Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Re-Post: Beat the January Doldrums!


Good Morning! Here's another pertinent post from the archives. Anyone else feeling depressed that Christmas is over and January is looming? Read on...

Whenever I wake up and the calendar says December 26th, I sigh.

Ug.

That has got to be the most depressing day of the year!

And, quite frankly, that attitude often lasts all through January. I mean, honestly, what does January have to offer me? It's cold. I haven't skied for a decade. It's too early to decorate for Valentine's Day. Blech. (Am I being dramatic enough to get my point across? ;)

Then, a couple of years ago, I read a blog post by my brilliant friend, Lori, that inspired me to grab January by the horns and make it rad.

-For your littles-
Lori's post about "jazzing up January" is HERE. Read it! She will inspire you to create an advent-type January game for your little ones that will majorly bring January out of gloom and doom territory. Also, check out her follow-up post detailing some of their January fun HERE.

-For your older children-
I asked some mothers of older children for some January-depression-proof suggestions:
* Go bowling (seems that children of all ages love to bowl)
* Read a chapter book out loud together
* Go rollerskating
* Don't be afraid to play outside - even if it is snowing. Just get out! Take them to a vacant parking lot (a church, perhaps?) and let them have a snowball fight while you sit in the toasty car with a good book.
* Check out winter-themed books from the library
* Fill a spray bottle with colored water and draw pictures in the snow
* Use sheets & boxes to build a fort inside your house

-For YOU-
Our list of doldrum-beaters:
*Plan a hot night out with your sweetheart. Get gussied up, put your favorite scarf on, dare to wear lipstick! Make it something to look forward to all week.

*Plan a Girls' Night with some friends. Watch the girlie movie you've been dying to see (you know your husband won't mind if you see it without him!), go out for hot chocolate, or go out and sing karaoke! (I have a major testimony of Karaoke!)

*Set aside a few hours to do something you've been wanting to do, but always push aside for other things. Read a novel, give yourself a pedi, work on a new project, take a bubbly bath.

Now everybody say it with me.

Bring it on, January!

-Anne


More ideas? Pray, tell!

6 comments:

Megan said...

I'm right there with you! I hate taking down the tree and feel like I could cry the entire time. I eventually get over it (while still listening to Christmas music, of course) and pull out the winter decorations and before we know it summer is back!

Nicole said...

love it!!!

Barb said...

Ugh, January is the worst. I laughed out loud at your "testimony of karoake" line! Thanks for that. I'm feeling blah and down in the dumps today, so I forced myself to do some sit-ups and push ups and I'm already feeling better. Hmm, maybe if I do a whole workout video I'll be cured?

Anonymous said...

I am actually SO GLAD Christmas is over this year. I practically ripped my tree apart taking it down. I'm ready to get back to simplicity. I am super excited for January to come! We are going to start it with a bang!

Kalli said...

bowling, YES BOWLING!!

Deanna said...

As much as I enjoy Christmas, I actually love the day after Christmas, because it means the holidays are over! I love getting back into a real routine and making resolution. And January isn't so bad if you live in a city where average highs are 65 degrees for the whole month :)