December was jam packed with festivities, beautiful decorations, music, food, great conversation and an energy in the air that seems to flood every nook and cranny….. and then comes January and the quiet lull. We remove the festive garland, trees, ornaments and the house looks a bit naked.
It also means the parties and invitations end, and we fall back into our ordinary lives. Quiet lives.
The answer to the title of this post is YES! Yes, i feel a strange sense of sadness that the holidays end, and the house looks a bit less than festive. To that end i have been trying to make small changes that reduce that impact:
- During the holidays i put up less decoration, so there is less to take down.
- select a few decorations that will remain. I have a very small Christmas tree (12″ max) that stays up throughout the year. The tree sits on a large pedestal (once was an old oak cable stand from my old church, and i now keep a few photos and that tree displayed on it.)
- Candles… A nicely scented candle burning fills the house with a glorious scent… and that warm glow – awe so hygge!! *
- I like to cook big meals… the smell of roasting chicken, or a big pot of soup also fills the air, and distracts me from feeling blue.
- Plan time to have friends over just to hang out, or eat dinner, or watch a movie… During the january lull is a great time to enjoy otherpeople – and the festive december can give way to casual fun in january.
I hope you dont have the post holiday blues. If you do I hope you try ome of these ideas… or tell me what you do to overcome them!!!
*Hygge – pronounced Who-gah, is all the rage these days – the idea of comfortable surroundings, warm glow of a candle, good conversation, which leads to a peaceful sense of all is right in the world.