No Blue Christmas for You!

© Copyright 2024 Fran Carey, All Rights Reserved.

It's that time of year again. Short days, cold, grey, the holidays delivering so much cultural loading, so many expectations, and, for many of us, so many difficult memories, expectations of family drama, and just plain a lot of work. It's no wonder we get the blues! Here are some ways to cope with the seasonal mugwumps.

Wear or carry stones with supportive energies. My keywords for citrine are just think sunshine. This bright yellow form of quartz energizes, sparks creativity, clears energy, and builds up the aura. Scott Cunningham's keywords for Amber are "electricity in stone form". It is calming and soothing, as well as being energizing. Garnet is another dynamic stone, which also increases strength and courage, to help you set and maintain boundaries. Speaking of boundaries, December birthstone Blue Topaz helps you set them gently, while Tiger's Eye is more like a brick wall. Sunstone is another good stone for success, sun energy, personal power, and manifestation. Carnelian helps dispel depression, too.

Aromatherapy is a great way to turn the tides of your emotions. Use an aromatherapy diffuser, either candle or electric powered, put the oils on cotton balls and leave them out in your space, or use incenses or pot pourris. Useful oils include seasonal favorites sandalwood, clove, and peppermint, lavendar, or blends such as Moon Magick Spring Dawn or Sun oils.

A fun way to add a couple of these to your space is a lemon pomander. Take one whole lemon, tie a narrow red or burgundy ribbon around it like you're wrapping it for a gift, then stick whole cloves into it like thumbtacks, in whatever pattern you choose. Make a loop on the stem end with the ribbon or fishing line and hang it from your Christmas or Yule tree, or in a doorway, or make several to use as a centerpiece. You may need to start the holes for the cloves with a pin or an actual thumbtack.

Incenses can be added to fires in your fireplace. Yule, Sun, Success, or Creative Energy would be nice. You can also burn herbs on charcoal or in the fireplace, but do so sparingly, as some can burn. Cinnamon and clove smell great, seasonal, and cheery, but can burn the eyes in large amounts. Home Blessing and Energy Cleansing sprays are a good way to refresh the energy in your space, which can get muddy and stale from having the doors and windows closed due to weather, as well as the overwhelm that can build up as crunch time draws near.

You can also bring some light inside with candles. Get your Victorian on by using a traditional chamber stick style holder with a yellow, red, green, or white candle. The candle can also be dressed with Yule or vanilla oil for a little extra punch. Herbal candles are nice, as they have a stronger scent than just putting oil on a plain candle. Happy Home is a great choice, as is Tranquility, Energy, or Joy, and it's hard to go wrong with Love!

Magic is a powerful way to manipulate your subconscious as it speaks the same language of symbol and scent. Leverage this with a magical bath to wash away the blues. Success, Spring Dawn, or Sun bathsalts can help lift your mood. Though not designed for it, they can be used as shower scrubs, also.

Click here for a great article by Karen Charboneau-Harrison on Aromatherapy.

Journaling is a good way to process emotions and experiences. Tell it to the page when you feel down, angry, hurt, happy, excited. Try to get out and take a walk, even in bad weather. Go check out the neighbor's holiday lights. Go caroling. Not all carols are Christian! Explore deeper and alternative meanings of the season and seasonal traditions. Start new traditions with your own family. One of my neighbors has an inflatable Krampus! Another has used his 12 foot skeleton as part of his display. I want someone to take their skeleton and a dog skeleton and make it so the dog has wrapped the lights round and round the human figure!

There are a lot of depressing things about this time of year, but also some fun. I like the pretty lights, the color red, chocolate, gingerbread, Currier and Ives snowfalls, chickadees in the snow, and mulled cider. Find the things you like and fully appreciate them. Take advantage of the tools we have to lift our moods, whether it's oils, candles, a good book, or a pretty bird.

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