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Rose76
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Default Jan 08, 2022 at 10:23 PM
  #1
I enjoyed the holiday season. The past few months were a time of me feeling at my best. I put up a nice tree and a Nativity set and other decorations. I was drinking hot chocolate every morning out of a Christmas mug. I have Christmas candles in every room. I have Christmas towels. There are lighted Christmas decorations in the windows. I have Christmas jewelry. I could go on, but you get the idea. I really get into Christmas. Now it's over, and I feel sad. I didn't want Christmas to end.

Lots of people who live alone say they find Christmas a lonely time. Not me. Though I live alone, I did not feel lonely over the holidays. Due to COVID I have been avoiding people. However, I did hear from relatives and friends - mostly by phone. I felt cozy and safe in my nicely decorated apartment home. I enjoyed watching Christmas programming on TV. I made nice meals for myself. I listened to Christmas music. The world feels magical to me at Christmastime. I keep it going for the whole traditional "12 days," up through Jan. 5. Now, that magic is gone and I feel kind of down.

Does anyone else find that the holiday season and its aftermath play havoc with their emotional state?

I had planned to take down my tree and other decorations on Jan 7. Well, today is Jan 8, and I've not even begun to pack up my Christmas things. All day I have felt so down. I spent most of today either in bed or on the couch. I don't want this to become a major tailspin into depression. This evening I got really bad in feeling: What now?

I suppose no one enjoys having to pack a bunch of stuff away. It's work. Still, I don't think my main problem is laziness. It's something else that I don't fully understand. Every year I get the post-holiday blues. Last year it was really severe and lasted a few months. I don't want to let myself get that way again. I'm getting a bit scared that I'm going to take a nosedive into depression.
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sarahsweets
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Default Jan 09, 2022 at 12:08 AM
  #2
I love christmas even during hard times. I too have to put away my christmas stuff, but I might consider getting some small general white lights and string them inside because I really really enjoy the ambience.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose76 View Post
I enjoyed the holiday season. The past few months were a time of me feeling at my best. I put up a nice tree and a Nativity set and other decorations. I was drinking hot chocolate every morning out of a Christmas mug. I have Christmas candles in every room. I have Christmas towels. There are lighted Christmas decorations in the windows. I have Christmas jewelry. I could go on, but you get the idea. I really get into Christmas. Now it's over, and I feel sad. I didn't want Christmas to end.

Lots of people who live alone say they find Christmas a lonely time. Not me. Though I live alone, I did not feel lonely over the holidays. Due to COVID I have been avoiding people. However, I did hear from relatives and friends - mostly by phone. I felt cozy and safe in my nicely decorated apartment home. I enjoyed watching Christmas programming on TV. I made nice meals for myself. I listened to Christmas music. The world feels magical to me at Christmastime. I keep it going for the whole traditional "12 days," up through Jan. 5. Now, that magic is gone and I feel kind of down.

Does anyone else find that the holiday season and its aftermath play havoc with their emotional state?

I had planned to take down my tree and other decorations on Jan 7. Well, today is Jan 8, and I've not even begun to pack up my Christmas things. All day I have felt so down. I spent most of today either in bed or on the couch. I don't want this to become a major tailspin into depression. This evening I got really bad in feeling: What now?

I suppose no one enjoys having to pack a bunch of stuff away. It's work. Still, I don't think my main problem is laziness. It's something else that I don't fully understand. Every year I get the post-holiday blues. Last year it was really severe and lasted a few months. I don't want to let myself get that way again. I'm getting a bit scared that I'm going to take a nosedive into depression.

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Heart Jan 09, 2022 at 12:58 AM
  #3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose76 View Post
I enjoyed the holiday season. The past few months were a time of me feeling at my best. I put up a nice tree and a Nativity set and other decorations. I was drinking hot chocolate every morning out of a Christmas mug. I have Christmas candles in every room. I have Christmas towels. There are lighted Christmas decorations in the windows. I have Christmas jewelry. I could go on, but you get the idea. I really get into Christmas. Now it's over, and I feel sad. I didn't want Christmas to end.

Lots of people who live alone say they find Christmas a lonely time. Not me. Though I live alone, I did not feel lonely over the holidays. Due to COVID I have been avoiding people. However, I did hear from relatives and friends - mostly by phone. I felt cozy and safe in my nicely decorated apartment home. I enjoyed watching Christmas programming on TV. I made nice meals for myself. I listened to Christmas music. The world feels magical to me at Christmastime. I keep it going for the whole traditional "12 days," up through Jan. 5. Now, that magic is gone and I feel kind of down.

