It’s all over, people. I know some people leave their tree and decorations up until the New Year, some people leave them up until Epiphany, but my festive spirit and accompanying décor had been up for over a month and it was high time to reclaim the living room.
Yesterday I looked around me and saw a million Lego pieces scattered on the floor, along with Playmobil animals and Egyptian artifacts, puzzle pieces, and board games. The Zen thought about not being able to control others, only yourself floated through my mind. I wanted to dismantle all holiday decorations but my husband was ill, god help me, I didn’t think I could take down the seven foot tree on my own. I drummed my fingers on the table for a while, looking around at the chaos, and then started hauling all the boxes up from the storage room. Remember the one time I fixed the gutters? I am invincible, I am woman, I could take down the tree.
There were some minor protests from the kids when I started taking down all the decorations, to no avail. Mark, realizing he and Jake were powerless to stop me, started to help. Soon I had everything down but the tree, and I was ready to take it on, but at the eleventh hour my husband rallied and did it for me. Possibly he was alarmed by my fervor, although he should be used to it by now, seeing as we have spent twelve Christmases together. The living room, like the Grinch’s heart, seems to have grown three sizes in the absence of the holiday décor.
I feel decluttered. Unfortunately there is one area in the house that is not decluttered, and that is the kitchen. There are no fewer than fourteen boxes of chocolates of various varieties in there. Some, like the giant box of peppermint Lindor, are exclusively mine. I am now faced with a decision. Should I freeze some, should I aim to eat a reasonable daily amount over the next few weeks, or should I consume them all, immediately, in order to destroy them so they will not tempt me with their minty goodness? The former two seem to be the wiser, if less exalted, solutions.
How was your Christmas? I was the happy recipient of many lovely gifts, including several books from my in-laws that I had requested. I wrote up a list so long ago I actually forgot what I had on it, so opening them was like being a pleasantly surprised and cheerful amnesiac. The one I started reading first was a biography of Louisa May Alcott. Let me tell you, if you want to feel good about the miracles of modern medicine, read about the life of a nineteenth-century woman. Talk about women’s issues: practically every woman in the book so far has suffered through numerous pregnancies, miscarriages, stillbirths, deaths of their children, and – unsurprisingly – many of them subsequently die in childbirth. Not exactly cheerful but it does make one thankful for what we have. Which is what the holidays should be about, really. Thankfulness and joy.
And I have a lot to be thankful for. I also have a lot of mint chocolate, some of which is going to be consumed imminently. Tell me about your Christmas – was it lovely? I hope so.
I took my tree down today. It was feeling a little crowded in my living room too. Our Christmas was wonderful! We had 10 people here so it was a wee bit busy but fun anyway! My best gift was a new camera from my husband. I am still in the process of learning how to use it. Lol! Glad you enjoyed your Christmas!
My Christmas decor is still up. I’d like to take it down, but the coming down is such a pain that it will likely be up for another few days.
I’d go for the eating of all the goodies at once. It’s the tactic I take. It may not be wise, but then being wise is a bit of a drag sometimes.
Dang woman…pass your motivation this way!
I would allow yourself to eat at least one piece of heavenly chocolate a day. Can’t let it go to waste you know 😉
There are no toys on our floor, and we busted our asses cleaning up to get the decorations out, so I’m good being Christmassy for a couple more days — it’s all clean and cheerful and light-y and we’re still having company most days. I refuse to counsel skinny women on what they should do with their chocolate. 🙂
YES to Christmas decs coming down! I’m going to do it today. ooooh, I’m running out of energy just thinking about it….. but, the clutter must go so I will muster and forge ahead. I went in to this holiday season with less trepidation than usual but some none-the-less. Thoughts of my children’s disappointment plague me during the lead up to ‘The Great Annual Racket’. As is in most years they didn’t get exactly what they asked for but they loved what they did get. They’re kids right, programed for disappointment (and naturally blame their MOTHER for it) Well, it’s all over now and I can get back to my usual programming. I think I’d like to become a Buddhist just so I can forgo this feeling of pressure over one lousy day. Wow, I’m getting all philosophical and frankly negative…. apologies for my attitude, can I do that here with other Mom’s who might understand? It’s a lot of pressure for us to “make” Christmas.
I gave up sugar and flour last January so I’m thanking my stars that there is NO chocolate piled up on the counter. I’ll opt for the indulgence of more sleep! Happy New Year!
Consume all the candy immediately! That’s my plan, and it’s going swimmingly.
I’m taking down the decorations tomorrow. Good riddance.