Who doesn’t love going on holiday? I’m so excited for mine which is now only 8 days away (and counting!) and I just can’t wait to be on a beach, or by the sea doing nothing for 7 glorious days- and that includes blogging! The downside to going away is coming home again, especially later in the year when you’re pretty much guaranteed grey skies and a distinct chill in the air. It’s not much fun at all. Clearly the people at Jet2holidays were reading my mind as they sent over a parcel designed to help beat those pesky post-holiday blues.

This was such a thoughtful package containing moisturiser to soothe sun-frazzled skin and fake tan to keep the glow going. Sweets are always welcome in my life and these will be perfect to munch on as I upload photographs and catch up on my no doubt heaving inbox. I’ll also be treating myself to dinner at Pizza Express with the help of this voucher, ideal for catching up with my best friend over pizza and wine…

There are other ways to beat the post-holiday blues too though, things I’ve tried and succeeded with in the past include:

1. Bring back souvenirs– the tackier the better! I get so much enjoyment from the random things I’ve bought back from my travels and I make it my mission to find the cheesiest thing I can whenever I go away!

2. Create a memory jar- ages ago I picked up a huge glass jar in the sale somewhere. Anytime I go somewhere that I want to remember I pop in little items to trigger my happy memories- a train ticket, a napkin from an amazing restaurant or a business card from a hotel. I once even bought back a napkin dispenser from a cafe in Spain, that doesn’t fit in the jar but it does bring back some very happy memories!

3. Make a photo collage- as well as uploading photos to social media and my blog I tend to pick out some favourites and get them printed (you can find plenty of free print offers if you search online) and either scrapbook them mixed in with things like tickets and random finds or decorate a wall in my room with them.

4. Bring back tasty treats! I love discovering new foods/snacks when I’m away and I’m guaranteed to bring back quite a selection on my return. I keep these for day where I’m feeling a little blue before digging in and enjoying whilst browsing my photos or planning my next trip.

5. Get some sleep- I always come back from a holiday exhausted. This time I’m straight back to work pretty much the day after we land but I’ll be making sure I get in some early nights to keep myself in mentally tip-top condition. There’s nothing like exhaustion to make me grumpy.

What are some of your post-holiday blues recovery tips? I’d love to know them.