How do you get through the -ary months?

[Lelophants]

I know we’re all into the hype of Christmas right now but once that’s done it can feel exhausting and soooo gloomy. What do you do to get through those months? Starting a new gym membership doesnt do it for me lol. I have a friend’s birthday end of Jan so try to arrange something fun with her but apart from that?

@Christmasishere2025 , someone suggested a vitamin D supplement to me. Another suggestion was to go outside for some exercise (a walk will do).
I'm finding this year hard, but I've barely left the house.

Honestly just enjoy the freedom.
The shops, the beach, the parks, the nights out - will never be quieter. Don’t do gym or running which people join in large numbers .

I love them both - but that's because it's summer here ☀ Sorry OP, that's no help to you.

I've got 12 days off booked in January and 12 days in February - I survive them both by doing that! Taking the time off work, relaxing, getting out and about in nature and just shaking off all the Christmas chaos.

Intermittent fasting has lifted my mood no end.

I've had to accept that it's a time of year that I find difficult and try to look after myself. I keep doing roasts and hearty dinners through the season. I make fun plans where I can and don't expect too much.

The one thing I have learned to appreciate with kids is that it's a quiet and calm term.

Redecorating.
Plenty of exercise
Evenings in front of the log burner
Warm clothes
Vit d supplements
Plenty of home made soups

I really lean into them. I used to absolutely hate January and February until I realised it's no use spending 1/6th of the year feeling miserable. They come along every year so it was a matter of changing my mindset.

Unfortunately I can't remember the book but I read something about what nature is doing in winter. Everything looks dead but really it is in a state of hibernation, slowing down and preparing for the year ahead. Humans are no different so I lean into the slowing down and planning aspect and view it as two months of self care.

What helps are walks outside, long baths, finding really good books to read and focusing on nutrition and healthy food. Going to bed early with zero guilt and enjoying quieter months with less stress and running around. Planning out the year ahead, booking our summer holiday and getting dates in the diary so we have things to look forward to. Generally viewing those months as a fresh start and a chance to focus on my own wellbeing.

I love January it's such a relief when Christmas is over. I love being able to do what I want without expectations. Also places being quieter.
February is nice too, but goes too fast.

I do what MN absolutely hates - hibernate at home with blankets, fairy lights and good coffee and do as little as possible. I used to feel so depressed over winter but I’ve now learnt to kind of lean into it and just go with the flow - and I feel so much better.

I love January and February. The fresh start after the excesses of December, daffodils for sale in the shops and signs of spring in the garden.

No month fills me with gloom.

I was reading this yesterday. Not everything resonated with me but some things did, like no. 3. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/dec/17/beat-winter-blues-advice-socialising-sad-lamps-celebrating-new-year-april

Another January February lover here - I hate this time of year with everything getting darker and uncomfortably busy with Christmas prep. January and February may be grey and cold but it’s definitely the start of Spring - it’s not long after Christmas that snowdrops come out, then crocus and daffodils. I always go away with some friends for a weekend in January, and February half term can have some nice sunny days as well.

I enjoy being cosy at home, and I watch out for signs of spring when I’m walking the dog.

live in north west and Jan and feb can be long, damp, wet and pretty miserable.

Plant lots of bulbs at the end of the year so I can literally see green shoots in the garden and tubs. Planned the garden to have shrubs that flower then or bring some colour from stems/berries or evergreen leaves.

DH has a conference most years in January or Feb in California or Caribbean….so we get a free warm holiday….or just have to pay for extra nights. Getting away makes a huge difference.

we make an effort to eat well.

also just booked a weekend in London as there is at least stuff to do inside if it’s raining.

if the weather is nice we get out, and if it isn’t we do anyways as have a dog.

This may be too late to be helpful, but around Black Friday and Christmas you can usually buy gift cards for nice restaurants at a discount. It’s great to get ready knowing you’re off to have a meal somewhere good, cosy or fancy in an otherwise blah time.
If you don’t have a gift card, a lot of places (used to?) do offers anyway in January eg set menus or 50% off, though I don’t know if that’s still as widespread given everything’s gone up.

Set yourself a challenge and make yourself a visual tracker to feel the satisfaction of getting it done - a colour-in tracker chart, or a jar that you fill with marbles, etc. Could be ‘Clear one item from house a day’ or ‘Watch the top 10 horror films of all time’ (make it a movie night at your house), etc.

If you have a garden or a bit of space for some pots, gardening, planning what you’ll have in spring, buying seeds and so on is always uplifting.

P.S. Nice to see many others also don’t mind (or even enjoy) the start of the year! I try not to be annoying to the people who suffer in these months, have to restrain myself from cheerily blaring “But daylight is increasing!” because I’m aware it doesn’t bloody feel like it haha

Winter is my least favourite season. In the past, I've booked 3-4 week holidays somewhere warm for a massive vitamin d hit.

Unfortunately, I don't have the budget this year so have made a list of fun things to do per month. It's lovely to have something to look forward to.

January is a great time to reflect and reset.

I keep a close watch in the garden, so watch and feed the birds, especially in the colder months.
I also look out for spring bulbs coming up- we've got snowdrops planted, but some of my daffodils are also on their way. The earliest blooming daff was 20th January a few years ago. Nice reminders that the better weather is on its way.
Work is usually a bit of a slog when it's cold and wet. I'm a TA and on playground duty break and lunches, it does get you outside for fresh air though. And the plus is you're never too far from a week or two off working in a school.

I used to hate January but a few years ago I started booking 2.5 weeks annual leave and spending it in a warmer, sunnier climate, usually in different areas of Thailand. I don't take any extra time off over Christmas though but don't mind as I know I'll soon be escaping the dark, wintery days. I don't mind February as I've just had a good blast of bright, sunny days and the first signs of spring are starting to appear.

Appreciate this is nigh on impossible to do if you have school age children though.

Last January we went to the Caribbean on holiday and it was amazing to have two weeks of heat and sunshine in Winter.

We loved it so much that we didn't have a holiday in the summer but instead have booked to go to Barbados in January. It might become a yearly event, especially as it's cheaper than 2 weeks in Greece in June which is what we often do. Our DC are grown up though.

Frankly and honestly, I get through them revelling in the fact that I am at least ten months away from Christmas.

I am sure if we had BST all year round it would be easier for everyone to have lighter afternoons and by the end of January, daylight to 5pm or later.

I think post-Christmas is a brilliant time for a project, because there's nothing much else to distract you.

Decorate a room, clear the garage, make a craft thing, learn a language, trial new recipes - whatever sort of thing you want to achieve.

Sugar, exercise, books, cannabis (licensed user before anyone starts), telly, drawing, animals.

January 30 day yoga challenge and 5k every day in Feb (it's the shortest month!). I like ticking off the days and getting up early to do them means I notice the slowly increasing daylight as sunrise gets a few mins earlier each day.