If You Have the Post Christmas Blues You’re Doing Christmas Wrong

[Michael Rielly]

 If You Have the Post Christmas Blues You’re Doing Christmas Wrong

MyMerryChristmas.com
B. Francis Morlan
December 27, 2018

EXCERPT

The post-Christmas blues are a very real thing. Once the date of December 25th has passed the specter of December 26th is an ominous marker to many. It sits there on the calendar like the Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come. Silent and foreboding, the very image of the hooded Angel of Death it seems to be. And why not?

Just about anywhere you look Americans are tossing trees to the curb, ripping down lights from rooftops and radio stations are flipping back to everyday music. What took months to build gets deconstructed in a matter of a couple of days.

It does not have to be like this.

You do not have to take down your tree.

You do not have to kill your lights.

You do not have to turn off your music.

You can, instead, stand up to the madness around you and let Christmas linger a little longer.

The secret to avoiding the post-Christmas blues is deconstructing it much the way you built it in the first place.

For me, Christmas often gets started in July. It is easy then, in the heat of summer, to imagine the frosty glow of our Christmas windows, the frothy foam of our cocoa, and the homey warmth of the decorated tree. Of course, we can’t GET those things in July…but it’s fun to think of them as we sit in a darkened room and watch Christmas movies when it is blazing outside.

This is classic, hardcore denial. And it is good for you.

SOURCE: https://mymerrychristmas.com/christmas-blues/
 

[Santa TJS]

Looks like the outside decor will come down now that New Years has gone by, but the inside stuff and trees will come down gradually ,as it went up that way, by January 's end all remnants of Christmas decor will be carefully packed away until next November.

[Drosselmeyer]

1 hour ago, Santa TJS said:

Looks like the outside decor will come down now that New Years has gone by, but the inside stuff and trees will come down gradually ,as it went up that way, by January 's end all remnants of Christmas decor will be carefully packed away until next November.

- - - OR - - - you could get an early start on next years decorating !!! 

[Black Hills Santa]

3 hours ago, Michael Rielly said:

The secret to avoiding the post-Christmas blues is deconstructing it much the way you built it in the first place.

I wholeheartedly agree with this. I always take a week or two decorating the house and take a week or so to un-decorate the house. I have found getting the family involved pre and post Christmas helps out. After Christmas, it allows for the continuation of good will towards our fellow man. Plus, it's not so sad when everyone can come together and help one another.

[FrSanta]

Well, the Christmas Season doesn't end in the Catholic Church until the Baptism of the Lord, which is on January 13th this year so we still have a week and a half until the season is officially over.  plus I keep a small tree up year around, so I always have a little bit of Christmas going. 

SO MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

[Santa TJS]

I decorate before Thanksgiving,the last tree come down at the end of January.

[Santa Johnny Boy]

There are some Christmas decorations that are just worth leaving up all year long...

[Schwindy]

2 hours ago, Santa Johnny Boy said:

There are some Christmas decorations that are just worth leaving up all year long...

And I witnessed it FIRST HAND! He really does have Christmas all throughout the house! VERY NICELY DONE!

[Nick Hudson]

I'm odd I guess, everything put up and I'm done with it. I have no need and don't.want to see.anymore Christmas! 

[Michael Rielly]

Our stuff stays up until at least January 13. But usually it comes down around Valentine's Day....

[Santa Bill Reiller]

We put all of ours away the other day.

[Jerry Nebel]

Finishing up today except for a wreath and driftwood tree outside. They will stay lit. This season i missed being home and the warmth and wonderful smells coming from the oven at Christmas time. 

[Hubcity Santa]

I didn’t get the Christmas blues, I had the Santa blues for about 3 days. I had so much fun my first season I was sad to see it end but only 356 days until next Christmas so I better get at it. 

[Bob Saunders]

I was so tired after this season I was too looking forward to the "Santa Nap" to get the 'Santa Blues'.

 

And I never look forward to that skinny ladder to the garage attic whether bringing stuff down or putting stuff back.  I may finally follow through this year with my attic elevator I purchased all the parts for two years ago.....

Edited January 3, 2019 by Bob Saunders

[SantaJoe]

For me, the post Christmas blues doesn't really have anything to do the decorations.