Does anyone else find that the holiday season and its aftermath play havoc with their emotional state?

I had planned to take down my tree and other decorations on Jan 7. Well, today is Jan 8, and I've not even begun to pack up my Christmas things. All day I have felt so down. I spent most of today either in bed or on the couch. I don't want this to become a major tailspin into depression. This evening I got really bad in feeling: What now?

I suppose no one enjoys having to pack a bunch of stuff away. It's work. Still, I don't think my main problem is laziness. It's something else that I don't fully understand. Every year I get the post-holiday blues. Last year it was really severe and lasted a few months. I don't want to let myself get that way again. I'm getting a bit scared that I'm going to take a nosedive into depression.


One thing that helps some people is to take down only the Christmas decoration and then put up Valentine's Day decorations - including on the Christmas Tree. Some people have even opted to get a white or pink tree to use for both occasions, to make the season last longer.

I got triggered on Christmas for some reason, but such is my PTSD and DID stuff. But still, there are other Christmases where I felt like I was truly in the Christmas spirit and loved to decorate, etc. I also loved the smells of apple and cinnamon, etc.

It is sad to see life go back to the dreadful focus on pandemic surges, etc. All the beauty and magic with Christmas bring back some sense of "normalcy" amid this ongoing pandemic. It's not surprising then when people are sad about missing Christmas.

Perhaps you can make a new tradition for January going forward to maintain a sense of video or outdoor connection with loved ones and friends, to find healthy and safe ways to socialize and perhaps do a new trend of sharing redecorating tips for the home, or organization tips for the home. And while you're doing that, you can also invent a decoration theme for both the lingering winter season coupled with the upcoming Valentine's Day season. You need not celebrate Valentine's Day. You could instead decide to decorate with white lights, like SarahSweets mentioned, or some other winter-to-spring color, like pastels. You can find a group of people to do that with, too, and then share photos online or via text. That might help the spirit of celebrating going when Christmas is all said and done - and it would be your own invention, or your close family and/or friends invention together.
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Default Jan 09, 2022 at 02:21 AM
  #4
You two, above, really get me. Thanks so much for understanding so well. So, Sarah, you still have stuff to put away. That makes me feel less like a loser who can't get it together. I love what you say about stringing up white lights for ambience. I have a 5 ft string of tiny LED lights that I've used to light up my Nativity display. I might put them around the TV. Or maybe get a plant for living room and put lights in it.
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Default Jan 09, 2022 at 02:28 AM
  #5
Thanks, SprinkL3, for understanding that COVID is part of the stress I feel. I feel more isolated now. There won't be cards and gift packages showing up. I can't stay in this apt. i'll think of something.
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Heart Jan 09, 2022 at 02:54 AM
  #6
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Originally Posted by Rose76 View Post
Thanks, SprinkL3, for understanding that COVID is part of the stress I feel. I feel more isolated now. There won't be cards and gift packages showing up. I can't stay in this apt. i'll think of something.
Can you try going to safe places without crowds, like some people will put on a mask and go to the zoo, the library, a walk through an indoor-outdoor mall. Dining outside is safer than dining inside, which is another option. Also, going for walks in the park, swinging on swings, etc., are all great things to do outside. There might even be outdoor rock climbing events. Camping is another fun event you can do with trusted others, which primarily has outside events. If you're going with vaccinated others in a trailer, that might be safe, too. It's cold now, so you have to make sure not to get lost and get frostbite, and to also protect against wildlife and bugs, but it can be fun.

I don't do much, but occasionally I will meet up with my rec rehab therapist to go for a walk for 30 minutes to an hour, and we're both wearing masks while outside. It's a step I feel comfortable with. If our case counts were lower (under 5% test positivity), I would probably wear a mask and go to the zoo with a friend, so long as most of the time is spent outside and not indoors. I'd still wear a mask though. But not everyone needs to wear a mask while outside, especially if the case counts are low and the wind has a slight breeze and there aren't many people outside walking around. I live in the downtown neighborhood, so it gets crowded easily outside. That's why I elect to wear masks.

Do you have local friends or family who can meet with you outside?
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