Hello all! In case you missed my last post, there’s good news and bad news; the bad news is my son and I had Covid over Christmas, but the good news is I’m enjoying a lovely vacation at home this week. We’re both feeling much better, but sound terrible because we’re coughing a lot. I’m following the CDC guidelines and staying home for seven days, which means I won’t go back to work until Friday!
Let’s return to Christmas for a moment. I got some amazing presents:
The foot spa (YES!), a recipe binder, two books- Rosamunde Pilcher’s Winter Solstice and Jessie Itzler’s Living With a Seal, sweatpants and cozy socks from my daughter (ah, she knows me well), “Run More, Worry Less” tank top which I love and want to wear every single day (I’m wearing it right now), a portable tripod for my phone, and then at the bottom is my little stocking with some stocking stuffers- a sugar-free chocolate bar and some Starbucks Earl Grey tea bags, my favorite! Santa must have known I wouldn’t be able to go out to Starbucks for a week so he made sure I would still have my favorite tea.
Somehow there were two other presents that didn’t make it into the picture- new running shorts from Athleta, and another book, I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh. I wasn’t in my finest form on Christmas Day, and we didn’t even remember to take a picture of the tree until most of the presents were opened. I did get a picture of Muffin with her presents though:
My son loves to give gifts that somehow involve self-improvement on the part of the recipient. His present was the recipe binder, which was billed as “the best gift you never knew you wanted.” The idea (or, his idea for me) is to have all my recipes in one place instead of rifling through various cookbooks, or scrolling through the internet. I’ve started this project, since I have the time:
My sister will especially appreciate this gift because I will no longer be badgering her at every holiday, “Do you remember which recipe we used for rolls last year?” or “Can you send me the recipe for peanut butter balls again?” Good quarantine project.
We’re also watching all the Harry Potter movies, and I’m reading the Rosamunde Pilcher book. So life is good. Except….
At this time of year I’m always fighting off post-Christmas depression. I just love everything about Christmas so much- the lights, decorations, the excitement of buying gifts, mysterious packages from Amazon arriving at the door, the cookies, the anticipation… when it’s over, everything just feels so blah. It’s always been hard for me, ever since I was a kid.
I’ve tried everything- taking down the tree and decorations right away, leaving them up until January 6th (it’s bad luck to leave them up after epiphany!), planning a fun New Year’s celebration- and nothing works. I think the only way to prevent it would be to not care as much about Christmas in the first place. My husband likes Christmas, but he doesn’t LOVE it, and when it’s over he’s ready to move on to the next thing.
So I just have to remind myself that post-Christmas depression is the price to pay for the amount of joy I get from the season. It will come again! My sister reminded me that before we know it, it will be July 4th and after that we’ll start to see Halloween things around. (Yep, we’re pretty nutty!) In the meantime I have to get through this low phase. I always do.
I’m off to read my book! I would love to hear how other people deal with the end of the holidays. Do you get sad? Or are you excited to move on to the next thing? I’ll be happy to hear any suggestions!
20 Responses
What great gifts. You just have been very good this year.
My hubby doesn’t care about the holidays. It’s sad putting all the decorations away. The house looks so empty.
Enjoy your stay cation. Too bad it’s because of Covid.
Ha ha, either I was good or Santa just felt very sorry for me! I have to admit I am enjoying my staycation. Things were so busy leading up to it, it felt weird to come to such an abrupt halt, but now I’ve settled into it.
Oooh I am so excited for you to read I Let You Go. The Navy Seal book has been on my TBR forever.
Ha, it’s funny because I’m almost sorry I started the other book first (although I am enjoying it.). I Let You Go is sitting there, waiting for me!
You finally got your new foot spa! I know you will use it often. Glad to see you all are feeling better and almost out of quarantine. Hope you had a fun Christmas together anyway and happy new year
Thank you Deborah! I’ll definitely report back on the foot spa. Happy New Year to you as well!
Oh I REALLY struggle with post-Christmas blues. I don’t want to take down the tree and move back into “real” life…but I also find it a sad reminder that we have a long, cold winter ahead and so long until the next Christmas. I definitely like the build-up to Christmas more than Christmas itself.
I don’t have any magic solution, but just pressing through it and trying to let myself feel festive cheer between Christmas and New Years, but still watching Hallmark movies, going out to see Christmas light displays, and arranging some coffee dates/friends for snacks and dessert (as restrictions allow – obviously a lot harder now with COVID).
Sorry COVID put a damper on the holiday, but glad you can find some silver linings and that everyone is improving and you all got to be together.
Yes- my post Christmas depression started when I lived up north, and I’m sure a big part of it was the cold, dark winter ahead. I really feel for you! I have to keep reminding myself that it could be so much worse- we’re going into our most beautiful time of year (which we paid our dues for, all summer.)
I’m in that state of limbo now where I almost wish the tree were down and everything put away- because it’s going to be so much work (and not fun work, like it was putting everything up.) But I can’t bear to part with it quite yet.
Your son’s gift is very thoughtful, Jenny! Just as well you have the time to do this project.
As a student, I used to work at the airport here in Zurich. At the beginning of January, when all the family time was over, I used to envy all those people who flew to exotic places for vacation. I thought that this was a great idea to overcome the blues. I swore to myself that I would do the same one day!
Enjoy the quarantine!
Thanks Catrina! Yes, going on an exotic vacation probably would be a good way to get over the blues. I remember we did take a trip after Christmas one year and it did help.
Glad to read you are feeling better and you received beautiful gifts.
I love the quote on the t-shirt: so true!
At the end of the holidays I don’t feel sad but I’m sorry because there are not anymore all those magic lights on the streets.
Okay, I’m going to try and follow your example. I’ll miss the lights and decorations, but not let it get me too sad.
I’m sorry you’re feeling post-Christmas blah 🙁 That sucks. Your gifts are lovely and that recipe binder is actually a really great idea!
Yes, I agree. When I first opened it it looked like a lot of work, but I’m just putting recipes in little by little- when I have all my favorites in there, it’ll be really useful!
I usually am ready to move on with the promise of a new year! Plus, our tree is in the corner where my puzzle table goes, so once it’s put away I can work on one of my new puzzles.
I have a photo album I use for recipes, but I don’t print out the ones I find on the web. It took me ages to find the right pie crust recipe after I lost my bookmarks with a new computer!
I do love that tank!
Yes, I lost all my old bookmarks when I got this computer and still haven’t retrieved all my old recipes. If I can get this binder going, that won’t happen again!
You got such great gifts this year! That foot spa looks amaaaaazing. I hope it brings you a lot of great relief!
I feel the post-Christmas blues, too. I’m grateful we’re not going through a season of really cold, dark days here in Florida, but it’s still so blah to go back to work and routines and no more magical Christmas lights and traditions. I need to figure out a way to make January-February more fun!
I feel the same way! We’re lucky we have warm sunny weather, but there’s still something so blah about these months.
You got some wonderful gifts and that reminds me, I have to update my recipe binder… I’ve been hoarding a lot of new recipes “online”, but it’s better to print them and have them in my binder.
I feel you on the post-Christmas depression… I also enjoy the Christmas season very much and am always sad to pack everything up (my tree is still up as of today!)
Yes, put those online recipes in a binder! You never know when the internet will go out, or you’ll lose an online recipe for a different reason- it’s happened to me. My binder is still a work in progress though!