Dealing with the “the holidays are over” letdown
I am a little late in writing about this topic, right? Well, Steven’s family visited over Christmas, but we didn’t celebrate the holiday with my family until last weekend. And boy, we packed in A LOT of activities:
- Friday: yoga with Steven, lunch with my dad’s mom and Steven, movie (Avatar in 3D) with mom, dad, sister, aunt and Steven in evening
- Saturday: 8 mile run, lunch/sledding/dinner with friends, games (Jenga and Apples to Apples) with mom, dad, sister, aunt and Steven in evening
- Sunday: brunch with entire family followed by opening gifts, snowshoeing, indoor rock climbing and racquetball, and a movie (The Hangover) afterward with mom, sister and bf, aunt and Steven (went to bed at 3:00 am)
- Monday: yoga with aunt and Steven, lunch with my mom’s mom (and mom, dad, sister and bf, + Steven), games (Cranium Triple Triumph) and dinner (with entire family) at my dad’s parents, more games (Apples to Apples) with sister and bf, aunt and Steven in evening
- Tuesday: visit with uncle, aunt and kids, lunch with mom and Steven then the long drive back…
So it’s no wonder I feel a bit letdown coming home. We were doing so much and having so much fun… then it’s back to the grind. Back to the “same old, same old.” There’s just some magic feeling to being on holiday that you can’t really capture after it’s over. You feel a bit down when it’s all done. You miss your loved ones. You miss being goofy. You miss completely relaxing and being yourself.
Do you ever feel this way after the holidays? How do you deal with it?
And did anyone else feel extremely spoiled this holiday season?
By the time Sunday rolled around, I had forgotten that we were there for a holiday celebration and that we had presents to open. My family completely spoiled me and Steven. I received a lot of things I asked for – a laundry sorter*, The Kind Diet, calendars, pyrex containers, a bird feeder, and more – and a lot of fun surprises, like an umbrella with kittens on it!
Oh yes. You will see me with this on the streets of Chicago. Grandma, I love you!
Our car was pretty packed driving home. I felt bad, receiving so many nice gifts. I don’t feel like I don’t deserve them, and I don’t feel like I won’t use them, and I don’t feel like they are “too much.” I just feel… guilty that I am so blessed? I guess? Jeez, who am I turning in to?!
*My older brother drew my name this Christmas, and he was the one who gave me the laundry sorter. I think he was apprehensive about getting me one, but it’s been on my wishlist since Steven and I got married over two years ago! I was super excited to receive it and put it together as soon as I got home.
Themocracy
I totally get what you mean about feeling sort of guilty for being so blessed. Sometimes I look around at my life and say “what did I do to deserve this?” That thought especially hits me when I am surrounded by family or friends and feel so loved and happy.
I’m happy you had such a great time!
I felt spoiled after Xmas too. I got a vita-mix among other things and felt like a kitchen diva.
I think it’s kind of good that the holidays are more exciting than other days. That’s what makes them special, right??
welllll… i WAS over it until now!!!! hehehehehe. jk. sounds like so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love apples to apples, too! did you like avatar and the hangover? funny i watched both of those for the first time over this past holiday season, as well 🙂
glad you got your laundry sorter! i’m totally intrigued by what that is!
I liked Avatar! I thought it was a fun story. I thought The Hangover was so so and not as funny as everyone said.
Here is the laundry sorter my bro got me. Isn’t it SCHWEET?!
For me, I try not to get overly excitd by the holidays. However, since I live away from my fam there is not too much excitement. We go to my in-laws house and it is all about the nieces so I focus my energy on them.
I also schedule some downtime with just myself, the pets and bad movies.
I never felt the post-holidays blues. Maybe that’s because the holidays for us Jews feels different. We don’t start decorating and listening to festive music the day after Thanksgiving. We don’t decorate our homes and lawns. We don’t have insane gatherings throughout the holiday season. We don’t go through the ritual of taking down the tree.
And even though I was raised in a largely Christian world (we celebrated Christmas with friends my entire life), at the end of the day, when I went home, it was home. Just like every other day of the year. So, when the holidays are over, I don’t really miss the stuff I never had in the first place.
