PCSD: Post-Christmas Stress Disorder

Hello again.

It's now Dec. 28. Three days after Christmas and I can't help but feel a little run down. The excitement and joy from Christmas Day has pretty much worn off. Family members have returned to work or returned home and store shelves are pretty much picked over. There's not much left to show that Christmas happened except for maybe those five pounds in cookies that I ate.
My cousins all went back home and my brother went back to work. My boyfriend went back to his daily grind as well. Meanwhile, I'm at home trying to entertain myself for the last three weeks of winter break.
Except, while I don't mind finding things to do, I can only do the same things so many times. I can only walk around the mall aimlessly, refresh Facebook, read books, stare anxiously at my phone waiting for a text to come through, play fruit ninja or some other game I have on the fancy phone I bought so many times before I get bored. So, I've determined that the time spent thinking about the upcoming semester and upcoming events should be labeled PCSD: Post-Christmas Stress Disorder.
The upcoming semester means another semester closer to graduation, which is still a ways off, but it's still scary to think about. It also means that summer break follows it.
Now, for most people, summer is a lot of fun and very relaxing. But, for me, summer is fun, but it is a very hard and long three months. My best friend is three and a half hours away and my boyfriend is two hours away. I'm super busy all summer, which is fun, but exhausting. I love my job. I love camp. I don't love the little time off and the lack of sleep though.
I digress.
Anyway, back to PCSD. Christmas is over and the new year is coming. People start out with goals and ambitions that end up failing after two weeks. Therefore, disappointment and low self-esteem/self-image set in. Which I also attribute to PCSD.
Although more people are depressed around the holidays, the people who aren't, REALLY aren't. People are either really happy or really sad. There really isn't much middle ground around the holidays. But, as soon as Christmas is over, the middle ground reappears and I'm convinced more people get depressed after the holidays, but who am I to know that.
The "high" we experience around the holiday can leave us feeling let down afterward because not everyday can be Christmas. What if it was though? I don't mean the presents and commercialized part of Christmas, but the attitudes you have regarding the holiday. What would YOUR life be like if everyday were Christmas?
As we leave the holiday season and enter into the "mundane and mediocre" grind of life, think about your attitude around Christmas and the other holidays. Are you really happy or are you really sad? Why? If you're really happy at Christmas and kind of eh the rest of the year, why? If you're really sad at Christmas and generally happy the rest of the year, why? Find joy in something that's not material today. Find joy in something bigger. Don't become a victim of PCSD.

Let's Just Skip Winter?

Hello.

As I recline in my mom's rocking chair and glance at the 15 foot Christmas tree standing in the middle of my house, I can't help but think of Christmases past and how it just doesn't quite feel like Christmas, despite the mere 5 days until Christmas.
I listen to Christmas music, but it just hasn't put me in the spirit. I've gone shopping, somewhat reluctantly, and still nothing. Maybe it's the warm weather or the lack of snow in western Pennsylvania (I know, lacking snow in PA is a ridiculous thought?) Even the giant tree isn't helping. Maybe I'm starting to realize that Christmas isn't about the music, the trees, the gifts or even the snow.
I've grown up knowing the "true meaning of Christmas," but I also know there's a lot more to Jesus' life than His birth. Besides, most of those nativity scenes aren't accurate. The wise men didn't arrive until Jesus was about three years old and He was born in like April or something, not December. So, in all actuality, it's entirely possible that Easter and Christmas should be switched if we're following the Christian calendar.
If we're switching the two holidays, shouldn't we just skip over winter and go to spring? I mean, if we change the holidays, we're going to have to let things play out for the final time having Easter in the spring and Christmas again in the spring. So we'll have a double holiday. We could have AdLent.
Ok, now I'm just getting ridiculous. But, seriously, why do we have to make such a hullaballoo over Christmas? If we focus on the birth of Christ, shouldn't we celebrate it humbly? Since He came humbly, it's only right we celebrate the same way. Music, trees, gifts and snow shouldn't need to put us in a mood to celebrate the birth of a King. If we're going to make such a fuss, let's just skip over winter and move on to Easter where we don't make nearly as much fuss when really, we should be making twice as much as we do for Christmas. Because of Easter we are free. We have grace. We received grace. We are forgiven. Granted, nothing could have been possible without Christ being born, but I think us being saved from our sins via the cross, is a bit more spectacular.
Anyway, that's just a little contrast to the way things normally are.

Peace and love.