ENDING CHRISTMAS

Yesterday I began taking down my Christmas trees, and decor throughout the house.

I do not like doing this. Not because of the work…I actually enjoy packing my treasures up, making them nice and cozy in tissue paper for their long nap. I enjoy organizing, and labelling and stacking just so on the shelves.

I just do not like the season being over. We wait so long for it to arrive…we look forward, and plan and prepare. We decorate, and cook, and shop, and hide, and wrap. We place the gifts under the tree just so. Stacking them so as to show off the ribbons and bows. The ribbons and bows that you took so much time to tie. The ribbons and bows that you used your best ribbon for. The ribbon that is wired on the edges so the loops will stand out just so. Quick! Make a picture. When the first gift is removed, the perfect scene will be gone…it will quickly become just a pile of presents once more.

I remove the sweet, little nativity set that has been under our tree since the boys were small. A few of the pieces need gluing before I put it away. Surprised that it has lasted this long. And the slab of wood that the characters stand on. Holes pounded in it from little boys with hammers. And, they practiced writing their names there as well…in that little boy scrawl…some letters big, some small, some even backwards. But, their name, just the same.

All the beautiful garland that I so painstakingly fluffed in early December, will be crushed flat again to fit it into the clear plastic bin. It flattens down to almost one thin line of green. Oh, how much better it looks fluffed out! With pretty red berries placed between its branches. And, the new garland that I bought this year…I do not even want to fold it up to put it away! It had a heavy twig vine with beautiful variegated holly leaves…and full of plump red berries! If it is folded up and pushed flat…will it ever be as pretty again? HMMMMM….where can I possible hide it in its present state until next Christmas?

The special ornaments will be wrapped carefully in tissue…and cradled gently in a box. The 3 special angels…the Krinkles…the beautiful birds. All the sweet ornaments that hold beautiful memories. And, the glorious pink glass rose. The one I found wrapped carefully in a drawer in Mom’s dresser. The glorious pink glass rose that I gave her 2 Christmases ago. It has been added to my box of extra special trinkets!

Next the mercury glass. Oh, how I love the beauty of this pitted and spotted glass. Part shiny and new/ part old and worn. I love the character of these orbs of Christmas glass.

I have collected them for several years…and finally had enough this year to fill a 9 ft. tree. Oh, how pretty it was. I loved the twinkling white lights reflecting off of the colored glass. So festive. I don’t want to take it down. But, I will. I think it may not speak too highly of my decorating skill if it was up in July! Besides, I need Don to move the tree while he is off for New Years.

Empty, undressed Christmas trees are very sad looking things.

So away it will all go. Packed off to a closet and the storage room. Covered carefully to keep out dust and little varmits. Stacked, and stored, and placed just so.

And, the funniest thing will happen. Over the months that the Christmas treasures sleep…I will forget some of the things I have collected. I will forget some of the things that make me smile the most. And, then when November comes round again…and I begin to pull down and unstack and open up the boxes…I will be surprised and delighted as I see my old friends. And, I will carefully put them in their place of honor once again.