[Drosselmeyer]

1 hour ago, SantaJoe said:

For me, the post Christmas blues doesn't really have anything to do the decorations.

agreed

sad to see Christmas go - but its not the decorations....

probably gonna take the tree down in the office this Friday - the stuff at home will be up until close to the end of the month....

[SCSanta]

I am always sad to see Christmas go, but it starts earlier for me. It actually starts at Thanksgiving because the anticipation of the season is very important for me and I know that now that the Christmas season is here, it also means it will soon be over. Of course then I get really busy and I don't have time for the blues, but it comes back again on Christmas Eve, even though my season continues past Christmas.

I posed for my last photos today and I shave the beard tomorrow. The tree in the den is down as are much of the mantle decorations on all of the fireplaces. I still have my villages up and the cut tree in the front room and the outside house lights are up as well...these don't come down until 12th night. This is all a matter of practicality...it takes time to put things up and also to take them down. I don't want to have disorder and clutter. I also go away for a week after 12th night to rest because my spring semester starts the next week and I have only 3 days off at work until May. Of course by then, we are almost half-way to Christmas again!!!

[Santa Dan]

So many areas I have been able to grow this year, so many areas I have yet to grow in the coming years. I am missing the smiles and hugs received and given already. This is my best beard and hair I have ever obtained and darnit, I don't want to cut it off. My original hair is dark brown so either I trim it or treat it... Still undecided. On the up side, I have a list of things I want to work on with myself, my clothes and my props to keep me busy until I get the chance to make that light shine in the eyes and hearts of others again.

25th year will be special... until year 26th!

One thing I do know for certain is....

 

I truly appreciate each and everyone of you and this site!

 

[Drosselmeyer]

came across this discussion on "Post Holiday Syndrome"

-from June 2007

Usually, when the post-holiday syndrome causes physical symptoms, it is nothing but the physical expression of psychological unease", she states. Tiredness, lack of appetite and concentration, drowsiness or sleeplessness, abnormally rapid heartbeat and muscular ache are just some of the physical symptoms of this illness. The psychological symptoms include irritability, anxiety, sadness, couldn't-care-less attitude and a deep feeling of emptiness.

LINK:  https://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/06/20/26636.aspx

 

[Santa Bruce Geron]

We don't start to take down Christmas Decoration until after Baptism of the Lord. Half of my family is eastern rite and we are also celebration this weekend. To be perfectly honest, we won't have everything changed over until Candlemas.

As for seasonal blues, I miss the excitement and the "rush" that Santa experiences when in public, but it also feels good to have down time. My concern with living in the part of the continent is the grey skies and bare trees; this is sad but my concert season is in full power forward, so I many things on my mind.

[SCSanta]

Shaved the beard yesterday down to half an inch and got my hair cut short. The last tree and the outside lights and decorations all got put away and the cut tree has gone to the grinding of the greens. It is always a little sad, but then I remember two things.

Once when I was a teenager and I was touring France, on the last day our tour guide asked us if we were ready to go home or if we wanted to stay an extra day. We all replied that we wanted to stay, and she replied that means it is truly time to go, because if we wait until we are anxious to go, then we have stayed too long.

The 2nd is a short story from many years ago about a little girl who wished it was Christmas every day. She got her wish and it didn't turn out how she hoped. The link to that story is below...

Christmas Every Day

[Black Hills Santa]

This is the first year I've not had the blues. I contribute this to looking forward to establishing my Santa personna here in the Black Hills. There is so much for me to do and, being here with people who share the same passion, where I can continue to educate myself, is a great help.

[Masers]

 We did not have time leading up to Christmas to visit The Biltmore in Asheville, NC for pictures. Finally made it on January 6th, a Sunday. The last day they had the house decorated. The objective was pictures to advertise with for the coming year, we were neither paid or invited, just two silly people dressed. It was great! The staff joked with us, guests had pictures taken with us, took pictures for them selves and used our camera to take our pictures. You would not have known it was 2 weeks past Christmas.

.

[Santa Dan]

On ‎1‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 6:04 PM, Michael Rielly said:

Our stuff stays up until at least January 13. But usually it comes down around Valentine's Day....

