Ways to manage post-festive season syndrome

What you need to know:
- Holidays are meant to be enjoyed, not to leave us with a financial or emotional hangover
Ah, the post-festive season; when the high of the holidays collides with the cold, hard reality of the New Year.
It is like the moment you wake up after a crazy night out, only to realise you have accidentally texted your ex and have no idea where your shoes are. We have all been there.
You know that feeling when the ping of your phone fills you with instant dread, your bank balance gives you a mini heart attack, or your email inbox looks like a virtual horror show?
Welcome to Post-Festive Season Syndrome; where the glitter has settled, but your regrets are still sparkling.
It is not all bad though. Much like childbirth, this "seasonal affliction" seems awful at the time, but in 12 months, you will be throwing yourself back into the holiday chaos with wide-eyed excitement; until, of course, the same cycle begins again.
Sure, we made some resolutions: "This year, I will stick to a budget," "I will eat healthier," "I will spend more time with family and less partying."
But, the holiday season is like a slippery slope, and before we know it, we have slid right back into old habits.
Suddenly, we are buying gifts we cannot afford just to keep up with the Instagram influencers who make us feel like our living rooms are not cosy enough.
We are drinking as if it is an Olympic sport, and we are planning our New Year's fitness goals while still recovering from the food coma from last night’s party.
For some of us, it is the aftermath of overspending that stings the most.
That fleeting joy of emptying your bank account just to have the "perfect holiday" can quickly turn into a year-long game of financial hide-and-seek shuffling payments and praying the next paycheck will somehow cover everything.
And the worst part? We all know that one person who is still posting their holiday vacation pictures while we are sitting in our living rooms, trying to figure out if we can survive on instant noodles for the next week. Ah, the holiday spirit.
Then some may have gone a little overboard with the indulgences.
“One more glass of wine will not hurt,” you say, until you wake up the next day and wonder why you have suddenly developed a pot belly that is impossible to hide.
Do not even get me started on the gym memberships we signed up for in January.
We pay for them with the same enthusiasm we had when we swore we would start eating healthy… just before the second round of Christmas barbecue arrived.
And let us not forget the relationships we have neglected. Between the last-minute shopping, the holiday parties, and trying to impress your in-laws, it is easy to forget to check in with the people who matter most.
Now, you are sitting there wondering why your phone is quieter than it was before the holidays. Spoiler alert; they are busy too, probably working off their festive regrets, or just silently judging your third bottle of wine.
Of course, there are the physical mishaps. We all know someone who “accidentally” slipped into the holiday cheer a little too deeply and now has a souvenir injury to remind them of their overzealous celebrations. Whether it is a sprained ankle from dancing to
“Last Christmas” a few too many times or the bruised ego after trying to keep up with those “athletic” relatives who seem to run marathons just for fun, we have all had that moment where we wonder, “Why did I not just stay home and nap instead?”
So, why do we keep repeating these mistakes year after year? Maybe it is because, as much as we promise ourselves that this time we will be different, the holidays have this magical, irresistible pull.
The key, though, is not just avoiding the mistakes; it is about laughing at them (after the fact) and learning from them. After all, humour is the best way to handle regret.
So, here are some practical guidelines for surviving and thriving through the next festive season:
Stick to your budget: Let us be real, no one cares if your tree is not covered in gold tinsel. The world will keep turning even if you do not spend your entire paycheck on holiday décor.
Prioritise safety (Or at least try not to break anything major): If your holiday travel plans include squeezing into a coaster with relatives and crates of beer, maybe rethink it.
Sometimes, staying home and binge-watching holiday movies is the safest and smartest option.
Plus, you do not risk a broken bone; or worse, an awkward family fight.
Resist peer pressure (It is not worth the debt): Just because your friend bought a shiny new gadget does not mean you need to bankrupt yourself trying to match them.
Remember, the most impressive gift you can give is financial stability and avoiding late-night calls from money lenders.
Protect what matters most (And that is not your instagram feed): It is easy to get caught up in the holiday hustle and forget to connect with the people who matter.
This year, aim for quality time; not just quality selfies. And for the love of all things festive, please do not post a picture of your plate of food every time you sit down for dinner. No one needs to see that much meat.
Self-compassion (and lots of it): We all make mistakes. The key is not to cry over spilt wine. Learn from your missteps, laugh at yourself, and get back on track.
The holiday season may be behind us, but the lessons and the weight gain are here to stay.