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Original poster

Post-Christmas low

78 replies

coraka · 28/12/2021 03:18

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?

OP posts:
Largethighsbadeyes · 28/12/2021 19:32

I get the post Christmas blues every year.

It's got worse since my dad was diagnosed with cancer as every one feels like it could be the last.

I was very low yesterday but I'm feeling a bit better today.

Invasionofthegutsnatchers · 28/12/2021 19:55

I've been at the inlaws' today and just feel exhausted now. They are hard work. MiL has come off her medication which she really needs for her mental health. SiL has finally apologised after being a complete cow and blanking me for the last 2 months but I can't be doing with mending the rift. I just want to be on my own for a bit. DH and DCs are getting on my nerves too. I went for a long walk alone just now which was good

senorafridgidaire · 28/12/2021 20:04

I've been like this today. DH was back to work and I made the mistake of trying to do my finances / life admin and just ended up being pissed off and tearful about Real Life after spending the last week or so in a twinkly Baileys haze. I've overspent as usual, not massively but enough to be pissed off with myself about. And I have a ton of errands to do / problems to try and sort tomorrow before I go back to work myself. January is going to be bloody miserable.

MissyB1 · 28/12/2021 20:09

I’ve just arranged to meet a friend for a swim followed by coffee tomorrow, things like that definitely help.

Snowsaurus · 28/12/2021 20:23

@WorstXmasEver

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.

Sorry about your dog @WorstXmasEver
WouldBeGood · 28/12/2021 20:35

I’m feeling awful. Kids at their dad’s now, my consolation trip to France obviously off, and my substitute trio to Edinburgh Abd the races also off as I’m in Covid mental Scotland. Depressing beyond belief

FuckeryIsAfoot · 28/12/2021 20:35

In the same boat here. Up until this year I thought I liked Christmas day itself but have realised that's not it at all. I like the 4 to 8 weeks before Christmas. Baking, buying and wrapping presents, watching Christmas films and looking forward to the (usually) 3 to 5 weeks DH and I get together. Back to work on the 6th and another 11 months of waiting for the next long stretch of time off and the Christmas fun. A chunk of annual leave in summer or something would be wasted on us, as we absolutely hate summer and have spent the last few years absolutely miserable due to these heatwaves that will only get worse each year.

Lovemusic33 · 28/12/2021 20:39

Big crash here 😢
I love Christmas and the huge build up but they days after I feel tearful and lost. I am a single parent so I find it a bit lonely especially seeing photos on social media of couples and families enjoying time off together. I haven’t seen another adult for 5 days other than my dad (for a hour Christmas Day). Christmas Day was lovely just me and my dc but now it feels lonely. I’m looking forward to the dc going back to school and things returning to normal, I can rejoin the gym and shift this Christmas belly that’s been with me since last Christmas.

I think a part of it is having nothing planned or anything to look forward too, the last 2 months has been all about planning Christmas now there’s nothing. I usually book a holiday or something to look forward too but because of covid I’m holding off. Roll on spring and Easter.

Hibye23289 · 28/12/2021 20:42

Same it's so grey and wet and all the build up is over and watching films and being snuggly seems suddenly outdated and last weeks thing. I hate Januarys, me and dh nearly always split up coincidentally!

Hibye23289 · 28/12/2021 20:44

...and the house is a constant bomb site, does the washing up and rubbish bags ever end

sandybeaches74 · 28/12/2021 20:48

Glad someone has posted this as I tend to always get what I call 'Christmas sorrow' on Christmas Day evening. I'm also trying to stave it off by enjoying Christmas as a period until I go back to work on the 4th but I get it every year. It's caught up in lots of things, but mainly in the passing of time, memories of old and other equally mournful thoughts HmmHasn't helped this year as one of my friends Dads is probably having his last Christmas and that keeps dominating my thoughts too.

I'm trying to focus on being thankful and grateful for all the lovely memories we've made but it happens every year, it really is the strangest, saddest, most bittersweet feeling

CaddieDawg · 28/12/2021 21:01

It's been proven to really help your mental health by planning something for the future. An event/day out/holiday/big party etc. Doesn't need to actually happen to make it worth while, just the planning and thought process helps!

Xtraincome · 28/12/2021 21:12

Yes I've had this a bit but not as much as previous years. I decided to do nothing at all, even clean/laundry until today. DH is going to clean properly tomorrow while I take my DD aged 7 out just the 2 of us as DD aged 4 is poorly. It's given me a wee boost. We also have a puppy who will be ready for little walks Mid-january to beat the blues for us then too.

1967buglet · 28/12/2021 21:24

A bit sad Christmas day is over, but still enjoying the holiday. Off till the 4th January, with decorations not taken down until 3 January. Still eating my way through some leftovers and chocolates and reading Christmas books in front of the woodstove. Had a long walk yesterday, and was in the garden raking the last few leaves up and helping DH repair the pergola. Getting outside and active improved my mood immensely…always does.

