Boxing Day Blues can sometimes strike when all the awaited festivities are over.
And they do seem to be over so quickly. All the hustle and bustle of preparing for the BIG day gives way to feelings of let down and down right depression. Knowing this before hand might just help you to get through those feelings and come out the other side with a new sense of wellbeing and a new purpose too.
Christmas time and all the build up to this holiday can make some people really "crazy". There are all the lists for food, drink, presents, guests and so much more to attend to. Then there is the cleaning and other preparations for the BIG day.
By the time it arrives you are physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. And just when you think it's perfect, it's over in a heartbeat.
The let down can be so significant, that many mental health agencies start to prepare for the fall out early as well. But it doesn't have to be this way if you do just a little more preparation for this amazing holiday gathering.
Having a plan in mind to help you cope with the let down will significantly make the holidays much happier. To that end, I am going to make some suggestions that just might help you, or someone you love, get through that post holiday let down.
Today, on the Calendar of Days, is Write a Thank You Note day. Now, you may not think this is a good idea, but I'm here to suggest it's a great way to relive the excitement, joy, and happiness of the Christmas gathering. It will help you to capture what was really important and let go of the myriad of small disappointments that may have happened to make the day less than perfect.
After all, getting the family together and enjoying each other's company is the real beauty of Christmas. The gifts and the food and everything else is secondary to just being together.
Sitting down and writing a thank you, will let you put into words how much you enjoyed and appreciated all the efforts everyone made to make this Christmas special. It really acts as a way to relive the excitement and the funny things that happened during the previous day.
If that doesn't work for you there are many other ways to get through that post holiday letdown. Here is my list of ways to do that and maybe you can add some of your own ideas.
Write that Thank You note to someone who went out of their way to make the holiday special.
Plan a trip to the zoo. Christmas antics aren't just for people.
Arrange some time to go for a walk in the neighborhood to enjoy the lights, decorations and all the sights.
Let yourself relax with a good movie or go out to a show.
Invite someone you haven't seen in a while for coffee and a good chat.
Go out and play in the snow (if you have any). Bundle up with those new scarves, hats and mitts.
Start a new hobby. Scrapbooking, knitting, crocheting, drawing or woodworking. Coloring pages are still a great way to relax too.
add your own ideas here.......
All the expectations, disappointments and let downs seem to disappear when you have a plan in mind. Just writing a note can help you get through that emotional build up of the past month. Going out to park, zoo, or being with a good friend, can give you a release for all the frustrations you may have felt or are still feeling. It's hard to stay disappointed when you are at the zoo checking out all the Christmas treats the zookeepers have in store for the animals in their care. Just watching the Polar Bears, penguins, monkeys and more, get their treats can be a delight for your overworked body and spirit. The walking and exercise are good for you too. Too much food and drink can be the trigger to make some people feel cranky and "out of sorts". Drinking water and walking can help undo all the overeating and indulgences that took place the day before. If you can't do the exercise, then just sitting back and watching a favorite movie, with full permission to just enjoy it, can also revive the drooping spirits. A new hobby will keep your mind and hands occupied while you try to figure out just what you are supposed to do. An active mind doesn't have time to dwell on things that didn't go as planned and that's a good thing.
If this all fails, then you can always go to the internet and start planning something different, a vacation in the new year, places you want to see or books you want to read. On Review This Reviews, you can find lots of book reviews, Do It Yourself projects, movie reviews and more. I dare say you could spend the better part of a day just checking out all the articles and I'm sure you will find a few that will trigger some ideas of your own.
The most important thing on December 26th is to relish and relive, enjoy and form the memories of the day before. Writing that note may be the first step in some well deserved "self-care" that will keep you from drowning in some very powerful negatives that could be plaguing your spirits. Don't let Christmas let-down, get you down.......there are plenty more good times coming your way.
**Olivia is not a health care specialist, if you are feeling down or depressed, please check out your local health professionals.
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I hope you all had a wonderful, Peaceful Christmas.
Now feels like the time for me to start the gardening year. At first the
feeling is slow, almost imperceptible, but its there and each day the days are getting just that little bit longer and the
prospect of getting out there more appealing.
The shortest day in terms of daylight hours where I live is over
and despite the cold weather and seemingly bleak outlook, if you listen and
look carefully you can feel nature starting to wake up.
Now is the day if I am home, that I venture out into the
garden. During most of December I rarely go into the garden, we have heavy, wet
clay soil and when rainy it only gets muddy and then compacted if I tread
on it. In freezing weather it really is hard like a stone. I can do a lot
more harm than good gardening at this time in our
garden. So generally for most of December the garden and I have a break from each
other.
