So much for "'twas the night before Christmas.'" What about the night – and morning and week – after it? For those who don't celebrate the full 12 days, Dec. 26 is an abrupt end to a long Christmas season.

Many of us spent much of the past month raising kids and doing our jobs – but also baking cookies, addressing Christmas cards, buying and wrapping presents, standing in line at the post office, decorating the tree and the house, and squeezing in a few holiday parties.

It's all great (well, maybe not the standing in line part). But it's exhausting.