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We shouldn't be surprised by this but a certain amount of denial seems to be natural. Baby boomers after Christmas just don't bounce back like we used to.
Remember when you could be up all night and still get your second wind to dance on through another day? That second wind comes later, covers less distance, and tends to come with a price of its own, these days.
Remember your favorite holiday foods and drink? Some of them may still be on the nice rather than the naughty list, but sadly for many of us, the nice list is shrinking. Christmas cookies and pie, hot chocolate and rum punch ... they may still look as good as they ever did but make no mistake. They are probably on the naughty list for many baby boomers now.
Getting down on the floor when you used to race cars with your sons didn't involve the creaky knees and touchy back that bark when you hit the floor with your grandsons. And changing Barbie's party dress for her other party dress is harder for knuckles stiff with a touch of arthritis.
Maybe you fell asleep watching TV at 8 p.m. last night. Maybe you can't remember what you did or who you saw over the past few days of Christmas. Maybe you have moments when you hardly remember your own name.
And that thing, where you get up and go into another room to do something and forget what you were going to do? That thing may be working overtime this week.
So okay. It all took more out of you than in Christmas Past. And it may take longer to recover afterward than it used to. Comes with the territory.
It could be time for some baby boomers to make some new holiday traditions to be instituted for next year. Have some rest time built in alongside the play time and the work time and the party time. And spread things out over a few days if you can manage it rather than going for a Perfect Yule Storm of activity.
Having to slow down yields unexpected benefits. Learning to savor the moments, and to build space between them instead of rushing through it all, can sweeten the day and add to the pleasure and intensify the memory.
It may also mean you might be paring down some of your busy-ness, keeping the things that mean the most to you and eliminating things that don't. And that can't be all bad. Happy Post Christmas Recovery to you.
Visit Jody's website and blog at http://www.ncubator.ca and http://ncubator.ca/blogger
Add a Comment2 Comments
LOL. You and I, we are sympatico.
Thanks Vonnie.
December 26, 2011 - 9:05amThis Comment
You're a woman after my own heart, Jody. Great post!
December 26, 2011 - 9:01amThis Comment