Is it just me, or is it almost depressing when Christmas is over?

Many families spend a month or longer preparing for the holiday in one way or another. Many people plan their vacations and time off a year in advance. So when the Big Day finally comes, it seems like only an instant before it’s all over. Except that in its wake, your bank account is a lot lighter than before–and your credit cards, a lot heavier. Neither the lack of excitement of an upcoming event nor the plummet of one’s personal finances does much to bolster feelings of happiness.

But the big question is, what is the best way to deal with all the negative aspects of living in the wake of a recently passed holiday? When all the fun and togetherness of the holiday is essentially over, and you’re left with the bills–and the messy house?

Here are a few ideas of what to do to get your family back on the path of a “normal” life once the hustle and bustle of the holiday season draws to a close:

1. Get organized

Unless you’re a family that intentionally leaves up the holiday decorations for weeks after Christmas, go ahead and get the stuff packed up and put away. You’re probably not going to feel more like doing it as time goes on, and it’s a reminder of what you’re moping about being over. (Let’s face it, you’re probably moping at least a little, right? That’s why you feel a bit down in the dumps.)

2. Set some great New Year’s Resolutions

One way to get out of a slump in the present is to move yourself into the future as soon as possible–and one great way to move on is to make concrete plans for the future. And all the better if those plans are something that you can start to take action on right away.

3. Re-focus your mind–and your activities

Remember life before the onslaught of the holiday season? There were things to do, people to see, books to read that you lamented never having time to start? All those things still exist–you’re just not focused on them. So if you’re lucky enough to be on vacation this week, take advantage of the extra time you have to get into some of those activities that never seemed to rank high enough on your priorities list before.  Get started with something, and it’ll be much easier to get back into the normal groove of life.

4. Donate to your local thrift store or non-profit organization

Not only might donations to a non-profit be a tax deduction for you in 2010, but they also help to clear out room in your house for all the new stuff your family members got from Santa Claus–and each other–this year.

5. Get some little stuff done

Even if you feel a bit down in the dumps right now, understand that you will feel better once a bit of time has passed–and you’ll feel better, still, if you can get some of the minutia (this may be the first time I’ve ever written this word down, before) of life done and out of the way. Things like getting paperwork together for filing taxes, paying off bills, opening up a new bank account, cleaning the closet–or the refrigerator. All these things must be done, and it’s never much fun.  So since you’re feeling a bit on the miserable side, anyway, you might as well do some of this stuff now, rather than wait until you’re already in a good mood.