Did Christmas meet your expectations? I'm not asking if you got the new electronic thingamajig you wanted or the book you've been eager to read. The days right after Christmas may be something of a letdown. You've had too much to eat, you're too tired to exchange the robe that doesn't fit, and the company has gone home—or maybe they haven't and that's part of the problem!
Even though we are serious about celebrating the true reason for the season, we sometimes fantasize how an anticipated occasion is going to play out. We imagine the holiday that songs and stories are made of, and reality does not always measure up—not necessarily that anything bad happened. There were no arguments among the adults, no tearful fusses by the children, no burned or underdone entrees. Instead of glorying in how well everything went, we are vaguely uncomfortable.
It's helpful if we recognize that this is pretty normal, not just in regard to holidays, but also to vacations, a change in jobs, a different car, even a new baby! Our dreams are totally controllable and we can make things happen exactly as we wish, whereas real life is tricky. Anticipation is often greater than realization.
Don't let the day-after blahs drain away the goodness of the holidays. In retrospect, probably a fine time was had by all!
Marjorie
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