The Blah Days after Holidays

Whenever I read about depression after the Holidays or after holiday blues, I get it. Why doesn't the memories of great times spent with loved ones, or parties, or festive decorations prolong our feelings of happiness? First, I think many don't even experience the holidays with feelings of happiness in the first place. These people take on the role, and go along.

The feeling of happy during the holidays ended with the death of a loved one. It may have waned with the adulthood of your children. Finance struggles, relationship disputes and other life experiences shift the mood of the holidays for many.

We attempt to adopt the jubilation of the season and go along to get along and then, it is over. Depression overwhelms and there is no correlation that the holidays didn't mask real life that was still streaming through all the Merry Christmas and Happy New Year proclamations.

Second, I believe there are people who put everything into the holidays with great expectations and those expectations fall short, or end too quickly. Their expectations may be as simple as loving the lights, trees, music, smells and when it is over there is a real emotional let down. That let down infiltrates the soul and the sadness rolls over like a wave.

I am sure there are more reasons why the after-holiday affect is depression for so many. The reality is these emotions are real for those experiencing them, but they do not have to take over. I will admit I deal with these same feelings and my choices are the same as yours.

What don't I do? I don't take the time to luxuriate over the sadness.

What do I do? I acknowledge that this is real, and this, too, will pass. I can help these feelings pass or I can cause them to become pervasive and dangerous.

Which one seems more reasonable? Well duh, I help these feeling pass.

First, Giving thanks - I thank God for all He blessed me with, not my expectations. I thank Him for the relationships that are in tact. I renew the commitment of my life to his purpose in sending His Son. I thank Him for old friends and new relationships. There are so many things to give thanks for, when we stop the self-pity.

Second, Commitment to His Word - This doesn't mean you haven't been in it. It means you remember the gift of His Word and how it revealed from Genesis - Malachi the expectation of His Son. I remind myself Christmas was purposed for the ordinary not the extraordinary. I use that to live the gift of The Son everyday. December 26th doesn't end that gift. It just means I plan to take the tree down, but I never put the Son away. When I am putting away decorations or shutting off the music, the joy of Christmas , the real Christmas is so deeply entrenched in my heart. The depression connected with the material part of the holiday ebbs as the Spirit of God fills me with the bigger joy of Jesus. That happens in connecdtion with being in His Word.

Third, I get rest. I get prepared for normal to flood back in. Here is a caveat, if you live where the weather is dismal know that plays a part in the downcast feelings. Eating right, drinking lots of water, and finding moments to celebrate life are pivotal. I don't major in the disappointments, or complaining.

Before you know it, Spring will come and shortly after, we will all be thinking about Christmas in July.