Limbo.
Christmas Limbo is kind of like the day after a fancy party. You could do your hair and make up all over again and wear the same fancy party dress but you’ll never quite look as good. The party is over.
What are you supposed to do during that week? Work? On one hand, no, because business is so slow and everyone else takes time off. On the other hand, yes, because why waste a vacation day when no one is there to monitor your productivity?
But Christmas isn’t the only time you run into this uncomfortable limbo. Today, I present my top 10 list of things we just want to get over already. Let’s start with the easy stuff.
1. The time between finding out you’re pregnant and you actually start filling out maternity clothes.
(until such time, you usually just look fat)
2. The time between looking cute in maternity clothes and actually having that damn baby.
(the cuteness wears off and those handicapped parking spaces start looking more and more attractive)
3. The time between nailing an interview and starting a new job.
(you’re stuck between being totally excited and then feeling completely unqualified and then thinking you’ll hate everyone you work with and then a little excited again)
4. The time between ordering your food at a restaurant when you’re STARVING and when your food actually arrives 45 minutes later.
(and you could swear that the couple that just got their food came in 20 minutes AFTER you did)
5. The time between booking your next vacation and, well, the actual vacation.
(doesn’t time seem to magically stretch here?)
6. The time between when your toddler comes home with a stomach flu and then your stomach starts to hurt and then… the inevitable.
(because it is inevitable, you know that, right?)
7. The time between getting brand new carpet and the first christening of said carpet.
(think of child, dog, cat, muddy shoes, red wine, etc.)
8. The time between imagining something careless and stupid happening and then watching it actually happen.
(is it just me or do you visualize yourself opening the can of tomato sauce and having it splash all over your white shirt before it actually happens?)
9. The time between posting your best blog post ever and waiting for a comment, any comment.
(and yes, we know you hit refresh over and over again waiting for the first bite)
10. The time between watching everyone get sick for the holidays and then waiting for it to knock on your door.
(thank you, Christmas cold, for at least waiting until late Christmas Eve to rear your ugly head)
At least when New Year’s Day comes, we know we can take down that Christmas tree and start anew. A new limbo period, that is. Because isn’t it like months until the next major holiday?
Do the limbo with me. What else can you add to my list?
21 comments
Great list! I’m trying to think about what needs to just hurry up already 🙂
How about the time between hair appointments? You look fabulous for a few weeks and then suddenly you can begin to tell when it’s time for an appointment and when you call they have nothing when YOU need it, so you wait and it seems like FOREVER!
Or for you…the time between blog conferences? 😀
You know, I almost put hair appointments on the list. Usually it goes like this… hair looks HORRIBLE so I bite the bullet and make the appointment. And then it looks good every day until the appointment and you wonder why you made it in the first place. Or it just keeps looking horrible until the day FINALLY arrives. It’s always one or the other.
You know, I almost put hair appointments on the list. Usually it goes like this… hair looks HORRIBLE so I bite the bullet and make the appointment. And then it looks good every day until the appointment and you wonder why you made it in the first place. Or it just keeps looking horrible until the day FINALLY arrives. It’s always one or the other.
OMG – I am sooo in a LIMBO funk!! I hate it. Now my limbo is after you sign the purchase & sale for a new house and when you actually MOVE… 23 days and counting…
Oh yes. But I think a WORSE limbo is when your house is on the market and you can’t even set a glass down because you’re afraid the minute you do you’ll have a showing!
It really is a limbo time right now.
For me, it’s also the time between when the cute summer clothes come out and when it’s actually warm enough to wear them.
I have a similar limbo time. It’s when I start to see the cute summer clothes and then say OMG WHY DIDN’T I EXERCISE!
“5. The time between booking your next vacation and, well, the actual vacation.”
That is where my head is right now. I’m itching to go away!!!
I have no vacation plans and tend to be spontaneous (booking no more than 2-3 weeks in advance). I just can’t wait once I get the plans laid.
This is a great, great post! I stumbled it for you.
There are so many times in life that we’re waiting for that transition, and I think living is limbo is one of the hardest things EVER!
I think life is FULL of a lot of hurry up and wait. I think the trick is to enjoy the wait. Thanks for the stumble!!
It would be, if it weren’t for that damn loin spawn of mine having his birthday on Feb 5th. I turn around twice and he’s due another joyous occassion. Of course, this means he’s screwed for the rest of the year, all the punch in one pack so to speak. But, yeah, take the down time after Christmas and laugh in my face; ’cause there will be done for me!
Mine has a birthday on January 24th so you’ll get no sympathy from me. But it is still the post-holiday funk 🙁
Well my little one has hers on 2/4 but February is b-day month around here so Jan is a nice respite w/only my mom’s b-day.
I have one for you: The time between when your house was just cleaned by the cleaning lady and when your husband/kids mess it all up. It’s the opposite I don’t look forward to it, but I know it’s going to happen.
I would love to say I agree but my limbo is after *I* clean the house and the husband/kid messes it up. Same idea though 😉
Love that list! I think you just about covered them all.. and no, it’s not just you. I visualize the disaster to come every time I do something less than bright. The latest was when I grabbed a big serrated knife to open a bag of rice…knowing full well AS I DID IT that I should have just used scissors instead. And yes, it became an emergency-room nightmare that, two months later, I’m still dealing with. :-0
Oh no! I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that has the little voice. I just wish I would learn to listen to it more…
Three Kings Day is on January 6th, so I drag out the Christmas stuff for another 12 days or so. Its still a tough landing, but I don’t know what i would do without those extra couple of weeks to ease out of hte holiday spirit.
Well, there is no limbo for me this time of year. My daughter’s birthday is December 30. So, no sooner have we cleaned up the Christmas presents, then I am working hard to make sure it is a special day for her. And getting ready for her party. AFTER New Year’s? I collapse. 😉