In a 2018 blog post, novelist Drew Chial grieved the passing of the spooky season, commenting on the sadness many Halloween enthusiasts feel after the joys of decorating and trick-or-treating fade.[1] Dubbed Post-Halloween Depression, the experience is common for a large portion of the haunt community, with many slipping into melancholy once the décor is packed and society transitions into Christmas. Although it has not been widely studied by serious academics, it is extremely similar to the post-holiday depression which follows in January. As Nancy Girard, the former editor of the nursing journal AORN, remarks, depression tends to spike in the month of January as the luster of the holidays declines, people return to the monotony of their daily routines, and the full brunt of winter sets in, causing Seasonal Affective Disorder.[2] In fact, Jordana Mansbacher claims a primary reason depression ensues after the holidays is because this becomes a time for people to face the reality of the stress wrought by the season itself. As the psychotherapist states, Christmas can be emotionally and financially taxing; however, people often push through this stress to enjoy the festivities. Once the celebrations end, though, individuals are left coping with the stress, which can lead to depression.[3] The same, in turn, can be said about Halloween. For those who adore the holiday, it engenders the same level of emotional and financial stress as Christmas, with the reality of that strain not solidifying until November and, as Mansbacher contends, forcing participants to grapple with the factors like truth of their overspending or the disappointment of unfinished projects.
Works Referenced
Chial, Drew. “Post Halloween Depression.” Drew Chial Author, 4 November 2018, https://drewchialauthor.com/2018/11/04/post-halloween-depression/.
Girard, Nancy. “January Blahs and Gray Days.” AORN Journal 79.1 (2004). 13.
Mansbacher, Jordana. “Holiday Depression Is Real.” Pediatrics for Parents 28.5 (2012): 22.
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[1] Chial.
[2] Girard, 13.
[3] Mansbacher, 22.
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