Finding the time to work out during the holidays can be tough, and frankly, it doesn't really matter if your weights gather a little dust while you're busy with seasonal festivities.
However, adding a little bit of movement to your day can be a good idea, since it can refresh both your body and mind.
If that sounds like the type of palette cleanser you need, may I suggest this festive workout from personal trainer Roxanne Russell. It's a home kettlebell workout and it only takes 20 minutes, so it's a fantastic alternative to going to the gym.
The best part? It's Christmas-themed, so you can keep up the holiday spirit even while squatting.
The workout is inspired by the popular Christmas carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas", with 12 different kettlebell exercises for you to work through.
How to do the 12 days of Christmas workout
The only piece of equipment you need for this routine is a kettlebell. You should be able to use the same weight kettlebell throughout, because you perform fewer reps for some of the harder exercises, or the moves that use smaller muscles.
The workout follows the format of the carol, so you start by doing one burpee, then you do two kettlebell halos and one burpee. Then it's three upright rows, two kettlebell halos and one burpee, and so on until you run through all 12 exercises.
Thankfully, it's a follow-along workout, so it doesn't become a test of memory like the actual carol.
This is a challenging workout, and the reps begin to stack up quickly—you'll complete a total of 36 lateral lunges, 40 biceps curls and 42 Romanian deadlifts—so make sure you spend some time warming up before you press play on the video.
The workout also features a lot of compound exercises (moves that engage more than one muscle group and/or joints) and because you're working through the movements without rest, this workout will also get your heart rate up, improving your cardio fitness.
