When I was about 7, Los Angeles public schools shifted to a year-round schedule. The effect, for my elementary school, was a shorter summer break (boo), and an extra-long winter break (also, it turned out, boo). That year, my parents enrolled me in winter camp, which was like summer camp but less fun. It was an El Nio year, and the constant rain turned the swimming pools into an unwholesome shade of green. I honestly dont remember what we did with most of our days; probably we made a lot of lanyards and argued with one another. In an effort to mix things up, the camp arranged a whale-watching trip for us (January is gray whale season in Southern California). But as soon as we got out to sea, an enormous storm kicked up, buffeting our boat to such a degree that every camper except for me threw up. Lest you think I was spared: My clothes became so waterlogged in the rain that my pants fell down in front of everyone. We did not see any whales.All of this is to say that winter break can be weird for kids: There are often family visits and holiday celebrations, but its also a time when school is out, the weather is bad, and theres not always much to do. In a lot of places, theres no longer enough snow for the winter activities of yore you really cannot build a snowman out of wintry mix. One year, I took my older kid on a desperate trudge to the dollar store in subfreezing temperatures just to get out of the house. Things can get rough.I have no advice for the short, strange days at the end of the year other than to honor them in whatever way you can. We celebrate Christmas in my family, so my kids will be opening presents this week, and then probably strewing pieces of them liberally about the house. My 2-year-old keeps exclaiming, Its Halloween! and then, when corrected, quietly lamenting, Halloween all done. I get it I like Christmas fine, but I kind of prefer Halloween, too.Whether youre celebrating anything or not, remember that these are the darkest days of the calendar, and whatever happens with the weather or everything else, the days are already getting longer. Maybe get some sleep, if you can. Take your kids out to look at the night sky Venus is really good this month and is not a drone. If they are reasonably quiet, take them birdwatching. Ill be skipping Thursday, January 2, but Ill be back with you on January 9. A big thank you to everyone whos been reading (and sending in questions, podcast recommendations, and stories about kids hibernating in nests of toys) these last few months, and Ill see you in the new year!What Im readingSchool districts are preparing for potential immigration crackdowns from the Trump administration, by hosting seminars for families on their legal rights and training staff on how to respond if ICE agents show up at school.The 74 has a roundup of charts that defined education in 2024, including data on pandemic learning loss and kids smartphone use.Ulta Beauty has started selling mystery balls with toy versions of beauty products inside, possibly as a way of courting the coveted Sephora tween demographic.We are contractually allowed to continue reading our Christmas books until December 31, at which point my husband will sequester them for the next 11 months. My little kid especially enjoys Pick a Pine Tree, a sweet rhyming story about tree decorating, and How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?, which (spoiler) fails to answer that age-old question.From my inboxIve gotten a lot of questions about Australias move to ban kids from social media, and in the new year, Ill be looking into the pros and cons of such bans. As I report on that, Id love to hear from you: Have the kids in your life experienced any positive effects from social media? We hear so much about the negatives that Im very curious about the flip side. Get in touch at anna.north@vox.com.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More: Life