That said, I always feel like I need a vacation from my vacations. Like you, I try to do a lot, see a lot of people, visit interesting places … and I often come home more exhausted than when I left.
I felt very spoiled at Christmas. I have had that feeling you’re talking about. I also frequently have the post-trip blues. It takes me a day or two to adjust to real life again.
I’m so glad you had such a good trip!! I love the umbrella. Your grandma is awesome. 🙂
What an amazing long weekend! Christmas isn’t too big in our household mainly because my grandparents live right next to my parents and the entire family is max. 15 minutes by car away. So we only have a dinner. Didn’t get too many presents but that’s okay with me. We’re not a huge “presents family”. 🙂
What do they say again? “All good things come to an end”? 😉 Good to hear you got spoiled though! Every once in a while that’s really really nice, hehe.
What is a laundry sorter? Look at how much fun you had in one weekend! That’s amazing! 😀 And fantastic!
I always always feel let down. Christmas and our anniversary are the two times a year that we take extended vacation for. I get all that time to chill with Scott and do whatever, that when it’s over I’m totally bummed out to be going back to only being able to really hang with him on the weekends. Boo.
A laundry sorter is a little set-up that holds seperate bags to sort your clothes in to when you take them off. This is the one my bro got me – the photo should explain it! It has three bags and an ironing board on top (the top flips up). I throw my clothes in there so when I go to wash them I can just dump the bag into the wash rather than sorting the clothes.
I wonder if we took time off more sporadically, it would be easier to get back into the swing of things!
I always feel that way when I’ve been having fun for a few days. In fact, I tend to get grumpy and irritable towards the end because I don’t want it to end!
Sounds like you had a great time. And getting great gifts is just your family’s way of showing they love you 🙂
Yeah, I totally get the post-holiday blues. This morning, we were driving back from taking the dogs to the vet, and I started singing “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” It felt so WRONG!!! 🙂
How fun!… We do Chritmas Holiday with my folks the thanksgiving weekend since we are already visiting them we exchange gifts then… I always feel like it takes sooo long to get to the Holiday or whatever the occasion of celebration and that boom its gone… 5 days feels like a day.
Glad you had a good visit with your family.
Sounds like you had so much fun! Lots of great family time, food, exercise, entertainment. What did you think of Avatar? I’ve yet to see it, but I want to!
I think it’s totally normal to have post-holiday let-down. Everyone says January is universal depression month. Starting a new year, coming down from the high of the holidays (or the stress), etc can be rough. You’ll get back in a groove. I always let myself mourn for a weekend, then start to move on 🙂
I thought Avatar was fun! It didn’t blow my mind or anything, but the story was entertaining and the graphics were beautiful 🙂 I would definitely see it again, or maybe even buy it on DVD! I really want to see how the film was made.
Sometimes I just wish we could skip January and go straight to… May!
Oh I’m so like this!! The other day I was like oh I really wish it was Christmas again. Mike goes, what!? It just ended! LOL We just don’t see family enough when it’s not Holiday time!
I’m always kind of glad to head home after the holidays. Of course, we have to travel for the holidays, so it’s always nice to get back to my own bed.
What on earth is a laundry sorter?!
Honestly, when a holiday ends, my prevailing feeling is just one of RELIEF.
<3 <3
A laundry sorter is a little set-up that holds seperate bags to sort your clothes in to when you take them off. This is the one my bro got me – the photo should explain it! It has three bags and an ironing board on top (the top flips up). I throw my clothes in there so when I go to wash them I can just dump the bag into the wash rather than sorting the clothes.
Quick question but what is a laundry sorter? I’m guessing it has something to do with sorting laundry but I’ve never heard of it.
I didn’t feel letdown about the holidays being over, just relieved. That might change when I start college though.. lol.
A laundry sorter is a little set-up that holds seperate bags to sort your clothes in to when you take them off. This is the one my bro got me – the photo should explain it! It has three bags and an ironing board on top (the top flips up). I throw my clothes in there so when I go to wash them I can just dump the bag into the wash rather than sorting the clothes.
