How often do you hear people say, “It just doesn’t feel like Christmas!?”
The holiday season rolls around, and people who are normally infused with all the tidings of good cheer suddenly don’t feel it. They feel Grinchy or grumpy or like they have to put in double the effort for half the Christmas joy. (For me, I get this feeling whenever we have a December heatwave. I like Christmas to feel cold!)
This year, I was full of Christmas spirit and thoroughly enjoyed the holidays with my family. I managed my seasonal stress as best as I could and focused on being present with my kids, soaking up all the magical moments I worked hard to provide for them. It definitely felt like Christmas for me!
But now, with January 6th looming closer, and a jam-packed calendar, a short Carnival season ending in mid-February, and a deep exhaustion catching up with me, I have to say … it just doesn’t feel like Mardi Gras!
I’m not necessarily a diehard Mardi Gras fan, but I do enjoy the parades we go to and the overall excitement and culture of New Orleans during its finest season of revelry. I like my Mardi Gras outfits and my kids’ clothes and how excited they get sitting up in the ladder seat or on someone’s shoulders hollering their little hearts out. And I always get swept away in the blasting music from a pumped-up marching band. But when I think about it all this year, I find myself wishing that there was a neat little expression like “Bah, humbug!” for when you’re just not feeling Mardi Gras.
I can’t quite place my finger on why I feel this way, but the thought of parades this year makes me feel tired already. I honestly think I had more Mardi Gras spirit when all parades were canceled in 2021 and everyone celebrated “Yardi Gras!” For the first time (because of their ages), none of my kids will have wagon parades at their school. I’m daydreaming of little vacations to take during Mardi Gras week instead of mapping out our Fat Tuesday game plan. I’m wondering how disappointed my kids will be if we go to fewer parades than usual this year…
I’m not sure what to do to cure the Mardi Gras blues and turn them back into purples, greens, and golds, but if you have any tried and true tricks to get yourself feeling festive, I’m all ears!
