Is Santa to blame?

Is Santa to blame?

When I was younger the day after Christmas was so anticlimactic for me. I would feel depressed once the presents were opened and the excitement of preparing for Christmas was over.

Decorating the house and the tree, shopping for the perfect gifts, choosing the wrapping paper carefully for each person, putting the perfect bow on top of the package, and drinking in all that is Christmas was so exciting. I just loved all of the activities that led to Christmas morning.

I was never disappointed in the gifts, and never put a lot of focus on what I was or wasn't getting. It was more about having this big event to look forward to and get ready for, and then it was over.


I haven't felt that disappointment in a long time, but I still feel a little out of sorts.

I don't know if it was the commercialism that created this problem for me, but I've had discussions with some of my friends about what we call The Santa Dilemma. As parents should we promote the whole Santa thing? I love everything Christmas, and the magic and wonder of it all still gives me a thrill. But the "begging" of gifts from some strange old man does seem a bit weird when I step back and look at it from a detached point of view.

Of course it was never about Santa, really, but we live in a very materialistic culture. As a child it is hard to distinguish what the real meaning is when we are bombarded with the commercialism of the holiday. As I've gotten older I know that Christmas morning is really just the beginning. It marks a major event for Christians, and it is the beginning of hope, not the end.

I finally realized yesterday while I was talking to my chiropractor that it's the break in routine that has me feeling a little dull. I'm a person who needs a routine. While I do like a break once in a while, I don't do well when my whole routine is thrown off for an extended period of time.

We were gone for a week, Sean is out of school, work is different during holiday breaks, and our daily schedule is all out of whack. We're staying up later, getting up later, eating at different times and eating so much junk. Ugh. I can't even stand the thought of another sugary "treat."

This is the time of year when a lot of people get depressed. My dulldrums will disappear as soon as we get back into the swing of the daily grind, but for some it is not that easy.

How do you deal with holiday stress, disappointment, or the break in your routine?

Here's a little gift from me to you :)
How about a virtual trip to a museum?
Click on one of the bars in one of the periods and it will take you to the composer and a button to play the piece. Hope you enjoy it!

Or a little help from the floral department
This could also brighten your day.