You know there is something rather sad about taking down the Christmas Tree with all the trimmigs, both inside and outside. It was trash day today, even though it is the First day of the New Year. When I brought the bins back, I decided to remove the Christmas Trees from the front of the garage. It isn't too much of a job, but it certainly makes the outside of the house look just a bit plain. I won't try to take the lights down until it warms up some, it if ever does. Kind of a grey day so far.
I came inside and decided the Tree in the living room needed to come down as well. Strange things happened. As I took the decorations off, carefully, as I had used the Victorian and Glass ones this year, the lights came on. Last I knew I had turned everything off because only the bottom lights turned on the second day I had the tree up. We spent the entire Holiday Season with a decorated Christmas Tree that had no lights. Yet here I am de-frocking the Tree and on comes ALL THE LIGHTS. What can I tell you? I hadn't touched anything but the decorations.
Well I finally got everything off, and the tree dismantled and back in the box. A job finally done.
As I looked around the living room, I was struck with the change. Who knew taking down the Tree would take that "certain feeling" away from the entire inside of the house?
Putting things UP seems to take time, each addition to the house adds it's own festive feeling. It comes on gradually. Sometimes taking a day or nearly a week. Then the packages are added as they are bought and wrapped. Bringing more color and meaning to the Holiday. By the time Christmas Eve arrives things are pretty full of excitement and anticipation.
Once all the boxes are opened, and the rag, tag paper is crumpled and stuffed into plastic sacks or one of the large boxes gifts had come in, the orderly look of things has been reduced down to a mess. Carefully, things are straightened up and the gifts that are not in use are spread out under the tree so visitors can see what "Santa" brought, among other folks in the family.
The week between Christmas and New Years sees more changes as the gifts are put away and the Tree begins to look just a bit haggered. No one is quick to take it down, no, we must wait until New Years Day.
Well, here we are, New Years Day with the Holidays past, and a New Year ready to be lived by one and all. Back to normal - the Tree has to go. So with much less intusiasium than it went up,
ornaments and lights are carefully removed and the plainess of things returns. Just another of those things that reminds us that time is moving along and we are moving along with it.
Every year new things are added while some older things drop by the wayside. Old toys for New Ones. Less fuss with meals and more concern for School Lunches and Bus Schedules, etc to take up our time. It will be another 364 days before we are here again. There will be Valentines Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Summer Vacations and of course the Military Observances that come in the Fall. When we were children those days move exceedingly slowly. Now in Old Age, they fly by so swiftly we can hardly believe we have to start all this over again, so soon!
Yes, there is something about taking the Christmas Tree down that brings us back to Normal Living. The newness of the gifts so highly prized last week have had their "bloom" worn down.
The toys aren't as interesting as they were, and our appetites are back to a better variety of things to eat and drink. All in all we barely feel the change, an yet it is so striking when it is gone.
Well, I will put up the boxes and bags of lights and trimmings. I will put away the gifts and spare wrapping paper and, oh yes, the day after Christmas ornaments I bought for all the kids for next year, and feel pretty pleased with myself that it is finished. Yet, I still have that feeling of nostalgia the Holiday Season brings inside and outside our home. Not totally pleased to see it gone for another year, but totally satisfied it was a Great Season, and I am so happy all went well, that everyone had a great Christmas and sincerely hope and pray that the New Year will hold all the great things a Mother, Grand Mother and Great Grand Mother can wish for her family will fill the coming days and months.
We are never sure just what great things are in store, but knowing we are blessed and looking forward to the challenges ahead. Will there be new surprises? Time will tell. We know for sure we only have to take this New Year one day at a time, and it is what we put into each of those days that will make our lives successful and happy. What this Year is to be is what each of us make of it indivually. Joseph Smith told us living the Gospel of Jesus Christ was the path to true happiness. Our first blessing of the year is we can bear Testimony to that truth.
To each of you, Happy New Year! I am looking forward to 2010 and what ever it has in store.
Written this 1 day of January 2010
by: Eileen Rosenberg
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