Every year, when I take down all of the holiday decorations, put away the tree, and fold all the tissue paper and ribbon I’ve salvaged, my kids tease me, accusing me of “killing Christmas.” I can’t remember when it started–probably when they were 11 or 12, so it’s been a few years now that I have been both the harbinger and the destroyer of their beloved holiday.
Now, granted, my decorating can be a little over the top. One of my daughters warns her friends that coming to our house during the month of December means they need to be prepared for a house where “Christmas threw up on it.” But, by the end of the holiday, usually the weekend before New Year’s eve and day, I’m ready to have my house back and put everything all away.
I have to confess, there is something about the process of tucking everything away neatly into boxes, washing the dishes and lines and putting them away in boxes all fresh and safe that gives me a great deal of satisfaction. It is as if I am balling up all the holiday chaos and reclaiming my house. AND, I don’t know about you, but my house always feels bigger and airier after I’ve had it stuffed with Christmas for over a month. As much as I love the cozy feeling that all the evergreen, glitter and red warmth brings to the house during the season, I also really love the open, clean feeling my house gets after everything is put away for another 11 months.
So, yes, Mom killed Christmas again. While my kids made themselves scarce since they couldn’t take the disassembling of another holiday, I brought a little order back into my otherwise chaotic family world. And, NOW I’m ready to face another new year…
Also: Time for a Pat on the Back
Teenager’s Opinions on the Meaning of Christmas