We do the same thing. My children started this tradition many many years ago. They said that since you are so busy being Santa, we should leave everything up until your birthday (January 13). I thought it was to honor me... But it seems like a lot of work on my birthday? LOL, I love the fact that they thought of this and have said that they will keep this tradition when they go off and have their own families. Whether or not they do, it will always be a cherished memory that they wanted to do this for me AND now to think you do the samething.... I am simply honored... Thank you.

lol

[RCSanta]

We have a very particular (and peculiar) rhythm - loving baseball (as I do!), the 1st tree goes up the day after the last pitch of the World Series, and the last tree is retired from a Christmas assignment the week the boys of summer report for spring training!

However, we do cheat just a little -- we keep a couple of small, 'decorative' trees up year round (themes changed to winter, Valentines, etc.), our bedroom is decorated with Christmas themes and the kitchen has more than one Mrs. Claus shout-out.

As people of faith, we associate Christmas with what is called Incarnation. That belief is core to our very being, so we follow the advice of the freshly redeemed Ebenezer Scourge: "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." 

[Kevin Haislip]

 

When Michael first posted this, it was an early January morning and I had just returned from walking the mall with my wife.  An elderly woman stopped me and asked if I portrayed Santa at Christmas (I keep my silvery beard and hair year round and was wearing a nice camel Pee coat with a red scarf).  I told her 'no,' but that I was Santa.  She got a delightful expression on her and began to tell me all about her grandchildren and their love of Christmas.

I get these all year round because when I go out in public, I wear Santa casual clothing.  Any of us who keep our beards through the year also have these kind of rendezvous with children and adults.

My wife and I do a lot of entertaining in our home since I pastor a church.  My office at home sits right beside the doorway to the main bathroom, so when people visit, they get a glimpse of my office.  The office features a big roll top desk with snow globes, and compasses, many dozens of Santa figures and statuettes.  Trains run across the top of the desk and also on a shelf that runs around the perimeter of the room up above.  Behind the desk is a big, beautiful walnut wardrobe that has all my Santa suits and shirts and such.  On the book shelves sit wooden toys and decorated boxes and books.

While the decorations are removed by late January in the rest of the house, my office remains fully decorated and in character all year.  And visitors absolutely love it when they peer in and see it.  It is like looking into Santa's sanctum, the place where he sorts through all the letters and writes his own lists of good and naughty.

But my office also keeps me entirely in the spirit year round.  

I love my job!  

[Santa-Charlie]

What I do to Keep-me-Energized is to simply Donate Blood.
So far I stick to an ongoing donation (I am allowed to donate whole blood once every 56 days) schedule.
After each blood donation I give, I Shine with "that-mood" that I have done something to help someone-else at a time when they Need it the most.

C'mon.... / I encourage all to "Give the Gift of Life."

Contact your local Blood Center for donation-opportunities.

 

[Sundblom Santa]

On 1/2/2019 at 1:14 PM, Drosselmeyer said:

- - - OR - - - you could get an early start on next years decorating !!! 

I agree with Drosselmeyer! 🤣

[Sundblom Santa]

On 1/2/2019 at 5:26 PM, Schwindy said:

On 1/2/2019 at 2:48 PM, Santa Johnny Boy said:

There are some Christmas decorations that are just worth leaving up all year long...

And I witnessed it FIRST HAND! He really does have Christmas all throughout the house! VERY NICELY DONE!

Ooh! 😍

[Santa Stewart]

Hi everyone,

When we ended the season.we rested (boy we needed it too) however after we missed it. Durning maintenance on suits new ones were made really for other. I listened to Christmas music. Btw I noticed no music here. Hmmm well to anticipation  of a new season.  With Easter and the spring to come!

Santa Stewart

[Rob Thompson]

On 1/24/2022 at 3:54 AM, Santa Stewart said:

Hi everyone,

When we ended the season.we rested (boy we needed it too) however after we missed it. Durning maintenance on suits new ones were made really for other. I listened to Christmas music. Btw I noticed no music here. Hmmm well to anticipation  of a new season.  With Easter and the spring to come!

Santa Stewart

Quite a lot of music here Stewart, just have to look around