I’m aware this is privileged and pathetic but…

I remember coming back from a holiday feeling exactly like this, on a few occasions. Eventually I started trying to bring aspects of the holiday experience home and working on making day to day life better. It takes time - but as you pay attention to small changes, the effects add up.

I remember coming back from a massage at a spa to our bathroom that had plastic bath toys scattered everywhere, and a while later spotting a big hamper in a charity shop. I put all the plastic and child toiletries in the hamper, folded the towels and a while after put up a high shelf for a basket with my bits and pieces. Added a bath tray (with room for iPad and wine glass), bath pillow and a candle.

That’s just one example (I also changed jobs, and ditched a boyfriend on other occasions) but it’s just about finding ways to make ordinary life lovely

We try and do something one weekend a month - not necessarily expensive - to get out and feel alive, so that we’re not endlessly counting down to another big holiday.

What was it you enjoyed about Disney? What was the feeling?

@GoingOnHol Nothing compares! Ours had been rebooked so many times because of covid! We have a toddler and a baby so making the most of being able to go in term time. We managed to do horror nights at universal last time and it was so good! Well worth doing if you ever do get to go in October 😊

@Blackfluffycats snap! Ours was Easter 2022 so was manic post-COVID so we had a year off but we booked last summer for this summer because other holidays just don't cut it!
I'd love to go in Oct, I wish we had 2 weeks for half term 😁

That sounds amazing! We're going to LA next year and already started the planning 😁

So many of my people on here 😆

I agree that the only solution to this is to rebook even if it’s in a few years time! We last went in 2022 and said we weren’t going to go back until the kids were older…. And yet we seemed to have accidentally booked for this October 😂

We're going in the summer and pretty much counting the days until we go!

I know you said you can't afford Disney again but could you book a cheap holiday so you have something to look forward to? I think we always have at least one booked, the last couple of years we've booked the next before we've even been on the first. Especially if you can pay by direct debit/pay deposit only for so long/put it on an interest free credit card and pay monthly.

I basically only work to fund our holidays so I get you!

Well I think you hit the nail on the head. You had a taste of life you can't afford everyday combined with no work when you're away. No wonder you feel down.
Wouldn't you feel better with more regular holidays that just feel like a nice break but at your level of standard of living so that there's nothing to miss when you get back and not so long until the next one?

Same here! We only go for a week, by day 5 I’m desperate to come home to some home cooking, my own bed, my own things around me….

I get this sometimes too. The worst was after 2 weeks driving around California, completely free, so much healthy food, out in the sunshine and everyone was SO happy. And then you come home to grey skies, crap food and responsibilities.
It too me a couple of months to snap out of it. It actually felt like California was my home and I needed to get back home 😂

As a matter of interest, what is it that adults like about Disney? I genuinely don't know anything about it, other than it has things for kids.

The lifestyles of the rich, the famous and the beautiful have never been more shoved into our faces and with seemingly all drama's and even soap opera's having to be turbo charged and exaggerated versions of life, it can make the ordinary seem even more dreary and drudgy?

I really enjoy my job and am happily married but I feel the Sunday night / Monday morning blues, let alone post holiday blues!

I think it's that shift that you're not 'free' in the same way and that a lot of life is mundane. Now, I think there's a lot of joy and comfort in the mundane however on a Monday, when I'm reminiscing about my nice weekend and it's time to put the bins out and I'm not going out for dinner and I'm tired, the ennui is strong!

It does get better though and the better the holiday or weekend, the worse it can feel!

I’ve never had this. Holidays are nice but god I love coming home. In fact towards the end of the holiday, I can’t wait to get home.

I feel exactly the same. The day I left my holiday destination it was 31 degrees, arrived back to 13, grey and raining.

I felt so low that I was crying all day.

Things have improved somewhat, but still feel like things are a struggle.

What has helped me is to book something else. Even though it's a year away, the thought of it helps.

Also, I've booked a longer break. I don't think I gave myself long enough due to rushing back to my dog (who was fine in boarding) so next time I will have longer.

Taking up something new. I enjoyed swimming on holiday, so I am going swimming at the local pool regularly.

I'm also learning a language.

I hope you feel better soon. The weather doesn't help does it.

We start talking about the next one 😂

it wouldn’t be a holiday thread on mumsnet without some of this kind of silliness 😆

Boo hoo.

I love holidays and take quite a few. Ironically as I was reading your posts I was thinking that the only holidays that produce that response in me are Disney.
I think it is the bubble element and getting to act like a much more carefree child than I actually in reality ever was.
It does pass, although like another person I tend to book another trip, or mentally agree to one.

I don’t think it’s privileged or pathetic. Money doesn’t guarantee happiness all the time. You don’t need to feel guilt on top of everything else.

Give yourself an hour. Put socks & underwear in drawers. Put the rest in bags for life and shove them in a cupboard. If you put them all in allocated bags it’ll make it much easier to find stuff if you need it. Once it’s out of sight, you’ll feel a load better. Then start thinking about plans for the summer. You need things to look forward to. And I’m not talking about theme parks or expensive trips, but a day at the beach with family, or picnics in a nice park. Get your CV up to date in case anything interesting comes up.

We got back from Disney about 2 weeks ago and I feel like this too so I sympathise! I'm also unhappy in my job and am actively looking for a new one which is hard work. I think a PP is right, the crap weather really doesn't help - I'm sure I'd feel a lot better if we had some sun!

I'd say about a month really so hopefully it will pass soon. We like to watch videos and look at photos as a family to sort of re-live it.

I'm probably not the best person to advise as generally I only ever feel better when I've booked the next one, even if it's a deposit down for one in 2 or 3 years. I'm basically pricing flights and different ways of doing Disney most weeks to try to figure out when we can next get back!

Would it help at all to tell us about it? Admittedly I'm being nosy and would love to hear about it. Also, I'm planning to do a big--ish holiday next year and looking for ideas!