Monday, December 29, 2008

When?

When, When, When
Do the Christmas Decorations come down at your house?
Today, it feels like time to pack away Christmas and start with the New Year. Yet, this is a little early than I usually start to pack it all up and I haven't even hit the stores to do returns or exchanges.
Some people are superstitious about not having Christmas Decorations up for New Years (not me), some people celebrate Christmas well into the New Year (Wise Man Day for many of my amigas and amigos).
Some people are very methodical about the entire process of cleaning up Christmas "STUFF".
I just take down Christmas Decorations when it feels like time to move on. Sometimes that is not until the kids go back to school. One thing for sure, when I pack it all up, it feels good to clean, organize and focus on a New Year. I am not there yet, I enjoyed this Christmas Season and don't feel the need to rush all the "stuff" in to boxes.
My parents will be here for New Years, so part of me wants to have Christmas Decorations still up when they arrive since we missed them for Christmas.
Maybe I will wake up tomorrow and decide it is time to put it all away, we'll see. There are so many piles not related to Christmas decorations for me to clean, organize, and put away.
A thought in Primary Sharing Time yesterday gave me the best perspective about packing up Christmas.....
Don't pack up CHRISTMAS with the STUFF.
Keep the Spirit of Christmas out all year long.
That is the thought that will be in my mind as I sort, pack, and begin the New Year.
When are you packing Christmas STUFF Up?
How do you plan to keep Christmas out all year?

2 comments:

Linda said...

Being the obsessive compulsive person that I am, my decorations usually come down early...like on the 26th. But not this year. I changed things up a bit with my decorating and I've enjoyed them. I did start to take some things down yesterday but I'm just taking my time. It's not so overwhelming that way.

Also, I wasn't a blogger in years past. I'm not so OC about things because I'm spending way to much time on the computer!

John and Katie said...

We always take down the tree on New years Day. The outside lights will also come down on New Years this year but it wasn't always so. We've been putting up fewer & fewer outside lights every year. When keith & Kendra were young & we won recognition from the homeowners association, I used to start taking them down on the 26th, a few at a time, and finish on the 1st. A little symbolism as Christmas begins to fade every day after the 25th, so did our lights.