Post-Christmas low

[coraka]

The joy and anticipation has been carrying me through the past few months. Now it's all over I feel flat and low and tearful.

Anyone else feeling the same and any ideas for getting over this feeling?

Same.

We came to Thailand for Xmas. And I've spent the entire two weeks worrying but I'm sad about it coming to an end on Saturday too.

I need to be kind to ourselves. At least the days are going to be getting longer xx

Planning the next big thing helps.

I have been feeling the same. Particularly yesterday.

This morning I just dragged my fat unfit arse off the sofa and did Joe Wick's Boxing Day HIIT off his YouTube channel. Thank god it was only 20 minutes or I might have died. I didn't enjoy it but the difference in my mood is PHENOMENAL now. I feel re-set, more patient and chilled out.

Also planning the next thing - DS birthday coming up so looking at some potential gifts online.

It hasn't hit me yet, but I've suffered really badly with post Christmas blues (way into Jan) in the past. Having things to look forward to helps, having a nice treat every day, using Christmas gifts etc. but really I've just had to wait for it to go away.

I feel like this every year. My mood really takes a nosedive after NYE.

This year I’m lucky enough to be off til 5th Jan so I’m planning to make the most of the next few days of relaxing, getting through the Christmas chocolate and reading my new books.

I might also look at planning or booking a holiday so that we have something to look forward to next year.

Not a big crashing low, but a little dip. I think it's worse this year as I'd normally start booking holidays and concerts/theatre, but I this time feel like I want to get past whatever Sajid Javid's definition of "New Year" is first.

Yes get this but less so now I work from home much more, helps to have something nice planned in Jan if you can x

I'm still enjoying it. Chocolate for breakfast, feet up and reading. Will watch a film and play a game later. I'll feel shit next week but it's still Christmas.

After that it's looking for a new job and countdown to summer (at least I have a lovely close family wedding to look forward to). I like to have something to focus on.

I always get this and usually feel very sad Christmas night but this year was determined not to because I realised I was feeling sad about it being over and ruining it while it was actually still here!

I think what helped was trying to see Christmas as a period until maybe 2nd or 3rd January which is when we'll prob take the decorations down. I've booked to see some christmas lights on Thursday, a nice late lunch on Friday, tomorrow a day in London doing something Christmassy. I'm drinking Baileys coffee every morning and eating my way through chocolates and all the christmas food. Another thing that is helping me is weirdly thinking it'll only be another 8 months till I really start to think of Christmas properly again and that makes me happy, although not trying to wish my life away. Once March is here I enjoy the spring, Easter, the summer. Lots of enjoy and look forward to. Mind you, ask me on NYD or the 2nd and I might feel differently.

Christmas isn’t over until new year, for me. Still off work spending time with DC and DH.

Nope. I feel the need to blow away the cobwebs after a couple of days of “festive spirit”.

I actually struggle with Christmas, I get too stressed about whether people are having a good time. I find it harder every year to relax. I feel relieved it’s over - but dreading the rest of the winter! I hate winter!
Booking a summer holiday helps.

Same always feel flat during Christmas Day and the days after, weather shit too.

Me too, but mainly because I have Long Covid and the energy outlay of Christmas cooking and entertaining has knocked me flat. Every time I overdo it this happens and it is so soul destroying and frustrating.

I am trying to think of things to do that require little energy and might cheer me up. Am thinking bath with nice smellies, face mask, paint nails and play a funny board game with the kids. Would like to go for a walk, but it is beyond me today, as is most exercise generally. Might do chair yoga if I can manage it.

What other feel good suggestions can anyone think of?

Start reading a good book? I’ve just started one and have just bought some more (second hand) on a FB group.
Have a clear out ready for charity shops reopening?

Could you start planning something really nice for Easter with your family/friends? We have a 4 day Easter break coming up in April and then we're going to get an extra bank holiday for the queen's jubilee a few weeks later, so you could have an "Eastermas" if you wanted to! It might be warm enough to be outside by then.

Yeah I hate this time of year. More so since we had to put our dog to sleep last week.

New year's eve with the "next year is our year" rubbish has let us down for years now so won't be doing that.

I suppose I'm looking forward to better weather & that's it really.

I've booked Mary poppins and an overnight stay in London for the feb half term for me and my dd9! Something to look forward to.

@lollipoprainbow, I'm so glad it's not just me that feels this way. I get quite excited about Christmas and then after the kids have opened their presents it's just rubbish and I feel so shit! It's especially bad this year as I live for socialising and nearly everyone I know has covid. I've come to the conclusion that my expectations are too high and despite me having M.E. and limited energy, I always need to be doing something. Thankyou for this thread. I feel slightly less unhinged and am going to book something to look forward to.

This is the problem with Christmas festivities starting so early now. People have decorations up in November and by the time you get to Christmas, you are so fed up with all the clutter and rubbish, you can't wait to get rid of it all. Roll on 1st January for a proper clean up and rubbish removal!

I always feel a bit crappy after Christmas till around March time, I detest February! I usually book and plan holidays to cheer myself up but I have had three cancelled so I’m not risking It again!

Thanks for starting this thread OP. I feel exactly the same. Nothing useful to add, as my usual coping strategy is to book theatre tickets and mini breaks but I just don’t know how things are going to go, pandemic-wise so it’s making me hesitant.

for everyone feeling the gloom. Enjoying reading the suggestions on how to manage it though!

I love this bit of Christmas. I’ve enjoyed looking through our gifts again and organising things. Also I love playing with the childrens new toys.

I really struggle in January though, so I’ve started ordering myself a non Christmas candle and a new book to look forward to once it’s all over.

It's not over in our house until after new year for us. I also have a few new items for our lounge I'm saving till after the decorations come down, it gives me something to look forward to instead of dreading it coming down. This year I've treat myself to a nice candle and a large indoor tree (coming òn the 3rd) and a nice large planter on metal legs to put it in may even wrap some line wire lights up its trunk too. I change the cushion covers around too, feather filled cushions and I keep the neuterals/textured ones till January, same in the bedroom, keeps it fresh but cosy. I'm quite looking forward to it.

I bought a m and s beauty calendar - for January. It really helped a couple of years ago to have something nice to open every day in the grimmest of months. I have had SAD for years but particularly awful since covid. I do find removing all the decs, cleaning the house and getting the kids back to school helps to cleanse some of the bad feelings