Mansfield boss Nigel Clough was delighted and relieved to start the festive programme with a first win in eight league games as his side saw off Rotherham 1-0.
Deji Oshilaja pounced to score the only goal on 27 minutes.
Clough said: “It feels good and I think it’s been coming for the last few weeks.
“Conditions again made it extremely difficult. The biggest threat we faced today were set plays and I thought we generally dealt with them very well.
“We were a little fortunate for the goal. It was a good header back in by Aaron Lewis, who played very well today, we got a little break and Deji tucked it away.
“We have certainly not had breaks like that in the past six games.
“On the back of last week that is a good four points we’ve got and we go into the Christmas games in better heart.
“It has been an incredible calendar year. We’ve had a brilliant home record, we have been promoted and here we are halfway up League One going into the Christmas period – there is a lot to be optimistic about going forward.”
The Millers did come close with the wind behind them in the first half with Mallik Wilks firing over from a long throw on 12 minutes.
Sam Nombe also curled over on 29 minutes and headed straight at Christy Pym while Hakeem Odoffin was too high with a header just before the break.
But Oshilaja came up with the winner as Lewis’ forward header came off a defender’s head into the path of the Stags defender, who lashed home past Dillon Phillips.
Rotherham manager Steve Evans said: “The wind spoiled it and made it a nonsense game.
“They took advantage of a huge error to score the only goal and we didn’t get that advantage at the other end.
“We tried to change it up in the second half and we changed formation and personnel.
“We got into some great areas, but it didn’t quite happen for us.
“If we came here again tomorrow we’d fancy ourselves, but that wind was a real leveller.
“We will be back at the training ground on Monday and we still have the opportunity to have a good Christmas.”
Former Stags boss Evans was upset by some of the chants towards him from home fans and said: “Some of the words said at me today have no place in society, let alone football.
“It is nothing against Nigel Clough, they beat us and I have just congratulated him.
“The people singing that today should not be in society.”
