It’s the day after Christmas. I’m sitting on the couch, still in pajamas, sipping my coffee and watching my 4- and 2-year-old sons discovering their Christmas presents as if for the first time.
They’re moving the furniture around in their new dollhouse to be able to squeeze their Ironman and Thor action figures in through the windows. The toy train engine is chugging noisily around the tree, its cars and caboose have been abandoned in the corner after being derailed so many times that I refused to put them back on. A Playdoh set is open on the floor and I have to refrain from running over to put the lid back on the brand new pack of dough. I sigh and take in the luxury of not having an agenda to keep to, food to cook or rooms to tidy up. The day stretches before us lazily, like a cat in a sunbeam.
Christmas day was a whirlwind of wrapping paper, hugs, batteries and plastic packaging that would put the jaws of life to test. We stayed home and had family visit throughout the day. It works out great since at this age, the boys get overwhelmed quickly with too many gifts to open (and okay, so do I). I gave up trying to clean up wrapping paper and empty boxes around midday. By that night, our living room looked like a tornado had been through it.
It’s crazy how you can spend weeks preparing for one single day, and it flies by in a flash. I tried to take it in, enjoy all the delighted gasps and wide-eyed “wows” from my children, but it still goes by so quickly. In contrast, the day after Christmas might just be the longest day of the year, and it’s wonderful. We get to inspect each and every new gift the boys received, reminding them which family member gave it to them. They could take their time with each game, puzzle and book. For me it’s probably the closest thing to a “day off” I’ll get as a stay-at-home mom. They were absorbed all day long. I don’t think we even turned the television on. Well okay, maybe once.
I absolutely adore Christmas. We spend the entire month relishing everything related to the holiday, but let’s admit it, as a parent, it’s exhausting. There’s so many lights to see, cookies to bake, Santas to visit, reindeer to feed, pageants to perform, music to sing, lists to check off, gifts to wrap, decorations to hang, train gardens and winter wonderlands to explore and Elves to hide. The day after Christmas is like the reward for all that hard work. Like Christmas dinner leftovers, it’s just as delicious, without all the toil of making it. It might just be my new favorite day.
Click here to read more Mommy Daze.
Mandy Watts is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Crownsville with her husband, Justin, who runs their family business, and their two sons, 4-year-old James and 2-year-old Luke.
