After coming home from a great vacation, it can be a real bummer to face the week ahead. Having to unpack, clean clothes, grocery shop and get ready for the work week ahead can make us feel a little (sometimes even a lot) sad about the great time we left behind.
But just because your vacation is over, doesn’t mean you have to let the memories fade. Keeping those happy memories in your heart and in front of your eyes will help fight those going-back-to-work blues.
Here are some ideas that will help you keep your vacation memories alive and well.
- Place in digital picture frames in a room at your home where you spend the most time and in your office at work. Load as many pictures as you can so every time you look at it, you will see something new that reminds you of a different part of your trip.
- Upload to social media so that your friends can see your fun adventures. Likes and comments can help keep the conversation going for days after you return. (Pro tip: wait until you are back home to share your memories on social media. No need to announce to would-be thieves that your home sits unprotected.)
- Create a place in your home that can be a vacation display. Set it up in a place in your home where your family gathers. The dining room or breakfast nook might a good spot. As you are sharing a meal you can reflect on your trip and create conversations about places you visited, people you met and things you learned about. This display can include photos in decorative frames you might have picked up as souvenirs as well as other memorabilia you picked up along the way.
- Pick up a photo frame ornament for your Christmas tree or holiday décor. Once you have enough photos, you can create a separate tree that displays pictures of the many places you have visited.
- Make greeting cards out of your favorite family photos. Personalize a card for a loved one’s birthday, to cheer them when they are not feeling well or to celebrate a special occasion.
- Reflect on the food you ate, the wine you drank or the dessert that melted in your mouth. Create a feeling of nostalgia by re-creating your family’s favorite vacation meals. Take a few minutes to look up recipes you can prepare together as a family that would remind everyone of the great time you had together.
- Wear your memories! Pick up something special while you’re away that every time you wear it will remind you of the place you visited long after you have returned home.
- Go to a quiet place and simply meditate on the place you went. Think about the ocean breeze, or the fresh mountain air or the crackling sound and smoky smell of a campfire.
- Plan a family movie night! Take all the videos you created on your trip and edit them into a home movie you can replay over and over.
Keeping these memories alive also is a great motivator for getting to work on planning your next trip. Fight the post-vacation blues by contacting your travel agent to let them know you’re ready to start planning your next great adventure.
