For some that will mean energetic pursuits, but for others it might be as simple as enjoying a short bush or beach walk or even just being more aware of our surroundings.
As we ease into the new year and the pace of life has yet to ramp up there can be time to gently stand and stare, whether it is a bumble bee in the garden or the brilliance of rata and pohutakawa in bloom further afield.
But with the silly season comes silly behaviour and worse around our beaches, often with a callous disregard for wildlife.
Recently we have read of the heartbreaking raiding of all of the endangered dotterel nesting sites along Waihi Beach shortly before the eggs were due to hatch, and young people mucking around with an air rifle on a Golden Bay Beach shooting a variable oystercatcher/tōrea pango, a bird whose conservation status is recovering.
There have also been reports of swimmers and others responding to illegal fishing in New Zealand’s oldest marine reserve around Goat Island north of Auckland.
In one incident, one of the swimmers climbed aboard a vessel and confronted those fishing, throwing out the fish caught, along with a chilly bin.
While in hindsight we might cheer on such behaviour, it could have ended badly, and it is not action police or the Department of Conservation would recommend.
It does, however, highlight the understandable frustration felt by people when they see others behaving contrary to the laws which affect our wildlife.
Closer to home, there have been concerning reports of hoonish behaviour with utes and trailbikes at Tautuku Beach in the Catlins a week ago which involved taunting a large male sea lion/pakake and aggression towards seagulls.
A sea lion has since been found dead at the beach, but although it appeared to have injuries, a cause of its death has yet to be established.
Some fear stress may have played a part in its demise.
This incident comes months after news of the shooting of a female sea lion and her pup in the Catlins estuary.
In December, the Dunedin City Council reported sea lion warning signs had been taken.
Those who observed the recent harassment of the sea lion in the Catlins have called for better policing of southern beaches.
The Clutha District Council introduced its bylaw for vehicles on beaches two years ago.
The lead-up to its adoption was controversial, with the council eventually pulling back from plans to ban all vehicles from eight beaches, which would have included Tautuku.
Instead, it opted for a bylaw with three main rules — driving in a way that does not threaten the safety of people, plants or native animals, no vehicles on sand dunes except for beach access, and no driving above the high-water mark, except in emergencies.
It did, however, reserve the right to introduce prohibited areas, known as safe zones, by council resolution following "appropriate monitoring and consultation".
The council says monitoring may include the effectiveness of the existing bylaw provisions and the impacts of vehicles on human safety, wildlife and ecosystems.
The bylaw is supposed to be enforced by "council compliance officers and rangers who patrol our beaches and can issue infringement notices".
The council website says police also enforce the law, and any bylaw rules.
Perhaps it is time to examine whether the enforcement of the bylaw is adequate and, if necessary, to revisit the issue of safe zones, however challenging that might be.
At the same time, given the area of coastline involved, it is easy to understand how difficult the logistics of extensive regular enforcement might be.
In the meantime, those who observe poor behaviour towards wildlife should not look the other way but gather any relevant information and report their concerns to the Department of Conservation or the police as soon as they feel safe to do so.
