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LYNNE HOGGAN: Relax, it’s Crimbo limbo and nobody cares if your house is a tip

The bins are overflowing, you haven't changed your clothes and you're now 70% cheese: relax it's Crimbo limbo and normal rules are suspended.

man in a Santa hat with a broom dancing on a messy Christmas dinner table.
Crimbo limbo - seven glorious days when no one sees the mess and no one cares anyway.

Fancy a wee game of Crimbo limbo bingo?

It’s a good way to get through that week in between Christmas and New Year when nobody knows what day it is, or what they’re supposed to be doing with themselves.

The thing to remember is that it’s happening in every household in Scotland.

So don’t stress about it. Or worry that it’s just your home that’s in uproar.

The writer Lynne Hoggan next to a quote: "Crimbo limbo is always a funny week and I'm at the stage where I am not even feeling guilty about it."

The tons of Christmas stuff lying around that you tidy and move into “neat piles” every now and again, just so you can feel like you’ve accomplished something (meaning you can reward yourself with a cup of tea and some chocolates from the long lasting supply that you seem to have collected)?

It’s happening everywhere.

The full washing basket that hasn’t been looked at for days, but you keep throwing stuff into it, telling yourself you will get round to putting a washing on at some point?

overflowing washing basket.
The traditional Crimbo limbo washing basket. Image: Shutterstock.

Same.

It must be Crimbo limbo – I’m craving broccoli

Then there’s the cheese on every shelf in the fridge and half-eaten cheese boards that you keep picking away at because it’s totally acceptable at this time of the year, right?

There are bin bags full of rubbish that you don’t know what to do with because your outside bins are already overflowing and you aren’t quite sure when the bin lorries are due to come around.

You’re living in comfy clothes, or the same clothes every day, but can still go from drab to fab in about five minutes because you agreed to catch up with a friend and you’d totally forgotten about it

You’re discussing New Year’s resolutions to make yourself feel better about all of the above and it’s not January 1 yet.

And is anyone else craving a bit of broccoli or just something “clean” on their plate.

plate with food scraps on a table with half-eaten turkey and cranberry sauce.
More turkey anyone? Image: Shutterstock.

I’m not saying I’ll ever be sick of cheese.

But I might be getting a little bit sick of not seeing much of the green stuff at the side of my dinner.

Normal service will be resumed

It’s really ok if all of the above applies to you right now. We are all in the same boat.

Crimbo limbo is always a funny week and I’m at the stage where I am not even feeling guilty about it.

I’ve had my token trip to the gym. I’ve cleaned round a few things. And I’ve been out for some fresh air and taken my dog for a walk.

dog in the snow wearing a red scarf.
You could clean the house but a Crimbo limbo dog walk would be way more rewarding. Image: Shutterstock.

Nobody else needs to know how untidy it is behind the scenes.

We’ve earned a bit of laziness and we can get back to normalily in the
New Year.

Or maybe the middle of January is more realistic. Or the end. Let’s not get carried away.

For now, enjoy your Crimbo limbo and have a very happy New Year.

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