It's Limbo Week Again

Limbo Week

After delivering presents to children around the globe, Santa takes a much deserved break. He parks the magic sleigh in the garage, kisses Mrs. Claus good night, and takes a nap for the next week. It is the only 7 days of the year that he is not watching, and making those naughty and nice lists. This phenomena was first brought to my attention by my then five year old niece. On Christmas evening, after all the presents were opened, and the food devoured, she was up to
some minor childhood antics. One of the adults scolded her, and reminded her to, "watch out", she wouldn't want to be on the naughty list. Her reply was, "Why? Santa has already come." She was absolutely right. Santa had already brought her so many presents, she had clearly made it on the nice list for the year that was about to end. Santa's lists are for each calendar year. Santa's record keeping takes a break for that week between Christmas and New Years while he catches up on his rest, and starts fresh on January 1st. What do you do with your Limbo Week, the one and only 7-day free pass for the year?

Most of us follow Santa's lead and do as little as possible. We sleep in, watch TV, put away the Christmas decorations, or at least think about it. Some of us go on vacation, maybe skiing, or somewhere tropical. Why don't we all make the most of our limited time and have a whole week of Carnival-like sin and excitement?? Why not just try some new things, before we have to give them a name, like "New Year's resolution"? Take a test drive before we make any sort of official
commitment to feel guilty about when we break?



Here are a few ideas:

Give up a bad habit. Just try for the week. Don't tell anyone. Most of us are off work or school, so it is a good time to be cranky. They kids will be so in to their new toys they might not even notice. Try to give up caffeine or sugar or something. In virtual seclusion you can be as mean and as surly as you want and it won't effect your job or your grades. Your family might wonder what is going on and banish you to the attic, which is the perfect place to try out yoga with no one watching.

Try a new hobby, like yoga. No one will notice if you stink at it if it is over by January 1. If you discover you have some hidden talent for oil painting, or ballet, you can start the new year with a week already under your belt.

Color your hair. I don't mean something subtle to hide the gray (yes, you have gray hairs). I am talking radical. Go bleach blond, or flaming red. I actually did this once on New Year's Eve. It was
over so fast there isn't even a photo to record that I once had strawberry blond hair. It was chocolate brown again by January 1st. If the new do suits you, you can start of the new year looking great!

Enjoy some guilty pleasures. Go ahead, indulge - eat that chocolate cake. It won't last another week, and by Jan 2nd you will be on to your new diet. Plus the next time someone bakes you a cake that good will be your birthday, months away. Finish the carton of egg nog. The store won't even sell it for another 11 months.

Go to the movies during the day. No one is really working this week anyway. Those of you at your desk are just surfing the net spending your holiday gift cards, or looking at youtube for something to entertain you.Take a long lunch, at the theater. Nothing beats movie popcorn for lunch.

Take a nap. When is the last time you took a nap? Kindergarten? Nothing feels quite as indulgent as a mid-day nap. Go ahead, grab your favorite blankie and snooze while the sun shines.

Read a book. If you can't take a real vacation, take a mental one. Pick up one of the new best sellers,an old favorite, or even a trashy magazine. It doesn't really matter what you select, as long as it takes you away. Warning, reading may leading to napping, so be prepared.

Play, after all, this is the wisdom of a 5 year old and play is what they do best. The kids are home from school and there are all those new toys to checkout. Make the most of that white Christmas - build a snowman and make snow angels. Go to the beach and make a sand castle.

Go ahead - live a little - its Limbo Week.

NOTE: I wrote this a couple of years ago. I thought I would post it again. Maybe if you tried yoga last year, you are up for a new hair color this year :-). My own Limbo Week experiment was giving up caffeine. I did that in December 2007. I haven't had any since! Happy New Year!