by Julie R Butler

Created on: January 01, 2009

Holidays seem to be times when we suspend our "usual" lives and enter into an entirely different universe, whether it be through travel, or simply by having family and friends gathered together who are not a part of our every-day, regular routines. We look so forward to those times as they are approaching, fantasizing about how great it will be to not have to be burdened with the stress, monotony, and annoyances that we put up with every day at our jobs or in managing our households day in and day out. Holidays are times of liberation from all of that, when we focus on enjoying ourselves and our families instead of on being responsible. No wonder we get a case of the post-holiday blues afterwards. Time has come to get back to facing "reality."

So, how can we overcome those post-holiday blues? Here are a few suggestions to consider trying.

1. Bring along some of the magic of those special times into your regular life. A photo to put on your desk or keep in your vehicle, one of your silly gifts, such as that strange figurine from aunt Martha that will be a great conversation starter, the clothes that you got... any of these things will serve to remind you that it was not just a fantasy, but a real part of your life that you can relive often, thanks to these objects that you keep near and dear to you.

2. Don't be a stranger. Try not to fall back into the same old habit of getting so caught up in your daily life that you don't find time to reach out to those who you see only at the holidays or have met during your vacation. Bring them into your "regular" life by staying in contact. You can reminisce about the good times you have enjoyed together, or keep a conversation going about some interest that you have in common with those who are not involved in your everyday life. Even if your lifestyles or world views are vastly different, there is usually some common ground to stand upon, whether it be an interest in sports or a television show or cooking, or even having a civil conversation about politics.

3. Try to avoid feeling trapped when you return to "normal" by remembering that holidays are not actually a suspension of life, but a part of it. Don't just file your memories away in a photo album that you pull off the shelf every once in a while to cheer yourself up. Rather, remain engaged with those memories, by not only keeping reminders around and keeping in touch with people that are connected with those memories, but also by continuing to be interested in those

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