Post-Holiday Roundup

I always have mixed feelings after Christmas.

There is so much build-up to the big day that on the night of December 25th, I feel a little sad. The presents have been opened, the stockings have been emptied and in a matter of days our little Christmas tree will be heading back down to the basement for another year in the dark.

Christmas 1966 with my brother, Paul

On the other hand, I won't have to listen to yet another rendition of Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You. So there is an upside to the departing holiday.

When we were growing up, I always thought New Year's Day was the saddest of all holidays. That's when we took down all of the Christmas decorations. My mom was big into the big day, so there was a lot of undecorating to do. In addition to removing ornaments and icicles from the tree, my job was to pick pine needles out of the carpet. When I was older, I had to use a razor blade to scrape the fake snow from the windows, then Windex them. I would grumble all the way, knowing all I had to look forward to was the start-up of winter term at school.

I think that's why I don't go crazy decorating the house. It's just too sad taking it all down at the end.

It would be a lot easier to take if we didn't have three more months of winter weather looming ahead. Mr. Ginley deals with this by crossing off the days between January 1st and St. Patrick's Day (which is the first day of spring as far as he's concerned).

I hunker down and make plans to curl up in the easy chair to read and do puzzles.  And dream a little dream of warm spring days and fragrant flowers.

In the meantime, I'll check to make sure we have plenty of rock salt. And hot chocolate.

And I'll count my blessings that I was able to spend the holidays with my family. They can count their blessings that January 1st will be spent watching football (and the Capitals play in the Winter Classic), not taking stuff down.

Happy New Year!