Christmas & New Year's at Chez Herkes are pretty simple: our house is an Introvert Haven on both the Eves and the Days.How does that work? Well. Spouseman works on jigsaw puzzles or Legos or plays video games, I watch movies, play with the train set, put up ornaments (yes, I often wait until Christmas Eve to do the tree)  and putter around the kitchen when I'm not curled up on one of the bean bags with a new book to read or puttering with the book I'm writing at my desk.AND we're open to friends dropping by any time after 7PM on the Eves and after 1 PM on the Days.  (Always wise to inquire if we're on a walk through the neighborhood to admire holiday lights or get fresh air, but other than those excursions, we're IN.)Nothing is going on, but company is welcome. That's it.There are non-traditional holiday movies on the television in one room all day & night (for several years we did a Bad Movie double feature on NYE, but it got awfully organized and was causing me unfun panic and so it was retired in favor of more Introverting In Company like we already did on Christmas.)ANYway. There's usually quiet music in the non-television room, and there are comfy chairs available for sitting with snacks and beverages pretty much everywhere because that's how I roll. And of course there are foods and beverages for snacking. Because for me holidays mean food, and food is yummy.Zero planned activities, zero zero formal socializing. Conversation and catching up are cool, just not...required. Quiet parallel play like reading, crafting, surfing the internet via phone or tablet, or watching television--that's as close as things get to a theme.The new house give us SO MUCH MOAR SPACE to stretch out! I can't wait to holiday here.Friends whose holiday travels bring them past our road less traveled on their way over the river and through the woods are welcome to drop by for a mug of cider (or a beer or wine or a cuppa hot tea) Settle in for awhile or just decompress for a the length of a nosh and a sip. Some years we have several drop-ins, many years it's just Spouseman & me, but always, it's simple, and nerdy.  (see below)Happy Hibernation season, everyone!