After Christmas
Lots of my friends tell me that January is the month of the year they least like. It always seems to them to be cold and dark with little to look forward to other than going back to work, especially after having had a Christmas and New Year holiday, full of fun and laughter and family time. Me. I think the opposite. I quite like January and think it is unfairly thought of. To me it is the time when days begin to stay lighter for longer, so not being as dark as November or December. It also seems as though the year is now turning back towards the summer, the winter always seems as though we are going away from Summer, January turns the corner and brings us back. It is also the time of new hope and, in lots of instances, especially with resolutions, a time to start afresh. We have recharged our batteries over the festive period and are ready, once again to face the world.
However, It is possible that this could be the saddest time of the year. Post Christmas Blues. All the excitement of Christmas, the expectations and hope. All the food and parties, drink, happiness and laughter. For many there will have been the falling out, arguments, disappointments and heightened feeling of loneliness. The Christmas lights and decorations have gone, taken down and put away for another eleven months. Houses seeming bigger, more space in them, but not as bright. There is a scientific explanation for this, to do with adrenaline and dopamine crashes.
In addition, there is the disruption to the normal daily and weekly routines. Different eating and drinking patterns, a different rhythm to the days and weeks. Sleeping patterns are disrupted, for many there will have been a massive reduction in sleep, mostly due to the changes mentioned previously, but also with children – excited, wanting to play with their newly acquired toys and games, and more than usual arguments and tears.
Add to this the start of, for some a two-week break, and others at least more time off work than usual, and the relaxing winding down and switching off, then as the holiday comes to an end and work beckons, usually in January, those back to work blues and anxieties take hold.
In amongst all of this, don’t forget those people who usually spend time with themselves, many through circumstances, some through choice. They may have had more contact with other people over the festive break, they may even have enjoyed that company. But now they find themselves alone again. The Christmas fever bringing them more than the usual number of visitors, now find themselves with none. Those who are too old or infirm to visit family, have had the family visit them, now unsure of when they will see them again. Not knowing when they will see or interact with another person. How would they have felt the nearer the end of the holidays came?
In our day to day lives it is really important that we find time to visit people we know are on their own, have family living far away, people we don’t normally see, ones we know don’t get many visitors. It can be tricky when we get caught up in our daily lives: work, children, hobbies, other people. If it is possible, a change in mindset where we can say I must make that visit part of my daily or weekly routine and do it. Get out of the car and knock on the door before going into your own house. Stop off when coming back from the shop. Leave a little earlier to check. Invite people round. This is easy to say, not so easy to do.
Hopefully for everyone this year will bring good health, companionship, friendship and a whole load of happy times.
Man on a bike. 