However today I look and listen and I can feel my soul wanting to
reconnect with the garden. There is often not too much to look at now and all the winter jobs are
done. However, as I gaze around I look for tiny signs of growth and appreciate the bones of the garden.
The evergreens that are always there, are so reliable, so constant and
without the distraction of colour and flowers, they come into their own
right now.
Holly Types And Growing Needs
The best at this time of year is the Holly. Although Holly can be
deciduous, we grow only the evergreen type. The Holly tree is a symbol of
winter and festivity and many of us cut and bring in Holly branches to decorate our homes in
winter.
The holly tree,common Holly, or to give it is rather pretty Latin name Ilex aquifolium, is an evergreen shrub or tree that can potentially
grow up to around 15 meters plus or about 50 feet tall though you can prune to
keep it more manageable.
There are also many smaller varieties reaching up to half that size such
as Ilex aquifolium 'Silver Mermaid' 6m x 4m (approx 20 x 13 feet) or
even smaller sizes suitable for a pot like Ilex aquifolium
'Hascombensis' 2.5m x 1.5m (approx 8 x 5 feet). These are more suitable
for a small garden or if you simply want a smaller tree with less
maintenance. Some even have lovely variagated leaves such as Ilex x
altaclerensis 'Golden King' 6m x 3m (approx 20 x 10 feet), which is a female
variety and does produce red berries.
Holly Berries can be colours mostly from red to yellow and orange on
different varieties. A Holly Plant is generally either male or female so to get those beautiful
berries you will need a female tree with male tree nearby. However
some of the male varieties even though there are no berries, have really
gorgeous leaves and habits and are worth growing.
Holly is grown in gardens both domestic and stately, woodland and hedgerows
mainly. It can be a specimum plant glorious on its own or grown as part of a pretty
inpenetrable spiky hedge which is excellent for security. We grow it alone
and as part of our mixed hedge. It is also found in the wild where the
common Holly can grow very tall and wide indeed if unchecked.
Holly is beautiful with often very dark green, glossy, and usually very
spiky sometimes variagated leaves. It can have small white flowers in Spring, though most will not be grown
for the flowers. The main feature of the female Holly is the beautiful berries that really brighten up the day and look spectacular against the dark
green leaves.
It prefers to grow in a sunny or semi shade position on moist but well
drained soil. It is not fussy about soil being happy in loam, chalk, sand or
clay and acid, neutral or alkaline soil type. It can cope well in an exposed
site or a sheltered position and is content to face any way except
north.
I have only space to mention a few varieties of Holly here. If you want
Holly in your own garden there are so many varieties offering different
sizes and features it is best to research what is suitable for your garden
and needs.
Uses Of The Holly Tree
The Holly tree is a very valuable tree for its many uses.
As the wood is hard, heavy, and fine-grained, it is good for making
furniture, carving, and inlay work. Leaves and berries are wonderful for
crafting projects whether it is using real Holly or artificial
Holly.
It can be used for Christmas or New year decorations including wreaths, and table centre
pieces or a winter display to brighten up a dull corner.
At a time when flowers are rare in the garden and expensive to buy, a
display of Holly in a vase is a beautiful alternative through out
winter.
Holly For Nature
For nature Holly is an extremely valuable tree. The spiky leaves provide
safe shelter all year round and nesting sites.
The Winter time berries are food for birds and small mammals and
the flowers in Spring attract bees and pollinators.
Even its roots help to stabilise the soil and prevent erosion.
Holly In Mythology and Symbolism
The Holly tree has a rich history of mythology and symbolism.
For many of us Holly is a part of the Holiday festivities bringing in
boughs of Holly real or artificial for home decor and is a symbol of
joy. When we bring in Holly into our homes it is also supposed to
protect from evil spirits and lightning, and to bring prosperity and good luck!
Holly has associations with the sun god and the winter solstice, and was considered a sacred plant by the Druids, Romans, and
Celts. It was believed to have magical powers, such as healing,
protection, and fertility. It was also a symbol of peace, joy and goodwill, and was used to
make crowns and gifts.
The Holly was adopted by Christianity, as a symbol of Christ's birth, death, and resurrection with the crown of thorns
representing blood and eternal life.
We even have songs about Holly such as "The Holly And The Ivy", perfectly
performed here by Kings College, Cambridge UK.
So the holly tree is a stunning plant in nature and in our gardens that has
history, mythology and many benefits for us and wildlife.
To step outside into the garden on a crisp cold day in the midst of
winter or wrap up and enjoy a winter walk and see a glorious Holly tree
covered in gorgeous berries is a highlight of the season and one I always
look forward to.