Dealing with post Christmas depression

While the holiday season arrives year after year with the promise of glitter, pine-scented candles, cinnamon-flavored drinks and pretty lights, there is still no denying that the post-holiday lull — and sometimes December as a whole — still leaves us feeling like the little match girl watching the family having Christmas dinner together through the wrong side of a frosty window. A few studies indicate this January-fueled funk affects as much as 25% of the American population. The holidays are often bittersweet for a multitude of reasons: the end of the year is a time for celebrating the people you love and being celebrated in return, shopping, baking, wrapping gifts, seasonal flavors and decorations, visiting family — or not being able to — relaxing and relief that the year is finally behind us. All of these and more can be the cause of much joy or stress and sometimes both. If you find yourself falling into some post-holiday blues, post-holiday funk, or post-holiday any-other-type-of-music-genre, consider some of these ideas to put a little January pep in your step. 

• In the words of “The Lion King”: Be Prepared

One of the best things for you to combat that post-vacation syndrome is to make coming home something to look forward to. It can be easy in your pre-holiday excitement to leave some chores to be done until after the vacation, but there are few feelings worse than coming home from a day of stressful travel to a messy house. Before you go, make sure the trash is emptied, the laundry is done and the fridge and/or pantry are stocked with some favorite meals or snacks — plus maybe some healthy options to help you detox after a packed holiday. 

• It’s okay to take a vacation from your vacation 

It can be hard to rationalize feeling tired after a break from work or school, but another good combatant of the January lull is to allow yourself a few days to reacquaint yourself with your routine. Jumping right back in with both feet and busy-bodying your way through the oncoming weeks can leave you feeling more burned out than you did before the holidays. Even better, wait to watch a movie you’ve been dying to see or read a book that’s been on your list forever until you get back, and take a few days all to yourself to enjoy it.

• What are you wearing? Who are you wearing? 

Planning a lowkey, minimal-stress event is another great way to give yourself a little boost after coming down from the holiday high. It doesn’t have to be particularly expensive or high brow, but even an in-house spa day with some friends or a relaxed brunch can make being home a little less dreary. 

• Bring those knees up and let’s circle those arms

Getting out of shape or losing stamina is always an unwelcome side effect of enjoying holiday treats — some people might say too many, but those people are Debbie downers — that can cause some January stress or sadness. One of the best ways to combat the negativity is to get moving out in the beautiful Logan winterscape. Even if the cold and snow are deal breakers for you, the Aggie Recreation Center offers a wide array of fun fitness classes in person and online to help anybody who is struggling to keep their fitness New Years’ Resolutions.

Merry Christmas, you filthy animals. It gets better. 

Sage Souza is a junior studying political science and Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys long walks on the beach, making too many playlists on Spotify, and retweeting Karl Marx fancams. 

—sage.souza@usu.edu

@sageksouza