Ordered plants to be delivered in spring for late spring/summer pots and sweet pea plants and seeds. Thinking about what I want to accomplish this year and our holiday in the summer. This all helps too.

I hope everyone feels better and does something nice for themselves to round out the year.

TheVampiresWife · 28/12/2021 21:35

Christmas has only just begun for us, so no flat low feeling here!

We have a festive meal every evening, film afternoons, walks to see the lights, and so on. We have a sort of second Christmas day on NYD, complete with a Christmas type dinner with all the trimmings and a couple of very small gifts each. 2nd January is New Year Boxing Day with a takeaway dinner. Decorations stay up until the Saturday after twelfth night, when we have a twelfth night party - just me, DH and DD, but there's lots of champagne, dancing and food.

We tend to come back down to earth the Monday after that - and that's the week we start to book things for the coming year, and fill the calendar with stuff to look forward to (covid permitting this year of course). By which time it's almost February and the evenings are getting lighter!

We think of Christmas as a season rather than a day or two. It doesn't have to be expensive and it really makes the dark days at the end/beginning of the year much less griefy.

lollipoprainbow · 28/12/2021 21:39

@Lovemusic33 I hear you! Single mum here too, felt a bit isolated last couple of days also find it hard seeing pictures of happy families on social media.

Lifeisnteasy · 28/12/2021 21:46

I must be the odd one out but I love January. It has a sort of fresh anticipation about it. Christmas decorations and the smell of cooking meat starts to feel stale after the day itself, so it’s a relief to put everything away, clean the house & feel like the world has turned another corner.

Iamblossom · 28/12/2021 21:52

I do feel flat after Christmas, but I have decided to think about everyone being in the same boat, and it just being normal life and think of all the good things.

Like some PPs I'm not back to work till the 4th. I am running or swimming everyday which is making me feel fabulous. I am leaving the dex up till this weekend when normally I would swoop them all down the day after Boxing Day. Just not in so much of a rush for it all to be over as I usually am.

I am reading Christmas Chronicles and there is a great paragraph in there where nigel slater talks about the days after Christmas being just as much Christmas itself as the days running up to Christmas and I thought that was a lovely way to look at it.

Newbabynewhouse · 28/12/2021 22:03

Yea i feel kinda the same..me and DP had a big row before Xmas and dexieed we will act normal and happy over xmas for the sake of family and nice vibes but now its alk over it's starting to hit me again

Octopus37 · 28/12/2021 22:17

TBH feel flat this year. I enjoy the build up, but tbh feel that this year (not in debt), but I've spent too much money, bought too much food. Getting through it to avoid waste has been weirdly stressful). I havent seen any other family again due to covid restrictions. Had to cancel a couple of plans with friends cause I have been in contact with someone who tested positive on Christmas Eve. Hoping I dont catch it, but worried about passing it onto someone else. Had delta in October, so haven't had my booster yet, having it on Thursday. Think we all need to be nice to ourselves. Have eaten too much today so pissed off with myself about that too. O well tomorrow's a new day.

WouldBeGood · 28/12/2021 22:18

@CaddieDawg

It's been proven to really help your mental health by planning something for the future. An event/day out/holiday/big party etc. Doesn't need to actually happen to make it worth while, just the planning and thought process helps!
I agree, but this incessant lockdown makes this impossible
wildthingsinthenight · 28/12/2021 22:19

I love Christmas and all the build up and am very low at NY. Hate New Years day.
My birthday is 3rd Jan so we have booked a cottage in Whitby from 1st to 4th which is helping. I know on 5th I will take a massive nosedive mentally though.
.

chillydownwiththefiregang · 28/12/2021 22:23

Another vote here for still feeling in the throws of Christmas. I love this time between Christmas and NY. I'm still enjoying all the Christmas TV, music and food. Back to reality with a bang next week when the DC go back to school and we all go back to work but right now I'm digging my head in the sand and enjoying the season.

CoolShoeshine · 28/12/2021 22:30

I feel so flat and lonely having spent lots of time with DH’s family this Christmas. It reminds me that I have little family of my own and I feel an outsider in his. I’ll be glad to go back to work and have some normality so that I stop wallowing.

RamblingOldWoman · 28/12/2021 22:41

I have hated this period between Christmas and NY. I just want it over with. DC to be back at school and Uni instead of vegging in front of screens. Eating crap. Fridge full of half eaten food. Christmas decs still up as DH won’t let me take them down!

The weather has been so miserable, wet and foggy so we haven’t done our usual long walks. We had some lovely dry. crisp, cold days just before Christmas, why couldn’t we have had those now HmmGrin.

I started a new job last month, albeit WFH and I’m itching to get back into it tomorrowShock. I have plenty to look forward to in the New Year, a holiday next week and will be very busy afterwards, but feel in limbo and quite low and depressed right now.