Upon returning from the holidays, I used to find myself getting sad. The “White Christmas” I enjoyed in December looked a lot more like gray, dreary slush, and all the merriment of the holidays was replaced by the dull chill of early January. With nothing to look forward to, winter felt like it stretched endlessly into the future. That is, until I found the perfect way to keep the cheer going for another month. Here’s how I avoid post-Christmas depression by starting another countdown of my own, this time to Presidents’ Day!
Sure, December 25th is pretty sweet, but it’s got nothing on February 19th, the nationally recognized holiday known colloquially as Presidents’ Day and formally as Washington’s Birthday to those who serve in the federal government. Just as Christmas inspires joy and merriment, Presidents’ Day has inspired vigorous debate about where the apostrophe in “Presidents” should go!
The key to any successful Presidents’ Day countdown is nailing your advent calendar. I love opening up little chocolates or toys every day of December in anticipation of Christmas, and now the fun continues with my handmade advent calendar where I unearth a new federal statute every day of January and 19 days into February! Will it be the Computer Matching and Privacy Act of 1998? Or the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004? Who knows!
Actually, I know, because I made it. But I love to forget!
When Christmas and New Year’s decorations are slowly removed from house fronts, I used to find myself getting weepy and woeful. Not anymore! Now, I keep the excitement going by placing several stolen wax figures of former presidents on my lawn and monitoring nearby police activity to make sure no one has figured me out. 13th US President Millard Filmore just looks so realistic! I love seeing kids walk by and gasp in astonishment or horror – they refuse to tell me which.
All of this builds up to the perfect Presidents’ Day, where I engage my peers in merry presidential trivia – did you know that 12 presidents owned slaves? Eight of them while in office? – and make a series of themed drinks. Then, I finish off the day by watching the sun set behind the muggy mid-February clouds.
As far as post-Presidents’ Day depression, I fear there is no cure. Hopefully the SAD lamp I just bought will help.
