The holiday season is officially behind us. Midnight on January 1, 2016 came and went, full of toasts, kisses, and New Year's resolutions. As we make our way into February, the glory begins to fade. We have now entered that post-holiday time of year. For those of you holiday-lovers, this is also known as the start of the countdown to next season and the beginning of post-holiday gloom.
1. Bye bye, lights
Most people have taken down their Christmas trees and other decorations...and that unfortunately includes lights. From classy to tacky, Christmas lights are one of the first signs of the holiday season. Now I have to drive home from work on a dark road, completely devoid of flashing light displays or tacky blow-up Santas.
2. Having to wear normal clothes again
The holiday season is the perfect excuse to basically wear whatever you want. Second only to Halloween, it's a season where adults, young and old, can get away with wearing the tackiest and most unfashionable outfits ever. Now it's time to pack up the tacky Christmas sweaters and elf costumes in favor of "normal" winter clothing, without flashing lights or sewn-on tinsel.
3. No more gifts to give or receive
One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is giving gifts to my loved ones. I'm not going to lie, receiving gifts isn't too bad either, but shopping and giving to others is a lot of fun. Now I don't have an excuse to buy random gifts for people on any given day. Time to start shopping for next season and hide all the gifts in my closet.
4. Closing of holiday attractions
The holiday season is the perfect time to go explore new activities while holiday events pop up everywhere. One of my personal favorites is ice-skating, even though I definitely don't come anywhere close to the skills of the people above. The end of the holiday season means no more giant Christmas trees, holiday performances, etc.
5. No more holiday food
This may be the biggest loss of all. The holiday season is the perfect excuse to eat whatever your heart desires. Holiday food usually comes from holiday parties, which are over now. No more excuses to go to other people's fancy parties and eat their fancy holiday food. Goodbye, peppermint and eggnog, and hello to normal people food.
6. New Year's Resolutions start to run out
I know it's only been about a month since the New Year rolled around...but we all know most New Year's resolutions have already gone to the wayside. If you're still going strong with your resolutions, congrats! You're one of few. By the end of January, the unusual crowds at the gym will start to thin out and that brand new journal will be written in once a year. But hey, it's okay, most of us are right there with you.
7. No more Holiday movies
It isn't socially acceptable anymore for me to watch Elf once a week before I go to bed. We now have to return to normal TV watching habits, like binge-watching Parks and Rec and Netflix documentaries. It was fun while it lasted. Holiday movies, see you in less than a year.
8. Having to return to normal music
Christmas carols can get a bit annoying because there are rarely new ones; just new renditions of the same old songs. Despite their redundancy, we all know and love those classic songs. But now, no longer can I hear 24 hours of Christmas carols on the radio station that has been playing Christmas music since Halloween. Time to return to my Spotify playlists.
I'm a true lover of the holiday season. It's a time for spending time with family, friends, partying, eating lots of food, snuggling up by the fire place, and making memories. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, but thankfully it'll be back before we know it. So, farewell holiday season of 2015. Here's to a fantastic 2016!
