You know what Christmas is like, there’s the huge build-up with (literally) hundreds of hours spent planning, cooking, cleaning, shopping and decorating to make sure that the big day is ‘perfect’. Christmas Eve is full-on excitement, it builds throughout the day, the kids are off the scale and your rushing around like mad to get the last of the presents bought and/or wrapped! Everyone goes to bed late and then gets up ridiculously early on Christmas Day! But after all that craziness comes the slump… the post-Christmas slump…
After days of staying in, even the kids start to climb the walls come the 27th December. A bit like Peter Rabbit after too many radishes, shorter days with rich heavy food, (probably too much wine) and our own body weight in chocolate Santa’s has a soporific effect!
The post-Christmas blues start to kick-in and you’re wondering how you’ll survive until New Year’s Eve…
So, what’s the solution? You need to get outside! We may not get a white Christmas – but there’s typically a cold snap between Christmas and New Year and with the right kit there’s no better time to get out and about!
We are a keen hill walking family, but a visit to the park, the local woods or even Play Park in town has the same results. So, here are some top tips to help you get adventure ready these holidays!
- Time it right. We generally time our winter walks around late morning, when it’s warmed up a little and so you can make an early pit stop for a picnic, which is typically turkey soup! That said, my two year all prefers Peppa Pig Pasta shapes so we’re quite flexible! The key thing is something hot in flask as its warms them up - inside out!
- The right kit. Avoid complaints along the walk by making sure the little ones are wrapped up. Kidunks are perfect winter adventure outfits, if temperatures hit freezing it’s best to layer up with a couple of thin thermals underneath and a warm jacket on top as well. Make sure you have at least two pairs of gloves for your little ones you’ll need a back-up in case the first set get wet and cold! Our Kidunk welly boots and new Blade & Rose Chunky knit hats are both fleecy lined making them the perfect accessories for winter walks.
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We’re going on an elf hunt! If this one thing that gets my mini adventures around a walk it’s the prospect of rewards. Whether that’s raisins, left over chocolate and sweets or left over stocking fillers, on Christmas walks we leave a trail of ‘treasure’ and tell the kids that the elves dropped them on Christmas eve! (This involves one of the adults running ahead but it’s worth the effort!)
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Stick Family Tree. We all love the Christmas classic ‘Stick Man’ story by Julia Donaldson and this is another great little winter walking game to encourage them as we walk. Everybody finds a stick on the walk and then take them home to decorate to make into your very own stick family!
- And home. After a nice winter walk, can there be anything nicer than coming home to hot chocolate and a Christmas family movie?