http://valleycentral.com/news/local/post-holiday-depression-a-serious-issue-for-manyhttp://www.medicinenet.com/holiday_depression_and_stress/page3.htmhttp://www.empowher.com/depression/content/post-holiday-depression-why-are-you-feeling-so-low-after-best-time-yearhttp://psychcentral.com/lib/how-to-manage-post-holiday-depression/ I researched this some time ago. I would have this and sometimes still do. It use to happen after New Years. I would listen to Xmas music, drive around looking at decorations, look at reduced stuff in stores. Oddly this has been going on even when I was a kid.
Christmas is a unique time of year. So much effort goes into it. For the U.S. the next holiday is Easter and July 4th. Those don't really compare. Maybe it's from Oct. to Dec. there's a holiday celebrated by many.
Living in a warm climate seems to reduce this but it doesn't carry the same atmosphere without the snow. Maybe there should be cards with decorated cactus with snow.
I always thought the 12 days of Christmas was a song but cultures do celebrate that way and market it for tourism. Christmas market starts after Halloween these days and even earlier. It was never that way when I was a kid. Modern churches seem to abandon Christmas music right after the holiday. Even radio stations do that. The best Christmas parties are the ones after the holiday. Less stress except for those hosting.
As for Xmas music my ears got tired of modern artists and TSO. I don't think I could hear any variation of Carol of the Bells or Jingle Bell along with Feliz Navidad. Artists today just can't match the old crooners for my ears.
There is a reality that some will face is when family members are no longer there and while family can be annoying there is that one that keeps the family intact. Without them holidays will be different. This is where this time of year can be quite depressing. In my perfect world this would be the time I would shed any sense of being self centered and serving others, not by donations and materialism but in a way that brings them joy.