I guess I didn’t feel that reflief this year, since we weren’t stressed about gifts and had a lot of free time!
I felt the same way after the holidays. I felt like I got more than I needed. But obvs I have put a lot of it to good use considering I mostly got running stuff! 🙂 I have to say that the kitten umbrella is priceless!
I did not feel spoiled this holiday season. Our gifts didn’t come in on time so we had nothing to open Christmas morning. Bummer.
I do get post-holiday blues though. If I’m off from work for more than two days, it’s hard to readjust to normal life.
I’m in the camp of relieved after the holidays. I was just telling my therapist the other night, I feel sooooo much better now that the holidays are behind us!
And, um, I’m not trying to sound ungrateful, but I got batteries, gum and pajamas from my parents so I don’t feel terribly spoiled. 😉 (I think it is cute, actually, that they got me gifts they knew would be so practical for me)
i love that you opened the umbrella indoors! no superstitions!!!
I am so thankful when the holidays are over! They stress me out 🙁 And I like returning to my nice, safe, predictable life.
No let down for me. My family, parents and brother included, have had several issues on the last year. My dad has had three surgeries for colon cancer, my brother has similar issues to mine, and there is me. Plus I was in the hospital right before Christmas and got out on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day we were supposed to go to my brother’s, no gifts to be exchanged except for his daughter and mine, but I could not go because I still felt bad. My parents have property very near us, that my grandmother lives on, and they also have a place in Augusta. They were up here around Christmas, so later on Christmas day we went to my Grandmother’s house. My parents had recently returned from a trip to Israel and they had a few gifts for us from there. On the spur of the moment my mother bought me new pj’s and a robe, because we were not sure If I had would to stay in the hospital through Christmas. Obviously, they got my daughter quite a few things. But for us with everything that was going on, we were mostly thankful that I was out of the hospital.
We just booked another vacation, then I asked my sister if they wanted to go to Olive Garden for dinner and they couldn’t afford that and I felt like shit. Why did we get so lucky?
But then Mr. P reminds me how hard we have worked towards our goals…same with you and Steven…you work hard and foster great relationships…you deserve to be spoiled!
I *always* feel this way, ever holiday season. Taking downt the Christmas decorations, getting only boring bills in the mail again, it’s such a drag.
I deal with it by trying to stay merry, lots of music at ridiculous volumes, diving into books (the healthy way to enjoy alternate realities, right?), throwing myself into the gym routine and calling my friends and family often. Like a lot. Maybe it annoys them but I don’t care 🙂
Hope one of these ideas helps you out a bit! Or if all else fails, plan a trip. Something tropical usually makes me feel better! Or even a two-day getaway with your man might help?
I totally want one of those stylish kitten umbrellas! Maybe you will start a new trend.
As for the holidays, I feel sad when they’re over but also kind of relieved to get past the overconsumption of food, drink, and stuff.
I love Apples to Apples! And I can’t believe how active your family is together – I envy that. On our family vacay this summer, I’m hoping we do some fun, active things. And lay around a bit, too. 🙂
I do usually deal with the post-holiday blues, but for this year it wasn’t as bad? I think it’s because I have a few things to look forward to (looking for a new job this year, getting a new niece/nephew in a couple of months, going to Vegas in June). But I LOVE Christmas so much, it’s hard to put it behind me usually.
I did feel extremely blessed this year. I got some unexpected money from my grandma – I was thrilled! Annnnnd then I had to put $500 into my furnace. Well, it all happens for a reason. 🙂
I love the kitten umbrella! The kitty looks just like my new kitten. So cute! I would rock the kitten umbrella as well, but the hubby would probably pretend like he doesn’t know me. It’s okay though, I do the same thing to him all the time 😉
I’ve always felt pretty ambivalent about the holidays, even as a kid. I do remember one season when I had two retail jobs at the same time, and every thing was about “Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!!” and then after it was over it was this weird let down after all the hype and build up. I never wanted to work in retail again after that.