Embrace the Blues: A Guide to Uplifting Your Holiday Depression to the Next Level”

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The holiday season, often painted with broad strokes of joy, laughter, and unbridled merriment, holds a different hue for everyone. Amidst the glittering lights and cheerful carols, many find themselves cradling a less talked about holiday tradition – depression. The stark juxtaposition of festive cheer against a backdrop of personal melancholy can be quite the spectacle. Yet, year after year, many waltz into the holiday season with the naivety of a child, utterly unprepared for the emotional roller-coaster that awaits. Here’s a light-hearted look at how people often miss the sleigh when it comes to prepping for holiday depression, and a suggestion on how to embrace it and take it to the next level.

Embrace the Blues

1. Denial: The First Snowflake of Despair

• The first snowflake falls, and with it descends a cloak of denial. Many simply refuse to acknowledge the potential for holiday blues, dismissing it as a myth like Santa Claus or calorie-free holiday treats. They venture forth into the festive fray, armed with nothing but a fragile veneer of forced cheer.

2. Misguided Elf Therapy

• Some believe that surrounding themselves with every conceivable holiday decoration will ward off the impending gloom. They deck the halls with boughs of holly, inflatable reindeer, and enough lights to be seen from space, hoping to brighten the inner darkness with external sparkle.

3. Caroling Catastrophe

• Ah, the healing power of song, or so they think. The idea is to sing away the sorrow alongside a choir of equally tone-deaf neighbors. However, belting out “Jingle Bells” at the top of your lungs may not provide the emotional catharsis you were hoping for.

4. Retail Therapy: A Temporary High

• The allure of holiday sales and the temporary high of finding a “bargain” often leads many down the rabbit hole of retail therapy. However, the fleeting joy of material possessions quickly dissipates, leaving behind a trail of credit card bills and a mountain of gift-wrapping.

5. Overindulgence: A Feast of Emotions

• The holidays provide a cornucopia of culinary temptations to drown one’s sorrows in. From fruitcakes to festive cocktails, many find solace at the bottom of a tin of Christmas cookies, only to discover that emotional eating is a recipe for further despair.

6. Resolution Delusion

• As the year draws to a close, many pin their hopes on New Year’s resolutions to combat the encroaching melancholy. They draft ambitious lists of life-altering goals, blissfully unaware that the pressure to transform oneself overnight can exacerbate the holiday blues.

7. Social Media Mirage

• The desire to portray a picture-perfect holiday season on social media only deepens the chasm of holiday depression. The endless scroll through seemingly joyful celebrations amplifies feelings of inadequacy and loneliness.

8. Avoidance of Professional Help

• Lastly, the stigma surrounding mental health often deters individuals from seeking professional help. They soldier on, masked with a brittle smile, while the holiday cheer crumbles around them.

9. Embracing the Blues: The Unconventional Uplift

• Instead of fighting the holiday depression, why not embrace it and take it to the next level? Create a new tradition of ‘Celebratory Sadness’. Host a ‘Blue Christmas’ party where everyone can share their holiday woes amidst a comforting ambiance of shared understanding. Turn the tables on holiday depression by celebrating it in a supportive, communal setting.

In conclusion, preparing for holiday depression may require a blend of self-awareness, realistic expectations, and a dash of unconventional thinking. It’s high time we add “embracing the blues” to our holiday to-do list, ensuring that the season of joy doesn’t turn into a winter of discontent, but rather a unique blend of shared human experience.

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Embrace the Blues + Bonus Checklist

The Ultimate Checklist: How to Do Holiday Depression Right”

The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the inevitable holiday blues. But fear not, for we have concocted the perfect checklist to ensure you navigate your holiday depression with a touch of humor and a dash of style. Here’s how to do holiday depression right:

1. Denial Decorations:

• Deck your halls with boughs of denial. Remember, nothing says “I’m fine” like a house so brightly lit it can be seen from the International Space Station.

2. Retail Therapy Marathon:

• Aim to hit every holiday sale in town. Bonus points if you max out your credit cards before noon.

3. Carb Coma:

• Dive into a mountain of mashed potatoes and gravy. It’s not emotional eating if you call it a “holiday tradition.”

4. Eggnog Enlightenment:

• Seek solace at the bottom of an eggnog carton. Spoiler alert: It’s just more eggnog, but hey, it’s worth a shot.

5. Social Media Misery Contest:

• Compete with friends to see who can post the most overly joyful holiday pictures. Remember, it’s not about being happy; it’s about looking happy.

6. Resolution Roulette:

• Make a list of wildly unrealistic New Year’s resolutions. Aim for goals like achieving world peace or finally giving up that addiction to oxygen.

7. Re-Gifting Regret:

• Save money and spread disappointment by re-gifting last year’s unwanted presents. It’s the gift that keeps on giving (you a sense of despair).

8. Holiday Movie Marathon:

• Binge-watch every holiday movie ever made. By the time you reach “Die Hard”, you’ll be too numb to feel anything.

9. Awkward Family Photo Shoot:

• Force the family into matching ugly sweaters and stage an awkward photo shoot. The discomfort will take your mind off the depression.

10. Procrastination Celebration:

• Put off dealing with your holiday depression until after the holidays. It’s future you’s problem now!

11. Therapist on Speed Dial:

• Keep your therapist on speed dial, but only call them to share the funny moments of your holiday despair. They could use a laugh too!

12. Mistletoe Misadventures:

• Hang mistletoe in every doorway, but avoid all human contact. It’s the thought that counts, right?

Embrace the blues and get ready for a depressing 2024 because it is an election year.