Festival of Sleep Day: Celebrating Rest, Blankets, and the Comforts of Life

Did you know that today, January 3rd, is Festival of Sleep Day?

This much-needed unofficial holiday serves as a reminder to prioritize rest in our busy lives. Originally created to help people recover from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it encourages us to slow down, snuggle up, and recharge. Whether it’s catching up on lost sleep, indulging in a cozy nap, or simply relaxing with your favorite blanket and a good book, today is all about embracing the comfort and restorative power of rest.

I spent a good portion of a couple of decades focusing on getting my kids (sorry, I meant children—my mom always harped on us that kids were goats, not children) to sleep, while at the same time trying to find as many hours in my day or night to get things accomplished.

Pro tip: I learned when they were little that washing your feet gives you a burst of energy. Every night when they had their bedtime bath, I’d stick my feet in and wash them so I had the energy to stay up long after they were snoozing. If you’re an adult, you know this is no exaggeration—I want to cash in now on all those naps I missed as a kid.

Blankets…So Many Blankets

As infants, I sewed a ridiculous number of oversized receiving blankets.

My middle son hated to be held but never wanted to be put down—you feel my pain? He was born at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, which my kids still refer to as “the pink hospital.” I had a very young soldier assigned to take care of us, and when I tell you he hog-tied my child, that’s no exaggeration. The only explanation was that he grew up on a farm and knew how to tame the wild. He tied each limb into a corner of a blanket and wrapped him up like a big sausage.

I never mastered that skill, but those oversized receiving blankets became swaddles, burp cloths, and security blankets. When my last child outgrew them, I cut them up into a quilt to remember all those sleepless nights.

As toddlers, during a move, I made tiny quilts just their size so no matter where they went, they had a piece of home to carry with them. Of course, each one had their favorite character on them. The one obsessed with little figurines even had a tiny pocket sewn into his quilt so he could tuck his miniature Steve from Blue’s Clues in with him.

For one daughter, I made my favorite quilt pattern: hugs and kisses. Unless it’s pointed out, you can’t see the subtle message of the X’s and O’s. I was on track to finish her room with freshly painted furniture, homemade curtains, crib bumper pads, and a crib-sized quilt complete with prairie points (this is when I learned why my mom always delegated folding those to us as kids).

When she started to arrive early and I had to stay in the hospital, I dragged that quilt along with me and hand-quilted it with IVs in both hands.

Preschool and Nap-Time Troubles

When it came time for preschool, the thought of nap time made my youngest so anxious. It was going to be a deal breaker for her. Not going to lie—she was going to go and love it because it was the first time all five kids were in school, and I was ready for a few kid-free hours a day.

The night before school started, I stayed up and made her a rag quilt just for school. It eventually worked, but I spent a few weeks going to her class and laying next to her cot on the floor during nap time.

This same child used to talk about the ghost in our house all the time. If it had been an old house, I’d get it, but this was new construction. Finally, I asked her to describe the ghost:

“Oh, you know, the ghost that does the dishes, cleans the house, and sewed my blanket for school.”

I guess when you lay down to read a story and they fall asleep, they assume you’re there sleeping all night with them.

Blankets for Every Stage of Life

As they grew and started dealing with anxiety, I researched the proper size and weight to get the benefits of a weighted blanket. Did we ever really give blankets enough credit?

When my oldest bought an old farmhouse, I crocheted a farmhouse blanket and started piecing together a matching quilt. Yes, I said started—I’ll finish it one day.

I have so many memories as a child of playing under the quilt frames my dad built for my mom while she and a group of ladies from church worked feverishly to finish the latest quilt for a homecoming or fundraiser.

Honestly, until writing this, I didn’t realize the significance blankets have played in my life. And is there anything better than a throw blanket? I, for one, have to have some type of cover to sleep, and if I get too hot, I just pop one foot out to regulate the heat. You know you do it, too!

I’ve repaired an heirloom blanket for a friend a couple of times. She literally calls it her magic blanket because it can put her to sleep instantly, no matter how stressful life gets.

The Ghost Gets All the Credit

The biggest thing I should point out? I never got an award for all those sleepless nights trying to get things done. And if you remember, the ghost got all the credit anyway.

Now that my kids are older, there’s no guilt in taking a nap. I wish I’d followed the rule when they were babies to sleep when your babies sleep. I was 45 years old before I made myself my first crocheted blanket, and there’s nothing better to sleep with.

The Comfort of a Blanket

Sleep in. Take a nap. Snuggle up to someone—or just with a good book. Your body and mind need to recharge and heal from all you do for those you love. Why have we been trained to feel shame when we rest as adults?

Remember: a blanket is always a great gift. What better thing for those you care about to find comfort in than a blanket you’ve made for them? Receiving blankets, quilts, crocheted blankets, weighted blankets—there are so many possibilities and it’s a great way to learn a new skill if you’re new to sewing or crocheting.

Supplies can get expensive, but it’s definitely a great investment. Funds limited? I’ve cut up old clothes or jeans as fabric squares, used an old sheet as backing fabric. An older lady even once told me to go to a thrift store and grab an old blanket to use in the middle of your quilt instead of buying batting. Can’t afford yarn? You can make it from a T-shirt.

We’ll be sharing lots of tips on how to repurpose materials and make them into something beautiful and functional.

Grab your favorite blanket and get the rest you need.

Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite… and if they do, hit them with a shoe!