One year, Tom’s parents didn’t take down their Christmas tree until Easter.
I may be exaggerating.
I’m not sure how long my parents left their trees up every year, but it’s always vaguely been in my head not to put it up before mid-December and not to have it up past New Year’s Day. I think Lynne’s tree was up this year by Thanksgiving: shocking! And mine is still up, and it’s January 2. Tom and Tim were both away for several days while Kathy S babysat me and a house full of dogs; we stayed up watching movies and talking every night, and I took a lot of naps and entertained dogs every day. This all means we’re a little behind in getting Christmas out of the house. Today, instead of being industrious, Tom would rather relax and catch up on his DVRd shows before going back to work, and I’d rather watch this entertaining documentary Puterbaugh recommended (Bill Cunningham New York–streams on Netflix) and take pretty photos like this:
So the heck with it. Where is it written that a house must be undecorated by a certain date? Are there Christmas police who’ll issue a citation? Will the dogs sleep any less soundly with all these festive Christmas lights sparkling around them? Is my sluggishness why people think the Mayan calendar says WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE?
The piece of Dove candy I snagged on my way to the computer told me:
Tom’s parents were right all along.
Don’t worry about the Christmas tree …
… in Denmark we have a crazy, little Christmas song that goes like this: “Nu’ det jul igen, og nu’ det jul igen og julen varer li’ til påske, nej, det ikke sandt, nej det ikke sandt – for derimellem kommer fasten”
… since you probably don’t understand a word of it, I’ll just tell, that it says that Christmas last till Easter – and then again contradicts itself and claims that Christmas last till Shrovetide.
Have a happy 2012 !
Thanks, Laila. Happy 2012 to you, too! And now I don’t feel so badly about leaving the tree up so long. =)
it is all about time and energy… when is there time to do all of that decorating…it gets earlier each year. then when is there time and the energy to put it all away… everything i can do is done – except my living room tree. it is in its box ready to haul out to the shed. There was no energy for hauling yesterday. I am curious to see how long the lights outside will remain on the house since that will require the young men that put them up (THANK YOU, guys) to take them down… Easter may not be that far-fetched.
PS i am glad you are writing these. i cant wait to see what is next
What I’m getting from this is that since all that stuff is done at your house, you now have the time and energy to take mine down? Am I reading that right?!? Yay!
Thanks! I have no idea what’s next, either. I’m picking photos at random without regard for year or what I’ve talked about before. I could start repeating myself. I mean, I could if I were older than 35, ’cause I hear that’s what older people do.
it is all about time and energy… when is there time to do all of that decorating…it gets earlier each year. then when is there time and the energy to put it all away…
did i say that already??? NO. dont have the time or the energy do yours. now it is birthdays.
Ha ha ha!
Back during WW2 my mother kept the Christmas tree up until after Easter when her youngest brother got home from the navy.
If “legacy writing” is going to be the replacement for “magnetic poetry” all I can say is “You go, girl!” You’ve got me hooked!
Aww–sweetest reason I ever heard for leaving up the tree. =)
Thanks!
I love Christmas, but I can’t wait to get the decorations down after New Year’s Day. When it’s over it’s over. And I find it so refreshing to clear the decks and make a new start.
The idea of a new start is the only thing that makes a new year palatable to me. I always feel sad for the old year–everyone seems so eager to get rid of it.
Starting over, again… I didn’t even bother with decor this year, as time was going too fast for me to keep up!
I felt that way, too! That’s why we opted to keep everything up longer. I’d been so busy getting ready for Christmas that I felt like I didn’t have time to enjoy my decorated home. So I got to do that after Christmas.