The Shouth Shore Plaza is a place where you can take a "midday getaway," and window shop, have a bite to eat, relax and soak in the holiday sights and sounds. Amelia Kunhardt photo/The Patriot Ledger

South Shore Plaza, Braintree

WALK AROUND

If you’ve still got some shopping left in you, you’ve got plenty of stores to choose from. But there are other ways to enjoy this mall and others. Check out the cool gadgets at Brookstone, and make sure to relax those tight muscles in one of their massaging chairs. If you start to get strange looks because you’ve been sitting too long, feign interest in buying by asking the salesperson to explain how each massage mode works. 

CHECK IT OUT

For the ladies: With some planning, you can score a free makeover at one of the department store makeup counters. Schedule it ahead of time so you don’t have to wait. Not only will it give you a chance to freshen up your face in the mid dle of the day, you also might find some new products you like.

Sisters Danielle (left) and Amy Le eat sushi for lunch at the mall's food court. Amelia Kunhardt photo/The Patriot Ledger

QUICK BITES

There are plenty of options in the food court upstairs. But if you’d like to eat in a quieter place, head to Au Bon Pain, which is downstairs in its own separate section. Grab a coffee there, or head to Gloria Jean’s, where you can find some thing extra sweet.

RELAX

Plop down on one of the benches in the mall’s main corridor and let out a big “aaaaah.” The holiday crunch is over. What better time to enjoy the mall than after the holiday rush? Take some time to walk around and grab a bite to eat. Listen to the Christmas songs that you ignored when you were shopping on deadline before the holiday, and admire the decorations. Just avoid those return lines if you can. Take Eexit 6 near the intersection of Route 3 and Interstate 93. Park anywhere. Cost: $11.83 for a sandwich, water and a coffee. Time: 60 minutes.