To hate Christmas but

[Focusfocusfocusfolks]

To love the thought of longer days coming? It's actually the only way I can get over Xmas.

I've always suffered from SAD, and the past few years from year-round depression, mostly well managed via medication. But I had a fairly miserable childhood and Xmas was the worst time in my house for rows and violence. Somehow the way I felt (as a child) every December feels like it's baked into me! I anticipate a miserable time, even though logically I know my lovely DH and adult DC will make it a perfectly nice time.

But this year I've focused on the thought of having a tiny bit more light each evening. By New Year's day we'll have 10 more minutes of light. By end of January it'll be approx an hour of extra daylight. Bring it on!

Great attitude! You are so right, it gets lighter every day now and the slide into darkness is over for another year.

I always love getting to the shortest day. Knowing the days will start getting longer helps me get through winter.

Mind you, I've lived in the far north of the UK for most of my life, so the days are very, very short at this time of year...

That’s a great way to look at it!
Im going to adopt it myself as I find January really hard to get through, I can cope up til Christmas because the lights are pretty and cheers up the darkness, but once they start to come down I struggle. So extra day light is gonna be my helper! Thanks @Focusfocusfocusfolks!

I hear you OP, those minutes of light are precious, I have SADS too and detest winter, feel like I live underground and never see daylight, some people dread January, I welcome it because shortest day is behind us, in Oct/Nov feel like I’m hurtling into a tunnnel

Yes hurtling into a tunnel is exactly how I feel too! And the lights coming down is a downer too, though last year a lot of people around me left theirs up til midway through Jan. My DP however would take them down 2 days after Xmas if I agreed. We take them down on New Year's day, I quite like clearing everything away and having a good tidy up.

Far north of the UK does sound a wee bit bleak if you don't mind me saying so @Mummieslncorporated . Have you seen the weather in North America today, it's pretty savage? I suppose we should be thankful for small mercies!

I don't mind at all! But in the summer, when the days go on forever it's magical. And during the shortest days we sometimes get to see the northern lights, so there's that.. it's not all bad.

But I'm always very happy to see the days getting longer again. And yes, the weather in some areas of the us is terrifying. The recent problems with the weather in Shetland pale in comparison, really.