Leaving Christmasland | Back To Reality

We’ve well and truly left Christmasland. The decorations were packed away over the weekend, and the Kids’ returned to school today. It feels as though it never happened. Well kind of.

(This is the funniest description of Christmasland I can find)

The house feels twice as big (and half as noisy – well more than that really – it’s oh so quiet). The festive dust stands proud round where decorations once stood. Although much of that has been wiped away now.

It’s been a wet Christmas here in the UK. Even my 7-year-old commented that it’s been the warmest winter ever. No snow to speak of and none due either. January seems to have started in the same vein. This evening I walked to school in the rain, but a friend took pity on the children and I and did offer us a lift home after I sheltered under their umberella on the school playground. Note to self – as a Brit I should know better than to play Russian roulette as dark clouds approach.

Here it is – January. Back to reality.

But I don’t mind. I actually like January, even a wet one.

After the excesses and abundance of December it’s always a welcome arrival. You can have too much of a good thing. You can eat too many mince pies (oh yes you can). As nice as the decorations are, it’s good to take them down. I personally do not ‘wish it was Christmas everyday’. It’s lovely, once a year. The whole of December is very special. It’s warm, it’s cosy, it’s time to kick back, to relax and take time out, to spend time with family and friends.

January is the month to kick it in.

Regardless of whether you make New Year’s resolutions or just prioritise, there’s a motivator about the first month of the year which is unrivalled. Maybe because we are collectively in the same boat – ready to get going. Just as December gives us permission to indulge, January inspires us to knuckle down.

Michael Buble is back in his CD case and relegated from lounge to the loft ready to reappear once it’s time to unwind once more, but before that there’s stuff to do.

How are you feeling this January? Fighting fit and raring to get started, or are you pining for the sofa and suffering Christmas movie and mulled wine withdrawal already?