Nick and I tend to spend the holidays with my parents. Thus, the day after Christmas, I am waking up in my old childhood bedroom on a guest bed. My gifts are at the foot of the bed and the sun is gently hitting my face through the purple curtains my mom put up. Needless to say, I have nowhere to be. Nicholas and I have all day to lounge around. This is usually what my day looks like:

Stay in my pajamas until 1 p.m.: I drink my coffee, eat breakfast and sleep in. What’s the point of getting dressed early?

Go for a walk: I do this to make myself feel less “fat.” I’ll usually utilize one of the trails near my parent’s house. Sometimes, Nick joins me. Not only is it great for expending all of those extra calories, but it’s a good way to unwind from all the family pressure (c’mon, like your family doesn’t drive you crazy during the holidays?).

Decide which gifts I have an exchange: Because my parents have a tendency to get me the wrong sizes or dress me like a miniature version of my mom, this is often a necessity. I look at the gift receipts to know how long I have to return the gifts; then put my gifts into two different bags. One is the“I will keep this” bag and the other is the“Why do my parents think I size large? I’ve lost weight” bag. I refuse to go to any stores right after Christmas. I tend to wait for the Tuesday or Wednesday between Christmas and New Years. That is the perfect time to exchange gifts.

After those three essential things are done, I share a drink with my Nicholas and watch terrible television. Then, I go back to sleep.