Q: We had a great holiday season at our house. Family visited, we had time off with a bunch of relaxation. It all lasted through New Years, too. My problem is that now that the holidays are over and things are back to normal, I feel so down and depressed, and I have hardly any energy. All I want to do is go back on vacation. I've never felt this way at the end of the holidays before. What is going on?

A: What you have are the post-holiday blues. Psychologists even have a fancy name for it: post-reinforcement pause.

What this really means is going back to normal life after lots of good stuff. It happens often after the holidays, after good vacations and after "mountain top" experiences, when you have to come back and live in the valleys. It might help you to think of it as a holiday hangover.

The first thing to understand is what you are feeling is normal, which means you probably have not been hit with a sneak attack of depression. And since it is normal, the next thing to understand is that this feeling will pass in a few days or weeks, if not before.

Three things to do

While you are waiting, there are at least three things you can do. First, dive into whatever you do on a daily basis, whether it's raising kids, working outside the home or playing. Getting very involved in what you are doing helps time pass quickly, and it also allows you to create enjoyable times and good memories.

Next, have a few post-holiday get-togethers or parties. Since not much happens in January, it's good to have a few celebrations planned just to have some fun. Hold a party on the 25th and call it "a month-after party."

Finally, start planning your next holiday season now. Plan a few events or activities and put them on the calendar. This lets you know there is more celebration and memories coming, and gives you something to look forward to, which we all need.