"Do you still have your tree up?!"
Ah yes...I've been greeted with this question many times
over the last couple of weeks. Well, yes, we do still have our Christmas tree up, thank you!
It's a lovely tree, up since December 1. Very few needles have fallen, and it's still soft to the touch. It's a Con Color Fir and I can't recommend them enough if you cut your own tree each year. I actually feel bad taking it down...Valentine ornaments, anyone? Then perhaps Easter ones?!
Something that's so much fun to decorate, is, for me, sad to undo. We carefully wrap the sentimental ornaments...baby footprints,
a honeymoon sand dollar, baby's first Christmas booties,
and countless handcrafted treasures the kids have made.
Hmmm, how to make it a less melancholy time? Well, there's a Dutch oven of chili simmering away on the stove, and soon homemade cornbread will be baked in a cast iron skillet. As we undecorate, we'll talk about each ornament, laugh as we share memories, and lovingly tuck each one in boxes we store in
a trunk.
The calendar for the new year is clean and just waiting for us to fill it. The house will be back in order and we can ponder the days to come. How much laughter, how many sweet memories, personal growth, and changes we fill 2011 with is up to us.
Let's look to the future with excitement, hope, and determination. And, as Laura Ingalls Wilder said, let us strive to be
"just plain good."
Just A Thought
18 hours ago
Ours is out but still around. We'll be decorating it with edibles for the birds this weekend!
ReplyDelete~Andrea~
I actually really enjoy taking down the tree. By Jan 1st I'm ready to reclaim my house, streamline, and start the new year fresh. It forces me to get out the vacuum and do my version of a "spring" cleaning along with putting all the decor away. Happy 2011 Mary, hope it's a great one!
ReplyDeleteDon’t feel bad at all--mine just came down this week--yesterday. I felt anxious the longer it went on. It started to make me dread walking downstairs. I love putting up my trees but taking it all down is one of my most dreaded times of year. Gloomy grey weather, taking down Christmas--how can one not have SAD. :) I am glad I have a friend in late Christmas taking down.
ReplyDeleteverde farm and i are in agreement! she is my friend and her house is always perfect so it makes me feel ok that i need to still take mine down. i have four very large and heavily decorated trees. one is down, three to go. maybe that is what i will do today! you are not alone! thanks for the name of the tree you enjoy. never heard of it! stay warm! jill
ReplyDeleteTHANKS for sharing! I felt alone and shameful... ;-0 I love the look of ours all lit up on a dreary winter day... And *hate* dragging boxes up n down *two* flights of 200 yo twisty stairs w/an unlit, cold attic. Walking into cute stores and seeing fresh red n white n pink Vday stuff out provides the kick I need tho. Except for dragging *that* stuff out!
ReplyDeleteHere's to more space and sparkling spring cleaning!
xo
Leslie
I certainly don't enjoy taking the tree down, so I always try to do it while the kids are home to help. I do enjoy having the house back in order, though. Hope that you guys are doing well! Thinking of you, as always.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind comment this morning Mary. It made my day!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I too am keeping my fingers crossed tightly with hopes for a snow day. A real humdinger!
~Andrea~