Taking Down Christmas Decorations
Well, I finally did it. I didn’t want to, but it was time.
I “undecorated” the house. The hard part was taking down the Christmas cards. Each time we receive a Christmas card, we read it and think of our friends or family, then tape the cards up in plain view as part of our Chrsitmas decorations.
Many of them are from friends and family I won’t hear from again until next Christmas…if then, because I didn’t get around to getting all of my cards out so I could be cut off.
Years ago, almost everyone sent and received lots of cards. Then, postage went up, people got busy, and cards became…well, less of a priority. What a shame. Now, e-cards add to the mix, so I really appreciate the old-fashioned Christmas card.
I am lucky. I received numerous photos in the mail. Photos of children I know, but don’t see very often. Photos of children I haven’t met yet…but will one day.
I guess I’m getting old…I feel like a grandma to all the little children. And, I love them. I’m interested in them. I want to see how they’ve grown.
One friend traditionally sends a card to the office with a photo of her children. I asked her about it when I saw her just before Christmas.
She assured me it was on the way. It arrived, and is on the mantle. Another friend came to visit, and I asked about the traditional photo. It’s coming, she assured, but it hasn’t made it yet.
Now that I’m past the hurry and worry and hustle and bustle, I think maybe that’s what the Christ child was telling us. Take time, make time, for friends and family.
Work, work, work will just make you tired. However, we get wrapped up in ourselves, our immediate families, our little lives, our habits.
Sometimes it’s hard to see those who live far away, or who live nearby but whose schedules don’t mesh. Maybe someone special just lives down the street, but we aren’t in the habit of visiting often.
Every Christmas card I opened gave me a warm feeling. It was time to take them down last weekend. And, I did.
And while I did, it gave me another opportunity to think of my friends and family members, love them, pray for them, and vow to remember them more often.
There’s an old superstition that it’s bad luck to leave your Christmas tree up past New Year’s. I’m never ready to take it or the other decorations down by then.
It’s probably because I stay so busy getting ready for Christmas, I don’t stop long enough to really appreciate the decorations. When I stop running after Christmas, I look around and see the glory.
Gus Cole used to write about the 12 days of Christmas. It empowered me to leave my decorations up. But, the12 days have passed now. The Christmas gift is always here, though. We should remember that, appreciate it, and remember to always love our neighbor as ourself.
The house is pretty much returned to normal now. However, I did noticed a fan pull last night that was still up. I took it down today, along with the dead mistletoe. There’s still “Smell of Christmas” potpourri in the basement and in the small bath.
And, if this year is like those past, I’m sure I’ll find a Christmas towel or some other item to go along with the tins to be belatedly put away with the Christmas stuff. But it’s o.k., because I still have the nativity scene up.