10 Important Things To Do When You're Sad After Christmas

Try these 10 action steps from a Christian family counselor to help you bounce back when you’re feeling sad after Christmas.

It's really common to feel sad after Christmas

I’ve been a mental health counselor for 15+ years. And one of the most popular times for people to come to counseling is at the holidays.

The holidays can be wonderful and fun, but they can also be stressful, disappointing, and sad.

So if you’re feeling sad after Christmas, you’re not alone.

But, you’re also not stuck there!

Today, I’ll share 10 important things to do if you’re feeling discouraged or sad after Christmas.

(Or, really, any other holiday or big event.)

Ready? Let’s dive in.

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The Bible can help us manage hard emotions

As Christian moms, we have pretty big goals for the holiday season. It can add up to a lot of pressur.e

With high expectations sometimes come hard emotions.

Emotions like anxiety. Stress. Sadness. Disappointment.

These are hard emotions. But as a counselor, I know that these are NORMAL emotions! And it is possible to manage them well. To pluck out the good memories and move on into the new year.

Below, I’ll share 10 tips that will help you move forward into the new year. But let’s start by acknowledging that Jesus understands your sadness. He understands hard emotions can be hard to manage.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” Jesus promises his followers (Matthew 11:28). As you feel sad and process your emotions, take it to Jesus. He can handle it. He will help you.

10 tips for bouncing back when you're sad after Christmas

You might feel sad after Christmas for a lot of different reasons. Some are big, like grieving the loss of a loved one. Some might be smaller, but still disappointing, like everyone getting sick or the big turkey dinner getting burned.

Don’t waste time worrying about if you “should” feel sad and disappointed. Your emotions are real, and it won’t help to brush them under the rug.

As a family counselor, I help people deal with big emotions all the time. These tips aren’t magic wands, but they will help!

1. Take time to grieve and feel sad.

No one likes feeling sad. But if we let ourselves actually feel the emotion, we can usually move on faster.

Take time to cry. Journal and pray through your sadness. Talk to your husband or a friend about feeling disappointed.

Letting yourself grieve and feel sad will help protect you from getting bitter or angry. It can release the hard emotions and help you move forward.

2. Say I'm sorry and offer forgiveness

When we’re sad, most of us wind up saying or doing things we regret.

Maybe you need to forgive yourself, or forgive others for something they did. It is really helpful to be honest with yourself.

Do you need to apologize to someone? Are you holding onto anger or bitterness toward someone who upset you?

Yes, this can be hard to do! But apologies are the key to happy relationships. They make you feel better. Forgiveness helps to remove the sense of guilt and restore peace in the relationship.

3. Pray and place your trust in God for next steps.

It is worth praying every step of the way!

But after you grieve, apologize, and forgive, you’re in a much better place to move forward from your sadness. Don’t try to move forward without prayer!

Ask God to direct your heart and your steps as you move forward in family relationships.

4. Live in the present, not the past.

This tip is mostly in your head. But it’s really powerful!

When we feel sad after Christmas or any other big event, it can be hard to move forward. It’s easy to get stuck in the disappointment.

But that’s not helpful, and it’s not a great way to start the new year.

So make a decision. Stop overthinking the past. Try to replace negative thinking with prayer, gratitude, or a coping skill that helps.

5. Identify what you are thankful for today.

It can be tempting to enjoy a pity party for awhile. But does that really help you feel better in the long run?

God calls on us in the Bible to be thankful people. “Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances,” we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

The more you focus on what you are thankful for, the better you will feel. You can keep a list, pray over it, say it out loud, or whatever helps you notice the gratitude.

6. Plan something fun and meaningful.

Hopefully by this point, you’re feeling ready to take action.

And getting something fun on the calendar is a great way to start moving forward.

If you can, include the people who were also a part of your holidays in this fun event. Especially if there was conflict or hurt, it will be helpful to create a new, happy memory together.

7. Read your Bible and seek to grow closer to Jesus.

Dealing with big emotions is a great time to find Scriptures that help you cope, find hope, and move forward.

This may or may not already be a habit for you. But open your Bible (or hit play on the audio app) and spend some time with the Lord.

Wondering where to start in your Bible reading? If you’re feeling sad, here are some good starting points:

Read the Psalms. Many of the psalms are filled with hard emotions and people finding strength in God.
Read the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each tell the story of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth. This is a great way to feel closer to Jesus.
Read the Epistles. That’s a fancy word for the letters in the New Testament. My favorite is Colossians, and Philippians is a closer second. These letters are short, easy to read, and they have some great action steps and encouragement.
Try my free Bible study for sadness and depression to dive specifically into this big emotions in Scripture.

8. Connect (or re-connect) with people you love.

When we feel sad, it’s easy to stop spending time with people. We usually want to be alone or have some space.

That can be helpful – but only for a little while.

Reach out to people you love. Grab coffee, invite them over for dinner, or just have a chat when you can. Reconnecting with people you already have a relationship with is a great way to bounce back and feel energized.

9. Identify a goal to work on.

Having something that you are working toward can be very motivating, encouraging, and distracting.

And when you’re feeling sad, distraction is sometimes a really good thing!

Especially if you’re feeling sad after Christmas, the New Year is a great time for trying a new hobby, project, or goal. It could be big or small, but start working on something you care about and see if it helps you feel better.

10. Add a new coping strategy or self care plan to your daily rhythm.

Sometimes, we struggle with sadness and other hard emotions because we’re just stressed and burned out all the time.

Life can be so busy that we can’t handle disappointment without getting pushed over the edge.

So ask yourself: How are you coping? How is your self care? Are you taking care of yourself? Do you have healthy boundaries?

If these are feeling weak, it’s a great thing to work on in the new year. Start some healthy habits that get you feeling better overall.

TRY THIS: Grab my 30-Day Challenge: Self Care For Christian Women to build a new routine that helps you feel better

There is no magic wand when you're feeling sad after Christmas

These 10 things will help you when you’re feeling sad after Christmas. But none of them are a magic wand.

Hard emotions are a part of life. They’re not fun, but they are normal.

Even people who love each other will disappoint each other. No matter how well you plan, nothing goes perfectly in life.

If you’re still struggling, make sure to dive into the Bible with my FREE Bible study guide to sadness and depression.

We love the happy emotions of family life. But because people mess up, act out, struggle, and sin… we cannot have deep family relationships without some hard emotions along the way.

My friend, let me offer one last encouragement: Jesus sees you, and He cares about your sadness.

Give it to Him. Cry out in prayer. But don’t sit there in the sadness forever. Let the Lord encourage you and lift you up.

Listen to Episode #163

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Disclaimers: I am a licensed therapist but my podcast, blog, and resources are not professional or personal advice. I am an affiliate for many of the resources that I link to, and may earn a small commission if you purchase through my link. Read my full disclaimer here.

How To Bounce Back When You Feel Sad After Christmas