Activities to break up post-holiday hum drums

By Echelle, Pure Matters

Each year it never fails: The holidays bring an interesting mix of hustle and bustle…and then come those weird few days from the 26th through the 31st that are a quiet lull. You’ve survived the holiday shopping, company holiday parties, and friends and family get-togethers (and for those of us with December birthdays-we’re fighting to get our birthday party love too!), so what are the best ways to finish out the year on an active note rather than just sitting around in pajamas? Let’s take a look at some fun and physical options to get your blood pumping and continue the merriment into the New Year.

Take a Wintery Hike

Find a trail or even just a scenic route in your neighborhood and, weather permitting, enjoy all the beauty that nature offers. There’s nothing like crunching through some fresh snow and taking hot coco breaks every once in a while. Bring along your camera to capture the moment and look forward to an hour or two of wintery bliss and calorie burning. Just be sure to bundle up and watch your step!

Friendship Food Walk

Connect with friends and neighbors who live within a 5 mile radius of each other and set up a “food walk.” Designate homes as “stations” and make your way to each stop for different incentivizing treats. It breaks up the work of entertaining since everyone contributes and makes for a whole day of eating delicious food, enjoying great company, and burning unwanted calories.

Here’s an example of how to structure your day:

House 1 is where everyone meets. Eat a light appetizer, grab some water, and get moving over to House 2 (ideally 30 minutes of walking in between) where a protein rich entrée may be served. Once you’ve finished eating and catching your breath, grab your water and head on over to House 3 (approximately another 30 minutes) for a healthy desert (think fresh fruits and a dash of whipped cream). Sweet tooth satisfied? Great, now get walking to House 4 for some hot cider, hot chocolate or peppermint tea. Wrap things up by taking the final journey back to House 1 where you started and call it a day.

There are a ton of options to map out your walk and the great thing is that it gives everyone an opportunity to showcase their skills in the kitchen. Keep things light by making healthy meal options and only drinking water. And if a full three courses isn’t your cup of tea, consider taking this as an opportunity to find out who makes the best oatmeal cookies in your group of friends by going from house to house for a cookie smack down!

New Year’s Card And Neighborhood Crafts Fest

Use the final days of the year to be productive. Make a “goals” or “ideas” board for 2013 and take the time to really think about and visualize what you would like to accomplish in the next year. While your hot glue gun and construction paper are out, consider making a few crafts too. Nothing says friends and family time like gathering around a table to create fun crafts. Knock out a few holiday thank you cards or gifts and see what crazy things your friends will come up with. It’s a low key day that keeps your brain active and your body moving all while having fun. You can’t beat that!

Source: http://blog.purematters.com/fitness/fun-physical-activities-to-break-up-the-holiday-hum-drums