Post Christmas Blues

I am the most Christmas lovin', buddy the elf actin like, momma you'll meet on "this side of the nut house." Haha!

But for real. I mean it when I say Christmas time makes everything sweeter and brighter and more fun. I love the magic it brings, the love and joy in the air, the sweet remembrance of our Savior's birth, and all the wonderful experiences it is made up of. Christmas time brings out the good in people; for one reason or another, people find it easier to be kind or help one another. You will hear people doing something nice for a stranger and say, “Well, it’s Christmas time.” People find themselves more generous, like tipping their waitress a little extra just because.

It is just such a magical time of year.

I am the mom who will get excited to turn on Christmas music the day after Halloween, chuck those pumpkins out of the way, and replace them with the many Christmas trees and adorable figurines all over the house. As a mom, seeing the joy it brings to my kids and how excited they get to see the season upon us makes it that much more enjoyable. All my love for Christmas before having kids was just multiplied by four after seeing how happy it made them.

The moment I start shopping for family and friends, I am on a gifting high because it is a huge part of my love language. I thoroughly enjoy giving gifts, big or small. Finding a present that someone will enjoy and appreciate brings me so much joy. When other people start complaining about wrapping Christmas presents, I laugh because I enjoy even the simplest part of wrapping the present beautifully for that gift recipient.

But then, there’s December 26th.

It sounds silly, but it’s like that feeling of Christmas bliss we’ve been riding on the week leading up to and the day of being so excited. The day after always seems a little sad in a way. It is like when you look forward to seeing an old friend for a long time, and once it is time for them to leave, you already dread the wait to see them again. The realization that you have to start going back to “normal” and take down all the precious decorations, the Christmas music gets turned off, we start talking about the New Year, New Me diets, and trying to cut back on all the Christmas candy, and sweets we have been eating since Thanksgiving.

Then I hit the internal battle phase where I am torn between binge cleaning and pulling a Grinch, trying to take every single crumb left of Christmas and packing it up, or fighting to leave it up until I can’t justify it anymore. I usually end up packing it all up, mostly because the clutter has overstimulated me for weeks; no matter how much I love the aesthetic, it still drives me crazy. But then we are in that weird limbo of after Christmas and before the New Year, where we don’t know what day it is, and the house is a wreck. I am still pushing leftovers that we are beyond over, and the kids are getting restless being in the house. They have left an entire apocalyptic mess around the house that I have zero motivation to clean, and they have tried every bit of patience this momma has left.

It is so easy to forget that the season really wasn’t supposed to be about the decorations, the lights, the food, or the gifts. The reason for the season was because of the birth of a savior who was so humbly placed in a manger and here to save us all. How quickly we get wrapped up in the jingle bells and reindeer and forget to celebrate what is most important. The true spirit of Christmas can be carried out across the year. You can be a light in the darkness without singing Christmas carols, handing out cookies, or watching the same movies repeatedly.

Not that there is anything wrong with watching every single cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie with the same three plots and characters because they are wholesome and happy, and why not? No judgment here, whatsoever.

My point is that we can be better at remembering that instead of feeling like we are just slipping back into our usual rut and getting into the routine of focusing on ourselves. We can keep that kindness and hold open the door a little longer or help that elderly woman with her groceries. Go out of your way to help that stranger who was too shy to ask. Tip your waitress to be a blessing to someone else. Smile at people as you walk through the store because it can make someone’s day better and doesn’t cost a dime. Remember, the real reason for the season and the true joy that comes from it doesn’t have to go away in January; it can last all year long.