The Twelve Days of JOMO

The holidays can be stressful. Between shopping, parties, travel and busting your diet wide open, trading hustle for JOMO sounds sweeter every day. We’re keeping it simple this year, and we invite you to join us. Throw on some comfy pants. Curl up on the couch. Lean into the Joy of Missing Out. Here are twelve of our favorite ways to embrace the art of not doing a damn thing.

One Cozy Pause

First up: Self-care. A face mask is our idea of cozy perfection. Ten minutes of quiet with a sheet mask and a warm mug of something feels like a personal peace treaty. Bonus points if paired with a bit of light reading … like a dramatic rendition of your childhood diary, out loud, to your cat.

Stick figure in an overstuffed armchair with a face mask, holding a book. A cat throws a judgy side-eye.

Two Steamy Sips

Heck, don’t even brave a drive-thru for that warm mug of something. Skip the expensive coffee and make espresso at home. No ordering ahead, no shouting through a staticky intercom, just you and the perfect shot paired with an experimental flavor — vanilla rosemary latte, anyone?

Stick figure topping a mug with a mountain of whipped cream next to an espresso machine.

Three Couch Cushions

If that’s not enough, nothing says self-care like a full Potato Day^TM. Load up with a big bowl of popcorn and a fluffy blanket and fight over who gets the corner of the sectional for your movie marathon of choice — minimum eight-hour run-time.

A potato sitting on a couch with a massive bowl of popcorn, “The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: The Extended Edition” on the TV screen.

Four Streaming Games

If sports are more your speed, quad-box four NFL games at once while checking your fantasy score on your phone every two minutes. What’s on the coffee table? One open beer, one open Diet Caffeine-Free Pepsi, a plate of cheese and crackers and a cloth napkin.

A stick figure lying on a couch holding a beer and sporting a large foam finger, the TV screen split into four quadrants.

Five Soaking Tubs

Speaking of elevated cuisine, if turkey gravy is your holiday table non-negotiable, why not take it to the next level and soak it in — literally? Our philosophy: If it’s good for the soul, then it’s good for the skin.

A stick figure relaxes in a steaming bathtub, shower cap on their head.

Six Fruitcake Tries

What in the Dickens is Christmas dinner without fruitcake? Time to sacrifice yet another wooden spoon to batter stiff enough to fix a pothole. With a little lot of brandy, the cake (and you!) will mellow into old-fashioned good cheer.

A stick figure holding half of a broken wooden spoon, the other half still left in the bowl, taking a swig of brandy straight from the bottle.

Seven Sheets of Sparkle

To make holiday baking even more fun, glue colorful sequins on the cookie sheets, spatulas and mixing bowls. (We cannot be held liable for the accidental ingestion of microplastics.)

A stick figure using a glue gun to bedazzle various pieces of bakeware.

Eight Shelves A-Sorting

If too much time off has you itching to redecorate, try organizing your bookshelf by color to see which gradient sparks joy the hardest. Be warned — you may start narrating the journey like a home makeover show no one asked for.

A stick figure carefully appraising a bookshelf, one eyebrow raised, books haphazardly strewn on the floor around them.

Nine Heads A-Scratching

More of a game night person? Hover over a puzzle like it’s a national sport — warm mug nearby, soundtrack on point, no deadlines in sight. It’s a great way to slow down and let the world shrink to 500 tiny cardboard pieces.

A stick figure hunching over a jigsaw puzzle, magnifying glass in hand.

Ten Cards A-Flying

If your significant other wants in on the fun, teeter on the verge of divorce by attempting to play a game that has no reason to be this complicated. “No, honey, I’m not mad that you just played Wrath of God to wipe the board when I was about to win.”

Two stick figures playing a card game, one flipping the table.

Eleven Riffs A-Rocking

Or, if you’re tired of the same old holiday songs every year, we recommend firing up Guitar Hero and drowning out the neighborhood carolers with a face-melting solo.

A stick figure wailing on a Guitar Hero controller, caroler stick figures seen through the window looking chagrined.

Twelve Trips A-Plotting

Really need to get away from it all? Step One: Fake an illness. Step Two: Pack your bags!

A stick figure seen through the window of a plane looking as happy as can be.

This season, we wish you joy — of missing out. Happy Holidays from all of us at JayRay!