My family all joyfully participates, mostly, in decking the halls pre-Christmas. We light the fire, even in 70 degree weather, drink hot chocolate, and argue over our Christmas playlist. I have a few traditionalists in the family, but frankly I enjoy a good remix. It is just perfect.
Scattered over the next few weeks are Tacky Christmas parties, cookie decorating parties, Christmas video marathon parties, and events without end. Usually things screech to a halt on the 24th and everyone gathers with extended family in scratchy new sweaters and snowman socks to sing, feast, and tear into gifts. We squeeze in a candlelight service and usually our own Nativity set-up and Bible reading ritual.
So, why is that on the day of eliminating Christmas clutter there is not an elf to be found?
As a mom, this means a day of boxing and sorting and deep cleaning for next year. For our girls, it just means work. I lovingly wrap and package the decorations that I have collected with purpose for so many years now. Each one represents a memory, mostly good, but sometimes mixed.
I have a box devoted to our Barbie tree that has been untouched for years. It was retired so Dad could get a break and have some testosterone back in his Christmas. Our current tree is a Looney Tunes/cartoon creation, sparkling with giant snowflakes. I am not sure that spells testosterone, but he seems happy with it.
There are various displays of snowmen and snowflake paraphernalia, that remind us of the few snowy Christmases we enjoyed in Nashville. It actually snowed here in our Texas town the night we visited to determine whether we would move permanently or not. Let it be said, that was the only time in TX history that this ever has occurred. Something about that cosmic coincidence just got our attention in a way that nothing else could. I am still waiting for my magical TX snowy Christmas. I am also a blonde.
There are sweet handmade ornaments from each child's mothers-day out adventures and special field trips with friends. These I will never part with. They are priceless in every way, even though most are covered with icing or glue. I need to address the mold issue.
But, packing away Christmas is a little painful. I know that for a few weeks during the year, we all really worked at bringing grace and hope into our world. We need a lot of that to go around, not only in our family, but everywhere you look. Trouble is sometime around February, if we are not mindful, we will slip back into our numbness until Lent wakes us into fresh spirituality.
So, the challenge this year is to pack Christmas away, but store it safely...in our hearts. There it won't need any bubble-wrap or a giant plastic tub. It just needs us to be willing.
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