Christmas is the happiest time of the year. As soon as porch lights go off signaling the end of trick-or-treat, Christmas trees begin popping up; individuals and businesses everywhere begin obsessing over Christmas.

Following Thanksgiving, the holiday spirit seems inescapable. “Christmas cheer” suddenly spreads at an exponential rate, only comparable to an epidemic. However, all of the hype dissipates on December 26.

The day after Christmas is arguably one of the most depressing days of the year. All of the Christmas decorations that are up for display suddenly become outdated; the holiday music that once conquered the radio is replaced by the pop hits that have been absent for too long (or not long enough for some people). Among these horrors lies the worst of all: the fact that there are another 364 entire days until Christmas comes again.

The worst part of “post-Christmas depression” is knowing that for students and teachers alike, school will soon be right around the corner. Waking up at 6:30 every morning will once again become part of the daily routine and not getting done until at least 2:30 will distress many, but the fact that Christmas is over will eventually set in.

Getting over this “post-Christmas depression,” is very important to one’s own sanity. Luckily, there are many ways for people to overcome this such as taking advantage of the otherworldly sales on overstocked Christmas decorations, taking down their own decorations or even prolonging the inevitable by continuing to keep the holiday cheer until after New Year’s.

Even though there are many routes to take when attempting to get over post-Christmas depression, the feelings of emptiness continue to linger among most. The hole in one’s heart can sometimes be filled by the newly received Christmas gifts, but unfortunately, that is not always the case. For some, this feeling of loneliness and despair can only be filled by none other than Kris Kringle. Even so, there is no need to fear because post-Christmas depression will eventually go away on its own. Amen.