3 Ways to Beat the Post-Holiday Blues: Get Back to Routine Without Losing the Magic
- Caitlin Kindred
- Jan 5, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 5
Feeling a post-holiday letdown? Same. Here's how we're getting through it this year.
The holidays are over.
The decorations are packed away. The laundry pile is huge. The school emails have started up, and your calendar just got serious again.
And you're staring down that jarring shift from holiday magic to alarm clocks, packed lunches, and the reality of January.
The post-holiday blues are real—and they hit parents just as hard as kids.
Here's the thing nobody tells you: the letdown doesn't start when you go back to work or school.
It starts the moment the anticipation ends. For me? That's Christmas morning when the living room is covered in wrapping paper and my kid is asking me to build four things and add batteries to seven toys immediately. The magic is over, and now we're just... back to normal.
Except normal feels worse after all that sparkle.
So how do you ease back into routine without the whiplash? How do you keep a little magic alive in the everyday chaos of January?
We're breaking down practical strategies that actually work—for kids AND adults.
Episode Takeaways
The school supply reset: what to restock, check, and replace before chaos hits
Why restraint collapse hits harder after breaks—and the decompression rule that actually works
How to build anticipation in everyday life (hint: visible calendar + tiny "yeses")
Quick, cheap ways to keep connection alive without adding to your to-do list
Permission to feel the post-holiday letdown, too (even if you did all the work to create the magic)
Listen Here
Feeling that post-holiday letdown? Struggling to get back to—well, anything? This episode is for you!
Get Ready: The Pre-Routine Reset
Before school and work start back up, do a quick reset to make the transition smoother.
For Kids and School
Restock supplies. It's completely normal for kids to run through a year's worth of pencils, pens, paper, and notebooks in one semester. Check what they need and restock before the first day back.
Find the missing stuff. Water bottles, lunchboxes, gloves—now's the time to locate them (and wash anything you didn't take out of the backpack over break).
Check uniforms and winter gear. Can they still put their hands in their gloves? How's the sleeve length on that winter coat? Kids grow fast.
Transition bedtimes early. Don't wait until the night before school starts. Begin backing up bedtime a few days in advance.
Expect restraint collapse. Remember after-school restraint collapse? It's going to happen again after break. Your kids held it together during the holidays, and now they need to decompress. Build in extra time for the transition.
Hold off on activities that first week. If you can, pause after-school activities for the first week back. Create space for kids to decompress: stop at the park on the way home, play a quick board game before homework, or take a walk together while you talk about anything but school.
Read the emails. Teachers are resetting too. Expect new syllabi, class changes, and forms to sign. Set aside time that first week to actually read what comes home.
For Grownups and Grownup-ing
The Sunday Scaries are worse before going back. What do you need to feel ready for the week? Meal planning and groceries? Laundry? A pile of fresh pillows to scream into?
Don't forget to take care of yourself too.
The Secret to Beating Post-Holiday Blues: Build Anticipation
Here's what Jenny helped me realize: the holiday letdown happens because the anticipation is over.
So the solution? Look for ways to build anticipation in everyday life.
Use a Visible Family Calendar
You probably already have a family calendar.
Now make it work harder for you.
Mark upcoming "special" events—even tiny ones:
Trip to the library
Visits from family or friends
Drive-thru dinner night (yes, this counts as special)
Movie night
Game night
Use icons for kids who aren't readers yet. Let your family SEE what's coming so they don't feel like the rug's been pulled out from under them.
Turn Routine Into Ritual
Make ordinary things feel special:
Playoff game on TV? Gear up in team clothing, decorate the living room, make special snacks.
Making a meal plan? Let everyone put their ideas in a hat, draw out ten, and decide what goes on the menu. (Jenny says draw ten because "I know my kids and a 16-hour smoked brisket would probably be at least one of their suggestions...")
Waiting at the bus stop? Bring chalk and play tic-tac-toe on the sidewalk.
Running errands on Saturday? Bring a scavenger hunt list. [Download printables for grocery stores, Target, and Costco here!]
Quick, Cheap Ways to Keep Connection Alive
Winter break isn't like summer break. It's a 14-day intensive filled with attention, activities, and special family time.
Shifting back to normal schedules is hard—even for older kids who understand WHY there's less time for bonding. Knowing isn't enough to deal with the feelings.
And YOU might want more attention, family time, holiday spirit, or holiday foods too. (Go find AustiNuts Christmas Tree Pretzels, and when you do, send me a package.)
It's okay to feel sad or disappointed. And you should share those feelings with your family (in age-appropriate ways, obviously).
Try: "I liked all the extra time we had together over the holidays. I'm glad to be back in our normal routine, but I need a family date. What ideas do you have for us to reconnect?"
Connection Ideas That Take Almost No Effort
I'm using these starting this week!
Tasting parties: Best brand of hot chocolate? Favorite pasta shape? Best apple variety? Make it a bracket-style competition.
"Scarf, Share, or Skip": Play this while watching cooking shows. Would you devour it, share it with friends, or skip it entirely?
10-minute costume contests: Set a timer, use what's in the house, GO.
Timed read-alouds: Everyone gets comfy, you read for 15 minutes. That's it.
Connection notes around the house: Leave encouraging notes in lunchboxes, shoes, bathroom mirrors. Inside jokes, callbacks to holiday memories, or just "I love you."
Name your own feelings: "I miss the closeness too" is a powerful thing to say out loud.
The Bottom Line
January doesn't have to feel like a comedown.
You can ease back into routine without losing all the holiday warmth. You can keep a little magic alive in everyday moments without adding a million things to your to-do list.
The secret isn't doing MORE—it's being intentional about the small stuff. Visible calendars. Tiny "yeses." Connection notes. Bus-stop chalk games.
And permission to feel the letdown yourself, even if you were the one doing all the work to make the holidays magical.
If you find yourself unable to shake the sadness, reach out to a trusted resource for more support. Post-holiday blues are normal, but if they're lasting longer than a few weeks or interfering with daily life, talk to someone.
Otherwise? Be gentle with yourself. Build in decompression time. Create little pockets of anticipation.
You've got this.
Make good choices,
Caitlin & Jenny
Printable Scavenger Hunts:
Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt
Target Scavenger Hunt
Costco Scavenger Hunt
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Listen to the full episode for even more tips on beating post-holiday blues and making January feel a little less like a letdown.
Sources & Mentions
Thanks to CK's friend Joey for the hilarious New Year's resolution (listen to the episode to hear it!)
Sending a special thank you to Karen, CK's mother-in-law, for restoring her cherished baby blanket with this beautiful labor of love.
Who We Are
Caitlin and Jenny are moms and besties in Austin, Texas. Jenny is a middle school assistant principal and Caitlin is a former middle school teacher turned EdTech marketer.
They understand the post-holiday transition from both the parent and educator perspectives—and they're here to help you survive it. Learn more about them, here.
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