Nostalgia: Christmas postmortem (Repost)

@ mirandablue

Christmas is over. How’s your Christmas hangover? Is the pocket bruised? The heart soothed? The wishes satisfied to the point of burping?  If you pretended at giving, succumbing to the season’s expectations, are you squirming still?  Is there any Christmas spirit left, or you're back to your grinchy self the day after Christmas?  Did you rekindle good memories, and remind yourself of the "reason for the season"?   Or maxed-out your Visa to buy people you don't like things they don't need? 

Forgive yourself and breath a sigh of relief.  It's 300 more days to go before the next one.:p

I usually feel deflated the day after Christmas. After the season’s excitement, the quietness of the following days is a welcome respite. The cool morning breezes roused my aching limbs but I stayed in bed a while longer and listened to the voices outside the door. I could hear Fritz barking as he runs into the house, anxious for its friendly smells and comforting hums of conversation. Aromas of leftover ham and coffee, sleepy footsteps, boards creaking under the weight of remembered feet, laughter of all pitches and ages. The music of a family, my personal scrapbook of memories. 

But still, four days to recuperate and gather strength for the hassle and bustle of New Year's eve seem too short.  I feel another wave of holiday stress coming in--too much togetherness is driving me nuts!

This post is linked to Nostalgic Marveling