Down time: What to do in the lull between Christmas and New Year's Eve

’Twas the day after Christmas …

You’re off work and the kids are home from school. You’ve visited all your friends and relatives. The kids already are tired of their gifts.

Now, you’re just waiting for New Year’s Eve. What to do in the meantime, while school is closed and many people are using up the last of their annual PTO days?

The holiday lull is a good opportunity to delve deep into a favorite pastime, try a new activity or plan an outing.

Maddie Jaynes and Stephen Small of Greensburg will be at home playing cribbage.

“That’s one thing we’ll definitely be doing,” Jaynes said. “It’s a good way to connect and unwind from social media.”

Small wanted to learn cribbage as a tribute to the paternal grandparents he never met, especially after his father gave him a cribbage scoreboard that belonged to them.

“When his dad and aunt come to visit, they don’t play, but they like to watch us play,” Jaynes said. “I think something about watching us play brings back good memories of their parents.”

Jaynes is the program specialist for a small, family-­run nonprofit organization providing support for adults with disabilities, and her employer gives her time off between the holidays. As a financial adviser, Small is able to set his schedule and, likewise, will take a break.

The couple also play Rummikub with Small’s brother and his girlfriend, and they’ve recently gotten interested in Codenames, a word-guessing game for four or more players.

On the other hand, Josh and Kary Milan of Hempfield will take their almost-3-year-old daughter, Mila, on some fun and educational outings.

As the only small child among their family members and friends, Mila tends to be showered with gifts, said Kary Milan, who is director of development and alumni relations at Penn State New Kensington.

“We appreciate toys and clothes, but at the same time, we’re good with what we have and we don’t want her to have an overabundance,” she said. “This year, we approached things a little differently when friends and family started asking what they could get Mila for Christmas.

“We said they don’t have to get her anything, but if they want to do something, we asked them to focus on some type of an experience,” she said. “Mila really loves animals, so the family zoo pass that one of my friends gave her will be a big hit.”

They also have passes for Pittsburgh’s four Carnegie Museums and have Phipps Conservatory and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh on their itinerary. In some instances, the gift-givers will join in the outings.

The Milans both have time off work between Christmas and the new year. Kary has a work break, as the Penn State campus closes from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2. As the owner of Milanscape, a Greensburg-based landscape construction company, Josh also can take time off.

“We’ll take photos and make memories,” Milan said. “It will be a richer experience than a toy she might play with just a few times and, in two weeks, she’ll forget about it.”

At home or out and about, sharing an experience is priceless, said Louise Henry, education coordinator for the Westmoreland History Society, which operates Historic Hanna’s Town in Hempfield.

“It’s good for the family to come out together and bond over some indoor or outdoor activities,” she said.

Close to home

Here are a few free things to do without having to travel far:

• Check out the holiday decorations in an unfamiliar neighborhood, or visit a new park or playground.

• Use your after-Christmas cleanup as an opportunity to declutter or set aside items for a summer yard sale.

• Rearrange the furniture.

• Do some armchair traveling by researching a country on your travel bucket list. Make a craft, learn a song or game, or plan a meal with foods and recipes from that country.

• Use the internet to learn a new skill or hobby.

• Organize family photos or start a scrapbook.

• Visit the local library. Check out books or videos, or gather information on upcoming classes and special events.

Farther afield

If cabin fever is setting in and you’re up for a field trip, here are some options:

Sensory Friendly Hours — 8:30-10 a.m. Monday at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Oakland. Sensory-friendly tours and quiet zones will be available for all guests.

Visitors are encouraged to reserve timed tickets in advance at carnegiemnh.org.

Makeshop: Recycleburgh — 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh on the North Side. Visitors can help transform the museum’s Makeshop into a city made entirely of recycled materials. Participants will repurpose common household materials into the parts and pieces of a city.

Visitors are encouraged to reserve admission tickets for a specific day and time. For information, visit pittsburghkids.org.

Laser Holiday Magic — 2 and 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday at Carnegie Science Center on the North Side. Holiday hit songs from across the generations are set to vibrant, festive laser choreography.

Show fee is $8, or $5 as an add-on to general admission. For information, visit carnegiesciencecenter.org.

Holiday Lights and Late Nights — 5-8 p.m. Monday-Friday at the National Aviary in the North Side. Each night will have a different special feature, from creative activities to music and dance performances. All week long, there will be encounters with the aviary’s Animal Ambassadors and the opportunity for a twilight stroll through the various environments.

Seasonal treats and beverages will be available for purchase. For more information and ticket reservations, visit aviary.org.

Holiday Family Day — 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday at Historic Hanna’s Town. Visitors will be able to string a holiday garland, create a pomander ball and make a tin-punch ornament to take home. Story times are planned for children ages 3-6 and 4-8. A self-guided walking tour around the site will feature signage exploring the history of Christmas trees, Santa Claus, cards, caroling and other holiday traditions.

Activities are included with regular admission. For information, call 724-836-8000 or visit westmorelandhistory.org.

Winter Lights Late-Night Thursdays: New Year’s Cheer — 5-8 p.m. Thursday at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg. Enjoy the outdoor Winter Lights display, then step inside for a wintry art scavenger hunt, a New Year’s Eve photo station, a custom frame-making activity, an enter-to-win opportunity in the Museum Shop, a Lavender House pop-up shop and free hot cocoa and cider.

Admission is free. For information, call 724-837-1500 or visit thewestmoreland.org.

International Teen Lab — 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Carnegie Museum of Art in Oakland. The teen-focused drop-in art-making and inquiry session is inspired by “Is it morning for you yet?,” the 58th Carnegie International. The workshops are designed by members of the museum’s Youth Art Initiative advisory group.

Session is free with museum admission; no registration is required. For information, visit cmoa.org.

Holiday Dreams, A Spectacular Holiday Cirque! — 7 p.m. Thursday and 2 p.m. Friday at the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh. The show features acrobats, aerialists, comedians, daredevils and specialty acts performing feats that incorporate visual and technological “magic,” such as holograms, projection mapping and interactive lasers. Geared for children and grown-ups alike, the show includes music, dance, comedy and a sweet, funny story.

Tickets are $45-$65 at 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org.

Guided Exhibit Tour — 11 a.m. Friday at Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Docents will lead a tour of “Pittsburgh’s John Kane: The Life & Art of an American Workman,” showcasing the turn-of-the-20th-century Scottish immigrant who achieved renown as a self-taught artist after decades as an industrial-age Pittsburgh laborer.

Tour is included with regular museum admission. Space is limited; visitors must sign up beforehand at the admissions desk. For information and to purchase advance tickets, visit heinzhistorycenter.org.