The Holiday Blues

This year - let’s be frank - has sucked.

Pretty much all around sucky.

And what is more - we thought we would be far past COVID restrictions at this point, that the holidays would be great and not much different than usual. Oh, how we were wrong.

This year looks a lot different. Not only are we dealing with the usual holiday feelings - excitement, dread, obligation, stress, cold, love - we are also dealing with feelings of missing out, of isolation, of depression, of missed opportunities for ourselves and our loved ones.

So - while we often focus on: how do I fit everything in? And: how do I stay on track with my diet? This time, it is much more than that, much deeper than that.

This year, start a new tradition with your immediate family. Feel that togetherness in a new way. It is going to be incredibly difficult to not focus on the traditions we just simply cannot do this year, but when we let ourselves redirect our attention to something new, we can reignite positivity and excitement about that new something. 

Focus less on all the busy parts of the holidays that can sometimes get us down - waiting in line at the store, finding room for one more Christmas party, having the in-laws staying at your house - and focus more on the things we wish we could do every year. 

Spend days decorating your house, slow and leisurely, with lots of hot chocolate and candy canes to go around. Try out some new holiday recipes that others in your family may not care for. Get a permit and go cut down your very first real Christmas tree. Take a long drive and survey your town’s holiday lights. Research other traditions this time of year: Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ōmisoka, Boxing Day, Saint Nicholas Day, Yule, ‘Festivus’, Winter Solstice, Saturnalia, or St. Lucius Day.

This year, all we have is time and our closest friends and family. Lets enjoy it. We have this one month to dig down deep and really enjoy the little things. There will be time for parties, shopping, and worrying about our diet next year.

Keep focusing on what you can add in, not what needs to be removed. There are so many things we do not usually get to do because we are so focused on making sure that other things gets done. This is the year to take a step back and do what really matters to us. And, of course, there will still be time for Zoom happy hours, Zoom Christmas parties, maybe even a Microsoft 360 work function, and a face time hang out session with friends.

It is amazing how fast we have adapted to the good part about this quarantine period - not commuting, checking in on old friends, increased use of tech, etc - but being separated from those you love and being told you cannot do things (even if you weren’t going to do them in the first place) is really a bummer. Let’s finish out the year strong and utilize all the tools we can to have a good holiday season.