How to Keep the Festive Spirit Alive and Avoid Post-Christmas Blues

Avoiding the post-Christmas blues can involve visiting relatives, picking up a new hobby, or taking a short trip. It's best to prepare in advance: create a festive atmosphere and carefully plan your holidays. This article explains how to do this.

What is the Post-Holiday Blues and Why Does It Happen?

The post-holiday slump is that feeling of sadness and fatigue that comes after the festivities end. There comes realization that it's time to return to normal life. It's a perfectly natural state that can occur after the holiday season, and here's why:

• Reluctance to return to routine — after laid-back and fun days, it can be hard to get back into the swing of work or school, as you'd like the magic to linger a bit longer.
• Sadness that the celebration is over — once the turkey is finished and the gifts are unwrapped, there's a realization that the holidays are over and the next ones are far off.
• Understanding that changes haven’t happened — the New Year often comes with the hope for change, and even if you don't hold high expectations for magic, there’s an involuntary anticipation of a miracle.

The main thing to remember is that the post-holiday blues is a temporary state that will undoubtedly be replaced by positive emotions.

How to Create a Christmas Mood That Lasts After the Holidays?

When the first snow falls and Christmas songs fill the air, the holiday spirit comes alive. How do you maintain that magical atmosphere so it doesn't fade after New Year's Eve? Here are some simple and effective ways to keep the festive mood going.

Christmas Decor

Don’t just decorate the room with the Christmas tree. Add a bit of decor to the hallway, kitchen, and even the bedroom. Even simple paper snowflakes can greatly enhance the festive atmosphere. Classic decorations like tinsel, garlands, and scented candles remain holiday favorites.

Tip: Start decorating the house closer to Christmas to avoid growing tired of the tinsel and enjoy the festive decor longer.

Advent Calendar

This activity is enjoyable not only for kids but adults too. Every day, you open a window to reveal a small surprise. You can find Advent calendars with decorations, cosmetics, or snacks, or create your own with fun holiday tasks and games.

Tip: Begin your Advent calendar in mid-December. This way, you can extend the celebration and know exactly what to do even after Christmas.

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Holiday Traditions

There are many wonderful traditions that help create the holiday spirit. You can bake cookies with the family, have a big clean-up, or go skating with friends. If cleaning or baking isn't your thing, feel free to invent new traditions. Choose an activity that brings you joy and invite your loved ones to join you. Just make sure to agree to repeat the tradition in the coming year!

Christmas Playlist

Dancing and karaoke are fantastic ways to lift spirits and have fun with loved ones. But finding great holiday music can be a challenge, so we recommend creating your own playlist. Ask those close to you to share their favorite festive tunes to craft a shared Christmas compilation. This way, everyone will find a song they love at your party and won't be able to stay seated. If dancing isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy holiday music alone: on walks, during commutes, or even when working out.

Holiday Movie Marathon

If you want to create a holiday atmosphere without spending too much time preparing, consider organizing a Christmas movie marathon. To create a true home theater, set up cozy spaces with blankets and pillows and don’t forget the snacks: popcorn, gingerbread, and hot chocolate make for a perfect comfy night in.

Here’s a selection of holiday favorites: comedies, romances, and family films—everyone can find something they enjoy.

How to Plan Your Christmas Holidays

To make your holiday season bright and exciting, we recommend crafting a plan in advance. You can jot it down in a planner or use smartphone apps. This way, you will build warm memories.

If spontaneous plans are more your style, go with your intuition. If it tells you to relax with a movie marathon while finishing leftovers—go right ahead. Maybe after such a rest, you’ll feel inspired to try something new—go with the flow and enjoy wherever it takes you.

Whether you stick to a plan or choose to detox from time management doesn’t matter. The main thing is for the holidays to be comfortable and make you happier.

The Holiday is Over. What's Next?

Christmas arrives quickly with twinkling lights and festive songs, and often leaves you a bit frustrated afterwards. Here are six simple ideas to make post-holiday time interesting and productive.

Do Some Cleaning

If a bit of chaos from candy wrappers and unwrapped gifts surrounds you after the festivities, it’s best to tackle it right away. A deep clean isn’t necessary, just tidying up and taking out the trash is enough. This allows you to pass the time with something beneficial while continuing your break in a cozier environment.

Tip: If you like the idea of cleaning, why not take a risk and rearrange things a bit? A freshened-up space can spark new inspirations and add a breath of fresh air to your life.

Plan a Trip

Starting the year with new experiences is a wonderful way to create lasting memories. Even if you can’t go far, you can plan a short trip to a nearby city or nature. We recommend researching interesting sights and museums you haven’t visited yet. Just make sure they are open during the post-holiday season.

Visit Loved Ones

If the joke about not seeing your loved ones all year long rings true, it means it’s time to go visiting. To keep things lively at the table, propose family walks and games. For instance, suggest playing Secret Santa with relatives. To keep the excitement, plan the gift exchange for after Christmas, extending the holiday magic.

Pursue a Dream Course

If all the holiday festivities are gone and you’re not sure what to do next, start that dream course you’ve been longing for. The beginning of the year is an ideal time to explore a new field or return to something you put off. You could even ask Santa for a course certificate—nothing beats a desired surprise!

Try a New Hobby

Get involved in something interesting and unique. If you’ve dreamed of crafting a clay dish, head to a pottery class. If you wanted to try your hand at cooking, treat yourself and your loved ones to a favorite cake. Use your free time to fulfill your dreams, and who knows, you might discover a talent for pottery or baking.

Get Into Fitness

Fitness, running, skiing, or your favorite gym workouts are great additions to your post-holiday plans. Choose activities you genuinely enjoy so that exercise not only boosts your mood but also energizes you throughout the day.

If high-intensity workouts aren’t your thing, consider taking a leisurely walk in fresh air. Bring along friends or family – it is sure to lift your spirits.

How to Improve Your Well-being if the Post-Holiday Slump Hits?

Sometimes, even after thorough preparations and a wonderful holiday, it can be challenging to return to normal life. Here are three helpful tips to combat the post-holiday blues.

Embrace Your Emotions

If you’re feeling down after the holidays and don't feel like doing anything, just accept it. Don’t berate yourself as this emotional shift post-holidays is common. Instead, reflect on all the good things that happened last year and praise yourself because more successes await you.

Rest More

During the holiday season, it’s not mandatory to visit every relative or spend all day at the ice rink. If you feel you need to recharge by lying in bed, allow yourself to do so. After the festive hustle, it’s especially important to be kind to yourself and replenish your energy.

Set Goals for the New Year

This is an excellent way to distract yourself and stay positive. Consider what you would like to achieve this year and make a list of goals. To make the process more engaging, use colorful markers, sticky notes, and pictures.

The more detailed your plan for achieving your goals, the easier it will be to accomplish them. There are various techniques to help, which we share in this article.

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We hope these tips help you avoid the post-holiday slump. May the new year be a time of joy, warmth, and love for you!

Try our MySanta app

You can create wishlists, add exclusions, and communicate with your gifree secretly. Moreover, there is an option to track gifts and ensure that everyone buys a present on time.

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