10 Simple Holiday Luxuries

Merry Christmas, everybuggy! Maybe you have a full day planned. Maybe you're booked solid with festivities, or maybe you have to go to work. Sorry about that. You can use this list later.

The rest of you may find yourselves with unstructured downtime this holiday. Maybe you will find yourself at a loose end. Perhaps you don't celebrate, so you've got a random day off when most of your friends are busy. Or you do celebrate, but you did all the major "Christmas stuff" by eleven in the morning, and you're not sure what to do with the rest of your day. Or you've scaled down the holiday so far, stripping out the commercialist and/or religious aspects that bother you for one reason or another, until there is nothing left. What can you do to make the most of your holiday?

First, let me suggest some things NOT to do:

• Bum around feeling gross. If you feel full, stop eating. If you feel dirty, take a shower. No sense in wasting your time off feeling gross.
• Pressure yourself to make everything picture-perfect. Nothing kills enjoyment like the pressure to enjoy yourself.
• Do things you don't enjoy just because it's what you've always done or what people are expected to do, or because you read them on a list of tips.

Okay, now that that's out of the way, here's my list of do's.

10 Simple Holiday Luxuries

To add that extra dash of relaxation and decadence for a deliciously enjoyable non-productive day:

1. Relax the rules. Whatever way you normally discipline yourself, whatever self-improvement habit you're working on, give yourself the day off. This is basically the grown-up version of getting to stay up 'til midnight on New Year's Eve. This might mean cheating on your diet, sleeping in, or sneaking a peak at Reddit. WARNING: Don't let it become a habit.
2. Get outside. Take a long walk, or run around with any kids and/or dogs that happen to be around. As much as I resist any form of exercise when I've just eaten my weight in chocolate, it really makes me feel a ton better, and getting some sunshine and fresh (if cold) air in the middle of the day is a luxury I definitely don't get on a daily basis.
3. Have a kiki. Maybe your delightfully gossipy grandma or brother-in-law is actually spending the holiday with you, but even if they're not, you can always call. Just put your feet up and bitch about everything.
4. Lose yourself in a good book/movie/game. It doesn't have to be a new one. A lazy holiday is a good opportunity to re-enjoy an old favorite.
5. Enjoy something dumb. Relax your standards for the day. Read a magazine. Watch a kid's show. It's guilty pleasure time.
6. Take a warm bath or soak your feet in epsom salts. Cliche, but super-relaxing. Add candles for extra ambience.
7. Trade massages with a partner. If you don't have massage oil, olive oil will do.
8. Make popcorn and cocoa. Or your own go-to simple snack from pantry staples.
9. Savor your treat of choice (aforementioned cocoa, gingersnaps, stocking orange, etc.) Close your eyes and really enjoy that one bite. I know there's plenty more where that came from, but it's still more fun to really focus and enjoy it.
10. Do absolutely nothing. Just lounge in a comfortable location, look at something pleasant--like a twinkling tree--and let your mind wander.

The real secret is that you can enjoy these any day of the year.